Christina Andros: Student spotlight

As someone who has always loved to travel, having the opportunity to come to Thailand and experience another new culture has been very exciting. I expected to see how far Thailand was behind the United States in regard to healthcare, however, I have found just the opposite. While Thailand does not utilize standardized computer ordering systems throughout their hospitals and clinics at this time, their other practices far surpass that of the United States. Their workflow is textbook and runs seamlessly, due in part, to their passionate employees, always eager to learn and do their best work. Smiles are never scarce in Thailand, and this translates to top of the line patient care. My favorite experience thus far was visiting the Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok, serving more than one million patients per year from countries all over the world. People seek out care at Bumrungrad due to their low prices (nearly 1/8 the cost of procedures in the United States) and come back due to the outstanding care and hotel-like facilities. I am eager to begin our work in Chang Mai and compare the northern country to the south, and learn even more about this progressive culture. As someone who strives to work in healthcare administration, this trip has provided me with endless inspiration for the United States healthcare system.