Dutch Health "Crap" Care System
There is no better way to describe how people are treated in Holland, when it regards their health.
Once I snapped my left foot in a wrong way on a doorstep. It swallowed and hurted too much to walk confortably. As it was weekend, I could not contact my normal doctor, I had to make an appointment with the weekend doctor (you ARE NOT ALLOWED, in Holland, to go to the hospital directly). When looking at it, he said it didn't look like anything was broken and I should just wait 1 or 2 weeks to see how it goes.
It seemed too long, but how can I argue the judgement of someone who went through medical school and all the necessary hard-earned degrees? It amazed me to know that you can clearly tell I don't have any broken bone just by looking at the foot, this doctor should probably be working at some international institute instead of a small town like Purmerend where I lived back then.
Needless to say, after two weeks I still had the same pain, only slightly less painfull, but still hard to walk confortably, and amazingly I had to insist with my doctor to really be attended at the hospital.
Not to my surprise, they made me an X-Ray and found out that the outer-bone of my foot was broken (duh!), although luckily it was already healing by itself... the explanation for the healing? By coincidence, the week before I broke the foot I bought new shoes that were actually pretty tight on my feet, so they kept my bones on the correct position, which allowed for the healing.
So, instead of being properly taken care of, which is why we pay a ridiculous amount of taxes in this country, I am today lucky to be walking normally.
Well, again I found myself in a situation where I needed assistance. I've been ill since mid-November, with a problem which I won't describe here. After the operation I was feeling much better but that didn't last long. Only when I complained again of pain, I was told they noticed some fluids left inside me, but they expected my body to get rid of them by itself. This is something unbelievable... in Portugal, they would never have allowed me out of the hospital without being 100% sure I was free of issues. But ... I'm not in Portugal, I'm in Holland. I'm not in what they call a third-world country, I'm in a 1st top-of-the-class country right?
Well, since then I've been already twice at the emergency service, and still today I have pain!
Today I came back from the doctor, a doctor which felt more like he was rushing me out (I barely had time to answer his questions, as much as making my own). When asking for more of my medication which is running out, he said I could get it from my house doctor... ehr... why should I do that when he is also able to give me that same perscription I was given there one week ago? Is he not skilled for that? Had a wrist problem? Or did he really had to go somewhere else?
The worst part: they were about to give me a new appointment in only 3 weeks, when I have pain almost every day!!! Can you believe it?
Please take my advice... when facing health issues, DON'T get treated in Holland. Save yourself a lot of hassle, if you can take some vacation time and travel to your home-country.
The Dutch either never had, or have given up, on one of the most basic elements they should be helped on: their health!
I might earn less money in Portugal, but at least I know I will be properly supported and taken care of.
Dutch Health Care System is CRAP!
Once I snapped my left foot in a wrong way on a doorstep. It swallowed and hurted too much to walk confortably. As it was weekend, I could not contact my normal doctor, I had to make an appointment with the weekend doctor (you ARE NOT ALLOWED, in Holland, to go to the hospital directly). When looking at it, he said it didn't look like anything was broken and I should just wait 1 or 2 weeks to see how it goes.
It seemed too long, but how can I argue the judgement of someone who went through medical school and all the necessary hard-earned degrees? It amazed me to know that you can clearly tell I don't have any broken bone just by looking at the foot, this doctor should probably be working at some international institute instead of a small town like Purmerend where I lived back then.
Needless to say, after two weeks I still had the same pain, only slightly less painfull, but still hard to walk confortably, and amazingly I had to insist with my doctor to really be attended at the hospital.
Not to my surprise, they made me an X-Ray and found out that the outer-bone of my foot was broken (duh!), although luckily it was already healing by itself... the explanation for the healing? By coincidence, the week before I broke the foot I bought new shoes that were actually pretty tight on my feet, so they kept my bones on the correct position, which allowed for the healing.
So, instead of being properly taken care of, which is why we pay a ridiculous amount of taxes in this country, I am today lucky to be walking normally.
Well, again I found myself in a situation where I needed assistance. I've been ill since mid-November, with a problem which I won't describe here. After the operation I was feeling much better but that didn't last long. Only when I complained again of pain, I was told they noticed some fluids left inside me, but they expected my body to get rid of them by itself. This is something unbelievable... in Portugal, they would never have allowed me out of the hospital without being 100% sure I was free of issues. But ... I'm not in Portugal, I'm in Holland. I'm not in what they call a third-world country, I'm in a 1st top-of-the-class country right?
Well, since then I've been already twice at the emergency service, and still today I have pain!
Today I came back from the doctor, a doctor which felt more like he was rushing me out (I barely had time to answer his questions, as much as making my own). When asking for more of my medication which is running out, he said I could get it from my house doctor... ehr... why should I do that when he is also able to give me that same perscription I was given there one week ago? Is he not skilled for that? Had a wrist problem? Or did he really had to go somewhere else?
The worst part: they were about to give me a new appointment in only 3 weeks, when I have pain almost every day!!! Can you believe it?
Please take my advice... when facing health issues, DON'T get treated in Holland. Save yourself a lot of hassle, if you can take some vacation time and travel to your home-country.
The Dutch either never had, or have given up, on one of the most basic elements they should be helped on: their health!
I might earn less money in Portugal, but at least I know I will be properly supported and taken care of.
Dutch Health Care System is CRAP!
