Luxury Hospitals Compete For Wealthy Patients

An increasing number of hospitals in New York and across America are competing for wealthy patients who will pay more for their services, offering luxury furnishings and hotel-like amenities.

The New York Times reports that V.I.P. rooms at the New York-Presbyterian cost patients $1,000 to $1,500 a day, while a suite on the penthouse floor costs around $2,400. The Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in L.A., promises “the ultimate in pampering” with its $3,784 maternity suites. Hospitals such as these offer luxury amenities for patients during their stay. Many provide them with dedicated chefs, butlers, mouth-watering menus, panoramic views, marble baths, and deluxe accomodation.

The phenomenon is escalating here and around the country, health care design specialists say, part of an international competition for wealthy patients willing to pay extra, even as the federal government cuts back hospital reimbursement in pursuit of a more universal and affordable American medical system.

New York Times: “Chefs, Butlers and Marble Baths”

Photo by Marilynn K. Yee