It's not just your time in the bed/room, there's often a line item on your bill for skin-time. On top of that, you pay for your time in the room.

Of course ... but it's incredibly sad to read how it is even a part of the thought process of childbirth in some countries.

> ... the thought process of capitalism in some countries.

FTFY.

Providing poor service and still making money isn't capitalism. That's a lack of competition. Plenty of countries have poor government run services and there's no alternative. Same deal - no competition.

Charging for things just because you can is a capitalist mindset, however.

Besides, hospitals will never be more competitive than an oligopoly in most cases, simply because only so many are built in any given geographic area, and most people can only travel so far for medical care. There are some services the “free market” simply can’t deliver efficiently.

The reason why "only so many are built in any given geographic area" is because we aren't being very capitalist or free market. One must obtain a "certificate of need" before opening a new facility, and that will be opposed in court by all possible competitors.

We could give capitalism and free market a try.

Why do people always want to fix problems arising from capitalism by doing more capitalism?

The error here: it's not problems arising from capitalism

You complained that "only so many are built in any given geographic area", and I pointed out that this is for a very non-capitalist reason. Regulation prohibits opening new hospitals.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Certificate_of_need