The American Hospital in Paris

Last weekend I visited someone I know at the American Hospital (they're fine). Did you know that the only hospital outside the U.S. that is fully certified to U.S. standards is here in Paris? It was founded almost a hundred years ago for American residents of Paris, and built in the leafy, wealthy suburb of Neuilly (if this was London, Neuilly would just be part of the city, as it really is). All the personnel speak both English and French, and there are special arrangements for Chinese and Japanese, as well as other foreigners. The personnel also seems to be unusually nice, if my experience was any judge.

"But it's no better than any other hospital," says my neighbor the famous doctor. "The public teaching hospitals are the best. The American hospital is just the most luxurious." It has specially grand rooms you can pay a high price for; Christina Onassis came here to have her child. All the rooms are private, which you have to admit is nice when you're sick-- I've never understood why you should have to put up with roommates just when you're feeling especially awful. 

I had a baby in Paris, and several of my American friends and family members were shocked that I didn't go to the American Hospital. It was almost as if they thought I wasn't being patriotic. Do you know the honest-to-God reason I didn't? I didn't want the child's passport to read "Neuilly"! Instead, it proudly says "Paris."

Comments

[Ohlala Maman]

I didn't know it was fully certified to US standards, interesting. I had one baby in Paris intramuros and I admit it is a bit disappointing that my second baby has "Levallois" in her passport, not really the same thing! Lovely to have found your blog, am exploring!

[Freebo]

It may be a good hospital but it also comes with a huge price tag, usually around 10 times the price of what you would normally pay in France. Care at the American hospital is also not covered by the French social security and many mutuelles won't cover it either. For a basic GP consultation you will be looking at 150-200 euros as opposed to 23 euros elsewhere. It's basically a nice hospital for the rich.
The British hospital also has English speaking staff and the price tag is lower apparently...

[Kevin B]

I'd advise everyone to stay away from them, I went through the emergency department in March 2012. I found the department to be rundown and the staff had trouble speaking english (luckily my French wife was there to translate)
I was given an IV and some blood tests and discharged with a bill of 480euro which I happily paid and sent through to insurance.
One year later (April 2013) they sent me a bill for an additional 225euro. I emailed them a copy of the original bill "paid in full" and they are still sending me letters of demand. I'm still waiting for them to send me an invoice detailing where the extra costs have come from. *Note that all bills had to be paid at departure and were paid in full.

Best advice is to keep clear, this company just wants your money.

[John F. Ryan]

I am doing some research about the American hospital in Paris during World War II. I know Sumner Jackson was arrested in 1942, then released, then arrested again in 1944, which arrest/incarceration led to his death in 1945. My question is this: Was the American Hospital ever closed down entirely by the German Occupation? I am trying to follow the career of a German-Jewish nurse that was employed by the hospital, and to determine whether she might have avoided German persecution by virtue of working for the American Hospital. After December 11, 1941, America entered the war, but I understand the Germans allowed the hospital to continue to operate. Does anyone know what the status of such workers would have been?

[Sedulia]

I don't know but I hope someone else can answer you. I just found these:

http://alexkershawauthor.com/?p=253

https://www.american-hospital.org/en/american-hospital-of-paris/bearing-the-torch/dedicated-to-freedom.html

http://en.rfi.fr/visiting-france/20101111-cell-wwii-resistance-network

[pich]

ok