another fool wrote:

> Having had to deal with the Japanese medical system recently I can say
> simply that from a cost perspective it has the US system beat to hell.

True. But long life span notwithstanding, I still do not believe it
provides better quality care than the US system. I've told the story of
when my mother fractured her foot in Japan, and I saw that the local
"national" hospital was like my hometown hospital 30 years ago,
understaffed, with primitive technology, and poor interpersonal skills.
But it did cost only 10,000 yen for the examination and x-ray.

> The total cost for delivery of our son with an epi and the doctor
> having to come in at 2am when my wife decided to go into labor was ~US
> $4000.  The birth of our first son cost us over US $14000 in the US.
> The second birth had 5 days and 4 nights of hospitol care and baby
> care.  The first had 3 days and 2 nights - and the hospitol stay cost
> more then the whole 2nd birth, baby care was extra and not included in
> the $14000.  I know the costs because my wonderful company decided to
> tell us 'oh don't get the national health plan, we have great
> insurance!' that only covers 80% of anything they decide is reasonable
> after a $250 deductable - and will not pay the hospitol directly.

Childbirth, not being a "disease", is not usually covered by national
insurance. I paid a similar amount, completely out of pocket. The way
Japanese hospitals handle expectant mothers and childbirth is terrible.
Yes, infant mortality in Japan is lower than in the US, but that still
doesn't mean that such impersonal and invasive treatment is warranted.

> As far as 'tracking' every needle - how?

Counting them.

> Should they take a video of where they put every needle?

The people who handle the needles know what they did with them, or
should.

I'd like to know more about this needle, such as if it was a suturing
needle which was not snipped off, or something that simply fell back in.

>  Should they use a digital camera?

A medical scanning device, such as an x-ray machine or a metal detector
in this case.

> What if they make a mistake and take the wrong needle out

You mean, there are needles which are supposed to be left in?

> then think they've got them all?

That's what the count is for.

> They take every reasonable precaution.

It seems the people are upset about the attitude of the hospital, not the
simple fact that something was left in.

> Maybe
> you would have liked it if your friend died on the table while they
> looked for the needle?
>
> Mistakes happen and sometimes they are just that, mistakes.

http://tinyurl.com/omre

Patient dies after doctors perform 'human experiment'

"Before the operation doctors reportedly ignored formalities such as
gaining approval for the operation from the university's ethics
committee, and went ahead with the procedure despite a lack of
experience."

Comment, please. You and "CC". Also recall the story of the American man
who woke up without a penis, removed by doctors without his permission in
the apparently mistaken belief it was cancerous.

http://tinyurl.com/omsb

Just mistakes, huh? Would you like to try living with such mistakes, and
without considering responsibility?

> The wonderful US sentiment that 'someone must be responsible' is just
> assinine.

If not the doctor or the hospital, who should or will do something about
it? Who is going to pay to cover any necessary treatment? Is his mother
supposed to do something about it herself or take care of him if
something goes wrong with the needle simply left in place? This is not a
"US" sentiment. This is a case where someone MUST be held responsible, or
through inaction, that responsibility WILL fall upon the family.

> I love the parks and playgrounds around my home - my kid
> loves them too.  You'd never see them in the US because the
> city/county/etc. should have 'known someone would get hurt' and would
> have been sued to death the first kid who fell down and broke a bone.
> Seems like a simplification but it directly shows the difference in
> legal system and mindset.

And precisely why people in Japan are so often and easily screwed, even
if and when lives are actually lost as in incredible hospital screw ups
that sometimes make the news, like the "human experimentation" death at
the hands of unqualified doctors performing a procedure without
permission. Japanese "apologies" for the benefit of news cameras and
token unnecessary resignations of officials who had nothing to do with
the problem is expected to settle most problems here. The Texas man is
fortunate that a simple "I'm sorry" is not accepted in the US for a lost
penis.

> I do agree though that he and his family should have been notified
> immediatly of the situation though.  And have they done an x-ray to
> find the needle and determine if it needs to come out?  Also I do wish
> him the best in his recovery.