I have NOT got H1N1!

Actually, I knew that before I went to the health centre on Wednesday afternoon. I called beforehand to book an appointment with my family doctor, preferably for the same day, as I was coughing up blood! The telephonist suggested I should go to the flu section, for faster treatment.

I was attended to fairly quickly and patiently explained that I had received the annual flu, pneumonia and H1N1 vaccines, but thought that the blood should be seen to. The duty doctor appeared to agree and wrote me a reference letter for a chest x-ray at the hospital.

The hospital was also well organised, but couldn't give me an x-ray without me seeing the duty doctor first. It appears one professional opinion is not enough! So I was taken to the H1N1 quarantine area - one doctor, three patients in front of me. More than an hour later, it was my turn. Finally, a doctor who listens and even asks if there's nothing more he should know. Unfortunately, his initial diagnosis on the admission form was "H1N1".

So we ran the tests - unfortunately they take 2 hours! Nasal swab, throat swab, blood sample. During the 2 hour wait, they even took me to x-ray.

The 2 hours were up. Where's the doctor? "Oh, he also has to do general emergency, and it's rather busy", I was told. When he finally returned, he confirmed that I have not got H1N1, that the blood is not coming from my lungs and prescribed me some antibiotics, as well as giving me some preventive hints for someone of my age - off to the cardiologist for me then! Great doctor!

I reached the health centre at 2 p.m., got home at 10. So much for the fast track!

Accident & Emergency

What's the difference between private and public healthcare? As I understood it up to today, with private healthcare you're paying for a more timely and better presented service. Some private hospitals even offer an emergency walk-in-off-the-street service, which must surely be better than braving the conditions in Portuguese public hospitals.

That's what I thought until I took my wife to CUF Infante Santo this afternoon, in a state where her dizzy spells had reached the point where she could no longer stand, barely sit. I got her a wheelchair, checked her in and sat with her for an hour and a half in the waiting room without being seen. Everyone who was there when we arrived had been seen and had left. There were the queue jumpers, the "emergency consultations by appointment" slipped in front of us, and the usual State excuse: "One of the doctors didn't come in, so we only have one"! So what the hell was I paying for? We would have been better off at our local health centre!

The staff were shocked when we gave up and left. After all that time the dizziness had worn off. They even came after us into the car park: "The doctor will see you now". I don't suppose the 90€ emergency fee that they lost made any difference to them. After all, we were the strange ones, running away like that. I suppose I should have complained earlier, but it shouldn't be necessary.

It looks like José de Mello Saúde needs some competition, and then some doctors who take some pride in customer service, to set them apart from the public hospitals. You certainly won't find me setting foot there again.