Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

How the $8 bottle of water in Las Vegas is a health care issue

Suneel Dhand, MD
Physician
May 23, 2017
576 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

I recently attended the annual Society of Hospital Medicine conference in Las Vegas.

As a proud hospital medicine doctor, this organization has grown exponentially over the last decade, and thousands of hospital physicians from across the nation descended on the city for a few days of great learning and networking opportunities. However, away from the conference, this being Vegas, there had to be some time for fun as well.

On Saturday evening, a group of us decided to visit a night club in one of Las Vegas’ most well-known hotels. My night club days probably ended when I finished medical school some years ago (I’m much more of a wine bar kind of person these days), but seeing as I was in Vegas: I thought, why not!

So there we found ourselves, in a night club dancing the night away. We had an amazing time, but the experience that most stuck with me actually occurred when, after a couple of drinks, I decided to hydrate myself. I went up to the bar and asked for some water. The barman went to get me some bottled water. Over the blaze of music, I told him I just wanted a glass of tap water. The barman shook his head and told me that they did not serve tap water. I was surprised, but thirsty, so said the bottled water would be fine in that case. He then proceeded to hand me a tiny 330 mL bottle of water. The cost? Almost $8: More than the alcoholic drinks I had purchased earlier! I was too parched, and it was too loud and late in the night to argue, so I just paid, and took the bottle.

As I turned around, lent over some railings and looked on at hundreds of people on the dance floor, sipping my water — I thought carefully about what had just happened, and felt a sense of anger. On my travels over the years, I’ve been to many restaurants and bars, and never once seen anything like this. Here we were, in a top Las Vegas hotel and casino, which makes millions upon millions of dollars a year. The club was full of young people, paying a good sum of money just to enter the club and then large amounts on alcoholic beverages — and they were refusing to serve their customers any drinking water. And when they did, they ripped people off outrageously with a minuscule $8 bottle.

Think about this as a health care issue too. As we all know, it is extremely important if one is drinking alcohol (as of course many young people do in Las Vegas) to keep yourself hydrated. There are a good amount of people who would simply refuse to buy a bottle of water that costs so much, and consequently remain dehydrated.

I’m quite middle of the road when it comes to politics, and believe strongly in a capitalist and free market business-friendly economy with low regulatory burdens and minimal government interference. But I take issue with those who completely begrudge or belittle the role of federal government in protecting people and making laws. If capitalism is left unchecked, the consequences are dire. Does anybody out there have any doubt that had it not been for federal protections, we would all still be living in an era of Victorian workhouses, where some of the wealthy unscrupulous elite in society would gladly have their workers (including children) working from dawn till dusk for a pittance? Government rules and regulations will always be needed to stop people being taken advantage of.

But back to Las Vegas, there should be a legal requirement for any institution that serves customers food or drinks (especially those with a liquor license), to offer free drinking water to their paying customers. It’s a matter of human health and safety, since water is the most basic substance we need for our survival.

I wonder how many thousands of places around the country are behaving like this and taking advantage of their customers? Why is more of an issue not being made of this rip-off tactic? What happened in that Las Vegas club is an affront to decent service and good customer care.

I felt so strongly about this, that I created a petition at Change.org, to request a federal law for restaurants, bars, and nightclubs to give their paying customers free tap water on request. It could be your relative next time, at a bachelor or bachelorette party in Las Vegas, who is being refused drinking water and being blatantly ripped off.  Or simply yourself, who is being denied water by an institution you’ve already paid a decent sum of money to eat or drink in.

This is definitely something that happened in Vegas, that I don’t want to stay in Vegas. If you feel strongly about this as well, please sign and share this petition.

Suneel Dhand is an internal medicine physician and author of three books, including Thomas Jefferson: Lessons from a Secret Buddha. He is the founder and director, HealthITImprove, and blogs at his self-titled site, DocThinx.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

There’s no place for locker room talk in the OR

May 23, 2017 Kevin 8
…
Next

Bystander CPR makes a difference

May 24, 2017 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: Public Health & Policy

Post navigation

< Previous Post
There’s no place for locker room talk in the OR
Next Post >
Bystander CPR makes a difference

More by Suneel Dhand, MD

  • The dream patient that makes a doctor very happy

    Suneel Dhand, MD
  • When the family wants to speak to the doctor

    Suneel Dhand, MD
  • 3 reasons why patients are unhappy

    Suneel Dhand, MD

Related Posts

  • Why is health inequity an issue, and why do we have to highlight the issue?

    Sarah Murad
  • Are negative news cycles and social media injurious to our health?

