What Package Would You Like to opt For?

Because Apparently, Cardiac Surgery Now Comes With a Room Upgrade. 

As I take a chair at the corner of the waiting room of ICU looking around the helpless faces and a story of its own. Unable to sleep with multiple thoughts crossing my mind here I am sharing my story of last 72 hours.  

The first thing I heard at the hospital wasn’t a diagnosis. It wasn’t a doctor explaining the urgency of my father’s cardiac condition. It was a receptionist, smiling like she was checking me into a beach resort, asking: “What package would you like to opt for?” 

Not “How critical is the case?” or “How soon can we operate?” No. The real question was whether I’d like the Gold, Platinum, or Diamond experience. Because nothing says emergency heart surgery like a tiered pricing model. 

Hospitals, it seems, have stopped pretending. They’re not here to heal you. They’re here to sell you an experience. And if you can’t afford the experience, well, best of luck in General Ward Purgatory. 

Welcome to the ICU Resort & Spa

Gone are the days when hospitals were, you know, hospitals. Now they’re “healthcare destinations.” The lobby has marble floors. The receptionist wears a blazer. There’s a Starbucks, Barista inside the hospital .. hungry or like to have a coffee with free Wi-Fi ? . And if you squint hard enough, you might even spot a bellboy wheeling in an oxygen cylinder like it’s room service.

You’re not a patient anymore. You’re a guest. And your father’s failing heart? That’s just the opening act for a sales pitch. 

Would you like a private room with a view of the city? A personalized diet plan? A “healing environment” with pastel curtains and motivational quotes on the wall? All available—at a price. Because in this brave new world of medicine, empathy is optional, but the deluxe package is not.

Health, Now Available in Three Easy Installments

Let’s stop pretending this is about care. This is business. Cold, calculated, and dressed up in the language of wellness. 

Need a second opinion? That’ll cost extra. Want a nurse who checks in more than once a shift? Swipe your card. Want to speak to the actual surgeon? Only if you’ve opted for the Premium Plus plan.

Meanwhile, the general ward is overflowing. Patients are packed in like luggage on a budget airline. But don’t worry, the hospital is “NABH accredited” and has a five-star rating on Google. Because nothing screams credibility like a hospital that’s mastered SEO.

A question for all of us. Is This What Progress Looks Like? We’re told this is development. That private hospitals with valet parking and scented lobbies are a sign of a growing nation. But if growth means turning healthcare into a luxury service, then maybe we’re growing in the wrong direction.

A country doesn’t progress when its hospitals start sounding like airlines, resort  etc. It progresses when no one has to choose between saving a life and selling their home. When treatment isn’t a product. When care isn’t conditional on your ability to pay.

Until then, I’ll be here in the waiting lounge, sipping overpriced coffee and wondering if the Gold package includes a refund for lost dignity. 

 PS: Irony as I was writing this, the person who came and sat next to me was watching "Gabbar" a Bollywood movie and scene was of the hospital, apt to the situation. Is it an indication.