Which Hospital is better for Delivery?

It was 27th of July 2007.I had returned back from UK for good.Still jet - lagged,in my sleep I got a call from my aunt who at that point of time was out of country and a senior Gynecologist herself directing me to perform Cesarean of one of her American patients in one of the posh hospitals of Gurgaon.Still Groggy with sleep I reached the Hospital.Parking was a problem but then I had my driver to take care of that.
Hospital looked quite welcoming from inside.Nicely laid couches and sofas,a coffee shop with a gang of young doctors sipping their morning cuppa welcomed me with a friendly smile.The administrator of the hospital asked a friendly sari clad front desk lady staff to escort me to the patients room.

Then I reached the room.A big LCD screen , big patient beds and bigger attendant room looked impressive.So far so good!!

I reached the Operation theatre as it was a planned Cesarean.But there were no slippers.Patients husband who was happily moving around the OT to picturise his 4th child's birth offered me his slippers which I gladly grabbed.He started moving without slippers .I was amazed and amused.Till a day back I was working in UK where it would be great safety concern and clinical Governance issue,a human being walking bare feet in OT with a possibility of spattering of blood and amniotic fluid on floor.By the time I got scrubbed a friendly anaesthetist had already rubbed the patients abdomen clean with betadine.My jaw dropped a little at the sight.And then came the scalpel(Blade) which won't cut properly.Asked if there was a blood bank-answer was No.That horrified me.But things went well in her case.So all is well that ends well and she was back again to her swanky room and the comforts of her cosy bed.

Few days later I visited the same hospital,again on request to see a patient who post delivery was having severe neck and back pain and no medicine was working.X ray and ultrasounds were not conclusive.So I suggested an MRI.'We don't have MRI in the hospital mam' replied the registrar.For that we need to send patients out of hospital to associated hospitals having MRI.Not impressive at all.This patient's room was no less swish.Nurses no less friendly.But she needed an investigation and the place was not equipped for it.

So,I find a number of my patients requesting me to deliver them in Posh hospitals as their friends found the staff friendly for would be moms,room bigger and that oh so girly feel,Choo Chweet.......

Dear friends when you are opting for a place of delivery chose it carefully.Things which are important and decisive should be in order of priority :

1) Competent and committed doctor ( Gynaecologist and neonatologist) and other health care providers

2)Basic infrastructure

3) Multidisciplinary stand back arrangements and team like,ICU,Intensivists,Physicians,Surgeon,nephrologist,Cardiologist,Blood bank,haematologist (Things not always go right.And on one that occasions where things go wrong you don't wished to be sent to a far off bigger centre just because your hospital,though has big and welcoming rooms but doesn't have the multidisciplinary team)

4)Friendly help desk staff to take you around the hospital during your initial visits.

5)A comfortable room (Not necessarily plush)

I would say a safe child birth and good outcome is more important than frills like Hospital Brand,Fruit champagne,flowers and balloons,Pink and blue attires provided by the hospital.To translate a Hindi saying,these things can be sugar in the curd but not the curd itself.

Wishing you a safe and happy motherhood.