I read an article named "Going to the doctor" today. it said Americans only see the doctor when something is seriously wrong, because a doctor visit can cost more than 80 dollars, and health insurance doesn't always pay. you must make an appointment before you go to the doctor.
In some cases, American doctors may not prescibe medicine for the patient, just tell them to have plenty of rest.
In China, most of people always go to the hosipal when they feel sick, and they like go to the first grade hospital, because they think the doctors work in this kind of hospital are more professional, even it will cost much more money for people go to the high grade hospital than go to the small hospital, and patient must wait for diagnosing in turn. The goverment will carry out some new policies to encourage people go to small community hospital, one of them is the health insurance cover more proportion if people go to small hospital.
In China, if you go to the doctor, he or she will prescribe some medicines for the patient commonly, even the patient just have a little cold, because they can get benifit by selling these medicines, and the profit may be much more higher than the fee of diagnosis and treatment. and some medicine were abused, the side effect of these medicine do harm to people's body, destory people's immune system.
Some people like to take OTC (over the counter, it means you can buy this kind of medicine from the drugstore with a prescription) medicine when they have a cold or flu, have a slight fever, or just feel ache. They can save time and money, and most important, these medicines can really cure general disease in most of time.
