So much of being seriously ill has been rebranded in American health care as a kind of adventure. Experts speak of stroke journeys. Hospital systems invite people on kidney-transplant journeys.
And although the care might stay solid, the focus on luxurious amenities and the fancy new buildings that house them is one of the factors that have helped send costs for patients soaring that much higher, to prices well above those in other developed countries.
In this version of health care, the emphasis is on the luxurious surroundings and amenities, rather than the actual medical care. The concept of a journey can trivialize the seriousness of illness and create a disconnect between patients' experiences and the reality of their medical conditions.
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