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Private hospitals in HK - safe for acute conditions?

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  1. #1

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    Private hospitals in HK - safe for acute conditions?

    In the UK, private medical cover is great for swift treatments and getting the latest drugs that may not be available on the NHS. However, if you have an acute life threatening condition, NHS (public) hospitals are the place to be.

    Is this the case in HK? If you were having major surgery, would you want to be in a private hospital? If your life was in danger in the middle of the night, would a private hospital have adequate doctors on duty?

    Thanks


  2. #2

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    If your life was in danger (accident etc), private hospital would not take you and you'd be sent straight to the public system.

    dear giant likes this.

  3. #3

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    Howard. Thanks. But what if your life was in danger following complications from relatively straightforward surgery?


  4. #4

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    Correct regarding serious accidents and certain other conditions (I have been transferred from a private to a public hospital). But for planned major surgeries it depends on which hospital, medical condition and doctor. If given the choice for a planned procedure I would personally prefer to be in a private hospital unless there was a very compelling reason to go public as I do not prefer shared rooms, dislike the idea of limited visiting hours (although i completely understand the policy and why it is in place) and have a very strong preference for being able to chose my doctors, which isn't an option in the public system here as you get whoever is on duty. Even if you are having a planned operation they sometimes change docs last minute without any notice.

    Also, some private hospitals staff urgent care doctors for minor emergencies while others don't.


  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by Beanieskis:
    Howard. Thanks. But what if your life was in danger following complications from relatively straightforward surgery?
    Depends on the situation. In most cases the private hospital can handle it or they don't do the surgery. If not you end up getting transferred.

    The private hospitals all have different staffing criteria. I was sent to Queen Mary from Matilda but if I had been at Adventist I most likely would have not been transferred. It really just depends on the hospital and the specific emergency.
    Last edited by hello_there; 15-05-2012 at 10:01 PM.

  6. #6

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    It's the Matilda Hospital, and orthopaedic surgery. So choice of doctor / timing is important to me as I do a lot of sport. But I've never had general anaesthetic before, am well aware of the risks, just abit nervous!


  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Beanieskis:
    It's the Matilda Hospital, and orthopaedic surgery. So choice of doctor / timing is important to me as I do a lot of sport. But I've never had general anaesthetic before, am well aware of the risks, just abit nervous!
    I had a general last year and can assure you there is nothing to worry about. I found the worst part was being wheeled into the operating theatre, laid out on the operating table and waiting for the anesthetist to do his job while all the preparations were going on around me.

    I felt totally fine after the op. no nausea etc and left the hospital a couple hours later.

    P.S. The OR charges at the Matilda are totally extortionate!
    Last edited by Cwbguy; 15-05-2012 at 10:26 PM.
    dear giant likes this.

  8. #8

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    I would say the main reason for going to a public hospital in Hong Kong is cost, private hospitals and treatment can be expensive!! In an emergency, I would recommend going to a public hospital, the set up is more suitable.
    The biggest advantage of the private system (in addition to the private room etc) is you are able to choose your treating physician. If you didn't get a good referral, then you have lost the advantage.


  9. #9

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    i delivered my second child while i was under GA and i had hip surgery under GA, both in public hospitals.... it really wasn't an issue.

    yes, there CAN be complications.... but you could get hit by a car or a bus when you walk out of the hospital. you could get hit on the head by a piece of falling debris. you could get struck by lightning. you see where i'm going with this? everything in life has risks.

    the chances are very slim that something would go wrong.