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RussianWannaBee · Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2005 4:05 am Post subject: Health care system in Russia

hey, well im planning on going to russia for forign exchange, and i was very curious, on the heakth care there, cuz i have a heart problem, and my mom wont let me go to russia unless she knows that its safe incase i have a heart attack, well i know that i am going to be placed within a 1 mile radius of moscow, and i heard they have good enough hospitals there as they have in japan, so im happy for that, but what of the other hospitals in russia????, i would be very appreciated if someone could give me good news!!!!, but anyways give me some feedback, thnx all!!!!!

FlyingRussianMan · Frequent Guest Joined: 05 Feb 2005 Posts: 36

Any hospital affiliated with Moscow State University should have good health care. Soviet doctors used to be very good as they went through constant education; says my text book here. Smile

But I came up the Moscow State University thing!! And Japan has very good hospitals they lead some of the worlds leading health care studies.

Skip · Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2005 6:25 am Post subject: Re: Health care system in Russia

FlyingRussianMan · Frequent Guest Joined: 05 Feb 2005 Posts: 36

Yeah but why did the USSR boast such good healthcare? Was it just Communist pride?

Camrade · Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2005 2:10 pm Post subject:

2RussianWannaBee

I am still alive so healthcare system is normal Wink

slavnori · Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2005 3:25 pm Post subject: Medical Care in Russia

Your Mom has reason to worry. There are some very good doctor's in Russia, and some good hospital's, especially around Moscow, but your chances of getting a good one could be slim. Since the hospitals in Russia are subsidized by the government they lack much of the modern medical equipment, and medicines other countries consider standard. I could tell you some horror stories too, but instead I would suggest that you have an insurance that would pay to fly you to another country for such an emergency such as a heart problem. There is an American clinic in St.Petersburg which is open 24 hours for such emergencies, but it is a clinic, not a hospital. The doctor's there would only make your condition stable so you could be flown out. Maybe they have one in Moscow too, but I don't know. If your going to be there for months, or just a few weeks it is a good idea to check into the insurance anyway.

Keoki · Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2005 5:30 pm Post subject:

It's possible to find good health care in Moscow if you're willing to pay through the nose for it. You can get a year-long membership at the American Medical Center, for example, for $2,500. They have a website at http://www.amcenters.com. I wouldn't trust anything as critical as a heart to Russian medicine (Yeltsin didn't - he imported a surgeon from Texas for his bypass). Not to disparage Russian physicians, but there's a reason their degrees aren't recognized abroad. First, the initial medical program is only six years, compared to 12 years in most countries. Second, cheating on exams and papers is accepted and widespread among Russian students, so even if the professors are top-notch, there's no guarantee that the students are. Third, many degrees can actually be bought on the street. And finally, most Russian hospitals just don't have the funding for quality medical equipment and supplies.

Now before I get flamed by every Russian here for criticizing the educational system, I should point out that I did my Master's degree in St. Petersburg, so not only do I have first-hand experience with the system, I also thought the professors/courses themselves worthwhile enough to invest in them. I never would've done so, however, if my home university in the US didn't offer me a parallel degree.

In any case, Ryan, good luck to you, and if you shoudld need any more advice about Russian health care or Russia in general, don't be shy.

Camrade · Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2005 5:54 pm Post subject:

2Keoki
I talked with guy who's working in the Mariinsky hospital in Spb. He told that to become a doctor you should shit lots of time study in institute then do lots of practice there... Hospitals in Spb and in Moscow apply only proven highly qualificated specialists cause there's a big number of 'cheaters'. But still you shouldn't say that doctors are unqualified. Unqualified guys can work only in suburbunt clinic or take another job not connected with medicine. Cheaters study in the institutes not to become doctors but to get diplomas.

Keoki · Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2005 7:27 pm Post subject:

I don't mean to say that all Russian physicians are incompetent or unqualified, only that there are definitely reasons for not wanting to trust one's health to public Russian health care. I'm glad to see that you've survived Wink

, and I've relied on it for the past eight years, but I don't think I'd trust my heart to it.

Western physicians are also usually much more careful because they're petrified of malpractice suits, while this isn't much of an issue yet in Russia.

Camrade · Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2005 7:42 pm Post subject:

2Keoki
maybe Smile

Keoki · Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2005 11:52 am Post subject:

I must admit that most of my experience with health care in Russia has been in Moscow, so maybe St. Petersburg is different. I only used the State University polyclinic while I was studying there (at the University, not the polyclinic), and one of my first visits was for the obligatory HIV test for foreign students. There were no syringes, so the doctor just stuck a needle in my arm with a tube attached to it, and had me pump my arm back and forth to squeeze blood out into a beaker. I didn't mind that much, but there was a cat sitting on the desk next to my arm the whole time, and the doctor didn't seem to care. Being a timid newcomer to Russia at the time, I kept my peace, but... a frigging cat!

This was a college polyclinic, of course, and obviously underfunded, whereas I understand that the Marinsky is something of an elite facility.

DennisF

The best advice above is to invest in an emergency insurance policy. If you were to have a serious heart problem, I would recommend stabilization only in Russia followed by medical evacuation to a better, more current system. Also the US CDC recommends a Hepatitis A/B vaccination one month prior to any extended visit in Russia especially if you plan to venture beyond Moscow/SPB. The Russian blood bank system does not consistently screen the blood products given and it would be terrible to need a transfusion for whatever reason (trauma, MVA, etc.) and receive hepatitis B along with it!
Smile

You sound like you have come to terms with your heart condition as far as lifestyle, so with a little care and preparation (take extra supplies of any meds along with an emergency phone # for your regular cardiologist) you should have no problems. Best of luck and be careful. Still giving out anesthesia in Texas (for you country folks, that's called "passin' gas") DennisF Laughing

MrSpice · Lounge Wizard Joined: 14 Jul 2003 Posts: 3431

If you have a serious medical condition and think that it is likely that you will require continuous medical care, don't go to Russia for a long period of time. I am serious. We can have a great argument here about good Russian doctors and how much they know. But in general, Russia is not a very efficient country. You may need to "know the right people" to get a good doctor. I bet long lines are not uncommon in some hospitals. I bet they may forget about you for a while. There are some terrible hospitals in the US, no doubt about it. But if you have medical insrurance, you have a wide array of choices and you know that most doctors will treat you with care.

I lived in Russia for more than 20 years. I have lived in the US for the last 10. I heard things have gotten much better in many ways in Russia. But in many ways, Russia will remain underdeveloped for many years...

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