This post is also available in Greek, along with a bonus story ;)

It was a cloudy Friday. I had a small operation scheduled in the local hospital. I've never had an operation in Greece to be honest, so I've no idea how things are done there, but I'll mention some things I was impressed with and you judge from your experience with Greek hospitals.

The nature of the operation is not important for the story. It was a small one and after some hours of recovering a friend could come and take me home with his car.

First of all, I met the anesthesiologist who would take part in my operation 1-2 weeks before the operation for some tests and an interview. He wanted to make sure he gives me the appropriate anesthesia during the operation. The morning I was having the operation a nurse took me to my room where I had everything I needed and she brought something like an iPad, checked my credentials and got a small interview from me. She gave me an anti thrombosis injection and a relaxation pill. I lied on my bed and set it to a comfortable position, watching outside the huge window the beautiful view to a nice park with geese and ducks.

Later on they came and took me (on my bed! which I fell in love with and asked them to send it to my home after the operation :P). They took me to the prep room doing more tests and asked what my name was for like the 100th time. Even before the anesthesia they asked me one last time! To make sure they were operating the right person for the right thing, I guess. By the way everybody was introducing themselves to me and shaking hands. I found that funny. I woke up in the prep room 40 minutes later. After making sure that everything was okay, they took me to a room where I slept some hours more and stayed there till I recovered completely from the anesthesia.

The doctor came to visit me. She explained to me what happened during the operation, what my post-op development was going to be and what I was supposed to do. Then the nurse with the iPad took over. She wanted to arrange an appointment for a re-check and she told me she had already called my friend to come pick me up.

What I found impressive was that 3 days later they called me from the hospital to ask me how my recovery was going and also what I thought about my experience in the hospital, if the information/explanations they gave me were clear and if I had some suggestions for improving the whole process. You tell me, would that EVER happen in Greece?!(and we're talking about a simple, almost country-side, public hospital! Note that I pay for health insurance 28 euros per month!)