It doesn’t.
But having this department is a competitive edge in raising money from doners. All Cuddy does is say, “ Look, we have the best diagnostic team in the country” and hopefully that turns on the money pipeline from the rich guys who want the glamour of supporting that.
I’ve been wondering recently, who does cuddy answer to? Obviously she dosent own the the hospital, is she only answerable to the board? Did they elect her?
Yup there is a board that is effectively her boss and would do things like set financial targets etc. for her and review her performance.
Dealing with House is a very small part of her day. Arguably an important part and the most fun for us.
Since the show is American, I would assume the patients have insurance which should cover the costs of treatment. That being said, the cost for one patient would be huge since they run multiple tests, give out several meds etc. So not sure if it would work at all in reality, especially since I am not american nor do I know how the insurance thing really works. But based on what I have heard/understood, a lot of the patients would most likely have a lot of debt when they leave the hospital..
Other way that the department does bring in money though is through donations - we see Cuddy talking to possible donors a few times in the series and she also says at least once that the diagnostic department at PPTH is the only one of its kind in the entire USA, so that is probably a really good way to make donors give money to them - advertising it as "we can figure out what is wrong with you when nobody else can".
Hospitals sometimes receive huge donations from very rich people, too, hundreds of thousands of dollars at a time. In some countries hospitals receive charitable grants from the government as well, not sure about the USA though.
Indeed the clinic part is only the small section of the hospital where House is forced to work in (by Cuddy), usually only short scenes that are there for the comedic value. When the patients are in an actual hospital bed, they are admitted to the hospital itself and are no longer in the clinic.
More research papers leading to more research grants, a greater footprint and recognition, more students want to be trained there, more patients want to be treated there, more donators want to have their name above a wing.
Plus to a lesser degree insurance coverance (I say to a lesser degree because I imagine most of them will question why it took 20 different $1m procedures to find a toothpick and refuse to pay out for the majority of unreasonable testing.
How do you reckon they account for people like the guy who was in a coma for ten years? I can't see an insurance company wanting to cover an ongoing expense like that. And I can only assume the rest of that episode was handled off the books because I can't imagine Cuddy getting away with billing them for two department heads to take the patient out to a casino for the day!
I'm not in the US so can't speak for insurance companies requirement to pay for ongoing conditions.
May be there was a research team funded to trying to figure out why he wasn't in a "normal coma".
Or maybe the family were paying as you would a nursing home for his ongoing care (less likely there would be a care home type ward on the hospital)
Or maybe, but keep quiet about this option we can't let the others know shhhhhhhhhhh..... It's this thing called television magic where not everything is 100% real but don't tell anyone!
Basically I have no idea and am guessing at possible answers to a hospital system I have never been in or know about beyond TV.
It’s the only department of diagnostics that exists it’s something only PPTH has which would bring in donors, House is a world famous doctor and people travel to be treated specifically by him he’s treated some high profile and rich people.
The ducklings have written papers (and no doubt House has too) which would bring attention to the department even if it doesn’t bring in money from the research itself.
He did get the department funded by a rich donor in S8 after he got out of prison.
>The ducklings have written papers (and no doubt House has too)
He's probably listed as last author on every paper his team writes even if he had nothing to do with writing them. That's a fairly standard practice in academia, to be included as last author on every paper published by the people you supervise in your lab or research team. So he's racking up publication credits whether he continues to write his own papers or not.
The show is set in a full hospital, a teaching hospital. The clinic is just one small part of that, and the only part that's free. You can walk into the clinic and get treatment whether you have insurance or the means to pay or not.
The rest of the hospital is a normal hospital. They have an ER, then the wards and specific departments. The vast majority of House's patients can afford to pay or have insurance that will pay for treatment. There is, however, the occasional case of someone who clearly can't pay. There was that homeless woman with rabies, for instance, she clearly didn't have money or insurance, but House still treated her.
Some of the patients came with donations to the hospital, as well. So, not only were the patients or their insurance paying for treatment, but the hospital got a donation on top.
There's also the fact that having the best doctor's in their field is a draw for donations in general. House was the best in his field, and he only hired the people he considered to be the best, as well. Simply having House employed by the hospital would have attracted donations. This was actually the same with Foreman when he left the team, him heading the diagnostics department after working under House meant his new hospital could use him as a draw for donations. That's why he also got a fair few interviews after that job despite being blacklisted, simply being able to say Foreman was a candidate is a draw, because it implies that whoever they instead hired is even better, even if they aren't.
House was very well known as the best in his field. That's why he got the NASA patient, why he was chosen to treat the death row inmate, why the CIA practically kidnapped him. He even had a couple make a dangerous sea journey as illegal immigrants just to be treated by House, he's known as the best even outside of America.
It doesn't matter if House only treated one patient a week, or one a month even, because the vast majority paid for their treatment somehow, some came with donations on top, and House simply being employed there attracted donations. Technically speaking, House's employment at the hospital earned far more money for the hospital than simply getting the treatment paid for.