    Rabia Jalal, MD
  • Low income is a neglected public health issue

    Vania Silva
  • How social media can help or hurt your health care career

    Health eCareers
  • Sharing mental health issues on social media

    Tarena Lofton
  • Anti-blackness is a public health issue

    Kimberly Grocher, LCSW, Divya K. Chhabra, MD, Yolanda Kirkham, MD, Naila Russell, DNP, Mary Pan Wierusz, MD, Susan Dix Lyons, Adham Sameer A. Bardeesi, MD, and Gillian S. Gould, PhD

More in Physician

  • Raw humanity on night float: inspiring patient encounters and overcoming challenges

    Johnathan Yao, MD, MPH
  • Revolutionizing emergency medicine: Overcoming long-term challenges with innovative solutions for physicians and patients

    Anonymous
  • The pediatric health care system tested to the limits: an inside look at the “at capacity” period during the tripledemic

    Jacqueline Bolt, MD
  • How chronic illness and disability are portrayed in media and the importance of daily choices for improved quality of life

    Juliet Morgan and Meghan Jobson
  • How biased language and stigmatizing labels affect patient care and treatment

    Joan Naidorf, DO
  • Emulating Michael Jordan’s winning mindset: a path to success for health care professionals and entrepreneurs

    Harvey Castro, MD, MBA
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • A patient’s perspective on the diminishing relationship between doctors and patients

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Conditions
    • Unmasking wage disparity in health care: the truth behind the Elmhurst Hospital physician strike

      Kevin Pho, MD | KevinMD
    • Why affirmative action is crucial for health equity and social justice in medicine

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Policy
    • How electronic health records preserve patients’ legacies in the words of oncologists

      Marc Braunstein, MD, PhD | Physician
    • Unmasking the brutal reality of gun violence in America: a call to action for unity and meaningful change

      Osmund Agbo, MD | Policy
    • Emulating Michael Jordan’s winning mindset: a path to success for health care professionals and entrepreneurs

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • The growing threat to transgender health care: implications for patients, providers, and trainees

      Carson Hartlage | Policy
    • Breaking point: the 5 reasons American doctors are dreaming of walking away from medicine

      Amol Shrikhande, MD | Physician
    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • It’s time to replace the 0 to 10 pain intensity scale with a better measure

      Mark Sullivan, MD and Jane Ballantyne, MD | Conditions
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
    • Revolutionize your practice: the value-based care model that reduces physician burnout

      Chandravadan Patel, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Why doctors aren’t to blame for the U.S. opioid crisis [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Raw humanity on night float: inspiring patient encounters and overcoming challenges

      Johnathan Yao, MD, MPH | Physician
    • Is AI the solution for the shortage of nephrologists? ChatGPT weighs in.

      Amol Shrikhande, MD | Tech
    • Unlocking the secrets of cancer conferences: an end-of-life counselor’s journey among pharmaceutical giants

      Althea Halchuck, EJD | Conditions
    • Why HIPAA is failing and what you need to know to protect your data [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Revolutionizing emergency medicine: Overcoming long-term challenges with innovative solutions for physicians and patients

      Anonymous | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 6 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • What Drug Did FDA Just Approve for COVID?
  • PET Scan for Alzheimer's Dx; Predicting Colon Cancer Survival
  • What Happens When We Classify Kids' Weight as a 'Disease'?
  • Sotagliflozin Gets FDA's Blessing for Heart Failure
  • Cardiorespiratory Monitoring Can Be Telling of Outcomes in Extremely Preterm Infants

Meeting Coverage

  • No Access to Routine Healthcare Biggest Barrier to HPV Vaccination
  • Trial Results Spark Talk of Curing More Metastatic Cervical Cancers
  • Cross-Border Collaboration Improves Survival in Pediatric Leukemia Patients
  • Monoclonal Antibody Reduced Need For Transfusions in Low-Risk MDS
  • Less-Invasive Surgery for Pancreatic Cancer Proves Safe, Effective
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • A patient’s perspective on the diminishing relationship between doctors and patients

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Conditions
    • Unmasking wage disparity in health care: the truth behind the Elmhurst Hospital physician strike

      Kevin Pho, MD | KevinMD
    • Why affirmative action is crucial for health equity and social justice in medicine

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Policy
    • How electronic health records preserve patients’ legacies in the words of oncologists

      Marc Braunstein, MD, PhD | Physician
    • Unmasking the brutal reality of gun violence in America: a call to action for unity and meaningful change

      Osmund Agbo, MD | Policy
    • Emulating Michael Jordan’s winning mindset: a path to success for health care professionals and entrepreneurs

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • The growing threat to transgender health care: implications for patients, providers, and trainees

      Carson Hartlage | Policy
    • Breaking point: the 5 reasons American doctors are dreaming of walking away from medicine

      Amol Shrikhande, MD | Physician
    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • It’s time to replace the 0 to 10 pain intensity scale with a better measure

      Mark Sullivan, MD and Jane Ballantyne, MD | Conditions
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
    • Revolutionize your practice: the value-based care model that reduces physician burnout

      Chandravadan Patel, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Why doctors aren’t to blame for the U.S. opioid crisis [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Raw humanity on night float: inspiring patient encounters and overcoming challenges

      Johnathan Yao, MD, MPH | Physician
    • Is AI the solution for the shortage of nephrologists? ChatGPT weighs in.

      Amol Shrikhande, MD | Tech
    • Unlocking the secrets of cancer conferences: an end-of-life counselor’s journey among pharmaceutical giants

      Althea Halchuck, EJD | Conditions
    • Why HIPAA is failing and what you need to know to protect your data [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Revolutionizing emergency medicine: Overcoming long-term challenges with innovative solutions for physicians and patients

      Anonymous | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

How the $8 bottle of water in Las Vegas is a health care issue
6 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...