Ugandan Hospitals

The medical system here is a bit different than we're used to. First off, appointments as we know them are not a thing despite the hospital having a link to make one (I tried this and no one ever responded). But you can call and tell them whom you want to see, and the operator will tell you that the doctor will be seeing patients at this time, in the order in which they sign up.

So we showed up an hour early and registered at the front desk. They took my name, asked whom I was there to see, asked for 100,000 shillings (~$30) that I sincerely hoped wasn't a bribe but paid because I really wanted to see the doctor (but was relieved to find a receipt for later), then gave me a number and sent me to wait. Someone called my number, then took my vitals and wrote everything down in a big book along with my next of kin's name and phone number (reassuring!) and sent me to a different waiting room, outside the doctor's office. 

We eventually saw the doctor; he looked at the x-rays and said (mostly to Dustin) yes, this is a fracture and we're going to put on a cast because he doesn't believe in surgery (seriously, but I would also rather not have surgery in Uganda), so please go over to the treatment rooms. We went to the other side of the hospital and sat down to wait for a room to become available. Then Dustin had to go to the cashier and pay for the treatment I was eventually going to get. Waited some more. Eventually went back to the doctor's office to put the cast on there because it's faster and there no saws involved on this end. Six weeks later we waited almost two hours for a treatment room and x-rays to get the cast taken off. But we always pay before any service, and when that's not possible the therapist or staff person will walk to the cashier with you. 

I guess medical insurance is a thing here, but we're paying in cash (or card if we're lucky) and then submitting receipts online for reimbursement...but getting the x-rays and cast on was a total of $300. Each PT session is about $20, which is less than my copay for PT was in DC.