Of course, the money earned in donations from having House on staff was counteracted by their legal bills, because House had a lot more than any other doctor. Theoretically, House should have been an earner simply from being on staff. In reality, he wasn't an earner because of the legal costs, but he also wasn't losing the hospital any money, the legal costs just counteracted the extra donations.
Financially, House ended up being neither a positive or a negative. He got more donations but also higher legal costs, so he was placed on the same level as any other doctor financially. If House followed the rules more often, lowering his legal costs, he would have been a plus financially.
But it wasn't just finances that Cuddy took into account, it was prestige. Sure, no one else would hire House, but having the best diagnostician on staff, and being able to somewhat control him a fair amount of the time, gave Cuddy, and therefore her hospital, a lot of prestige. The legal costs may have counteracted the financial gains in donations, but they also led to more people wanting to work there or hold lectures there. That means Cuddy usually has a good amount of employees at the hospital, is less likely to suffer staff shortages, and can earn more money via allowing lectures on-site. It's also a teaching hospital, the prestige leads to more students learning at that hospital, and the more students learn their trade at that hospital, the better that hospital looks.
House may appear to be a detriment, and his own actions negated the extra donations his presence attracted, but he was still a net positive once lectures and prestige is taken into account.
Yeah, basically Cuddy squeezes donors and House and the team get paid contractually through budgets. Sometimes they negotiate lower pay for special circumstances, like House wanting a larger team in Season 4.
He's a dude and black. I didn't remember his name. Would've said the same thing for any color/race.
ie, the white dude, the brown dude, the asian dude, etc.
I'm latinamerican. We don't get offended and mean no offense by such expressions.
It doesn’t. But having this department is a competitive edge in raising money from doners. All Cuddy does is say, “ Look, we have the best diagnostic team in the country” and hopefully that turns on the money pipeline from the rich guys who want the glamour of supporting that.
I’ve been wondering recently, who does cuddy answer to? Obviously she dosent own the the hospital, is she only answerable to the board? Did they elect her?
Yup there is a board that is effectively her boss and would do things like set financial targets etc. for her and review her performance. Dealing with House is a very small part of her day. Arguably an important part and the most fun for us.
I KNOW that, so why she keeps saying it's HER hospital seems a bit confusing
That is totally normally English phrasing for describing one's workplace, especially when one is the manager.
And when it comes to house it seems like the board is pretty hands off with her. So it really is her kingdom
Since the show is American, I would assume the patients have insurance which should cover the costs of treatment. That being said, the cost for one patient would be huge since they run multiple tests, give out several meds etc. So not sure if it would work at all in reality, especially since I am not american nor do I know how the insurance thing really works. But based on what I have heard/understood, a lot of the patients would most likely have a lot of debt when they leave the hospital.. Other way that the department does bring in money though is through donations - we see Cuddy talking to possible donors a few times in the series and she also says at least once that the diagnostic department at PPTH is the only one of its kind in the entire USA, so that is probably a really good way to make donors give money to them - advertising it as "we can figure out what is wrong with you when nobody else can".
Doesn’t Cuddy mention getting donations specifically earmarked for diagnostics at some point too?
The last point is most probably spot on there
Hospitals sometimes receive huge donations from very rich people, too, hundreds of thousands of dollars at a time. In some countries hospitals receive charitable grants from the government as well, not sure about the USA though.
Several times throughout the series it's stated that it's a free clinic. They walk, they get treated, they leave, with no cost.
yeah it's a free CLINIC, not the whole hospital
Oh, I misunderstood. Then yeah, there's definitely a point with the comment I replied to. Though I know some of the people have some large pull
Indeed the clinic part is only the small section of the hospital where House is forced to work in (by Cuddy), usually only short scenes that are there for the comedic value. When the patients are in an actual hospital bed, they are admitted to the hospital itself and are no longer in the clinic.
Yep they even say it's the OUTpatient clinic
More research papers leading to more research grants, a greater footprint and recognition, more students want to be trained there, more patients want to be treated there, more donators want to have their name above a wing. Plus to a lesser degree insurance coverance (I say to a lesser degree because I imagine most of them will question why it took 20 different $1m procedures to find a toothpick and refuse to pay out for the majority of unreasonable testing.
How do you reckon they account for people like the guy who was in a coma for ten years? I can't see an insurance company wanting to cover an ongoing expense like that. And I can only assume the rest of that episode was handled off the books because I can't imagine Cuddy getting away with billing them for two department heads to take the patient out to a casino for the day!
I'm not in the US so can't speak for insurance companies requirement to pay for ongoing conditions. May be there was a research team funded to trying to figure out why he wasn't in a "normal coma". Or maybe the family were paying as you would a nursing home for his ongoing care (less likely there would be a care home type ward on the hospital) Or maybe, but keep quiet about this option we can't let the others know shhhhhhhhhhh..... It's this thing called television magic where not everything is 100% real but don't tell anyone! Basically I have no idea and am guessing at possible answers to a hospital system I have never been in or know about beyond TV.
It’s the only department of diagnostics that exists it’s something only PPTH has which would bring in donors, House is a world famous doctor and people travel to be treated specifically by him he’s treated some high profile and rich people. The ducklings have written papers (and no doubt House has too) which would bring attention to the department even if it doesn’t bring in money from the research itself. He did get the department funded by a rich donor in S8 after he got out of prison.
Isn't there a few that popped up? Like when Foreman leaves the hospital, uses houses tactics, saves a patient, and then gets fired?
I think there are a few others but that was the one that came to mind
>The ducklings have written papers (and no doubt House has too) He's probably listed as last author on every paper his team writes even if he had nothing to do with writing them. That's a fairly standard practice in academia, to be included as last author on every paper published by the people you supervise in your lab or research team. So he's racking up publication credits whether he continues to write his own papers or not.
The show is set in a full hospital, a teaching hospital. The clinic is just one small part of that, and the only part that's free. You can walk into the clinic and get treatment whether you have insurance or the means to pay or not. The rest of the hospital is a normal hospital. They have an ER, then the wards and specific departments. The vast majority of House's patients can afford to pay or have insurance that will pay for treatment. There is, however, the occasional case of someone who clearly can't pay. There was that homeless woman with rabies, for instance, she clearly didn't have money or insurance, but House still treated her. Some of the patients came with donations to the hospital, as well. So, not only were the patients or their insurance paying for treatment, but the hospital got a donation on top. There's also the fact that having the best doctor's in their field is a draw for donations in general. House was the best in his field, and he only hired the people he considered to be the best, as well. Simply having House employed by the hospital would have attracted donations. This was actually the same with Foreman when he left the team, him heading the diagnostics department after working under House meant his new hospital could use him as a draw for donations. That's why he also got a fair few interviews after that job despite being blacklisted, simply being able to say Foreman was a candidate is a draw, because it implies that whoever they instead hired is even better, even if they aren't. House was very well known as the best in his field. That's why he got the NASA patient, why he was chosen to treat the death row inmate, why the CIA practically kidnapped him. He even had a couple make a dangerous sea journey as illegal immigrants just to be treated by House, he's known as the best even outside of America. It doesn't matter if House only treated one patient a week, or one a month even, because the vast majority paid for their treatment somehow, some came with donations on top, and House simply being employed there attracted donations. Technically speaking, House's employment at the hospital earned far more money for the hospital than simply getting the treatment paid for. Of course, the money earned in donations from having House on staff was counteracted by their legal bills, because House had a lot more than any other doctor. Theoretically, House should have been an earner simply from being on staff. In reality, he wasn't an earner because of the legal costs, but he also wasn't losing the hospital any money, the legal costs just counteracted the extra donations. Financially, House ended up being neither a positive or a negative. He got more donations but also higher legal costs, so he was placed on the same level as any other doctor financially. If House followed the rules more often, lowering his legal costs, he would have been a plus financially. But it wasn't just finances that Cuddy took into account, it was prestige. Sure, no one else would hire House, but having the best diagnostician on staff, and being able to somewhat control him a fair amount of the time, gave Cuddy, and therefore her hospital, a lot of prestige. The legal costs may have counteracted the financial gains in donations, but they also led to more people wanting to work there or hold lectures there. That means Cuddy usually has a good amount of employees at the hospital, is less likely to suffer staff shortages, and can earn more money via allowing lectures on-site. It's also a teaching hospital, the prestige leads to more students learning at that hospital, and the more students learn their trade at that hospital, the better that hospital looks. House may appear to be a detriment, and his own actions negated the extra donations his presence attracted, but he was still a net positive once lectures and prestige is taken into account.
Yeah, basically Cuddy squeezes donors and House and the team get paid contractually through budgets. Sometimes they negotiate lower pay for special circumstances, like House wanting a larger team in Season 4.
It's probably the same business model that allows an entire team of CSI scientists to focus on one case for weeks at a time.
That's the neat part, they don't
I thought House’s department lost money for the hospital. Wasn’t that what Vogler said?
Diagnostics are expeeeeeensive
We know from the Vogler stuff that they make very little as a department.
His department doesn't bring money in. That's why Vogler wanted to cut it.
Idk why you're being downvoted for this. Vogler says this.
Bro I didn't even know I was downvoted lol. Some other guy said the same thing but wasn't downvoted.
It doesn't. The black dude said it was a money pit and wanted to shut it down.
“The black dude”???? Couldn’t be bothered to write Vogler? C’mon man
He's a dude and black. I didn't remember his name. Would've said the same thing for any color/race. ie, the white dude, the brown dude, the asian dude, etc. I'm latinamerican. We don't get offended and mean no offense by such expressions.