Guest ClaireL Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Hi All, I was just wondering what people's opinions are of having a baby at a public v private hospital in Oz. I've recently found out I'm pregnant and although my husband and I have private health insurance with Medibank which includes obstetrics, I'm not sure whether it's worth having the baby at a private hospital. I work in GP Clinic and my boss is also my Dr - she recommends I go private but I'm not sold. Does anybody have any experience of private / public hospitals and if going private, do you know roughly what the out of pocket expenses are? I know I'm in the very early stages of pregnancy and don't want to get my hopes up too early, but my Dr has told me I need to make a decision about this sooner rather than later. For reference, the private hospital I'm looking at is Peninsula Private and the public ones are Frankston / Sandringham - all in Victoria. Thanks for your help!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dermedicus Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Look at it this way. Would you have gone private in the UK? Although some private policies offer obstetrics, there are often gap charges depending upon the obstetrician and these can be steep. Money you could use for your baby or the obstetrician's Maserati? Bear in mind that they often work in groups to avoid being on-call 24/7, so it could be the case that when you come to deliver the delightful doctor with whom you have bonded and who you look forward to being present and escorting your baby into the world may be on holiday, off, sick or at a conference and you may end up with somebody you have never met. Which is what might happen in the public system. The majority of deliveries are uncomplicated and the majority in the UK are midwife delivered with no involvement of doctors, let alone consultant obstetricians. Food for thought but at the end of the day each parent has to make the decision that they are most comfortable with and is less likely to leave a "what if" sentiment. Best wishes with the pregnancy and delivery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger2shirts Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 The public system is fine and you are more likely to get midwifery led care. Once you go down the private system you get endless tests and often can have more intervention than is necessary. "Disclaimer - just a personal observation and may not be statistically true" Beware that the private insurance doesn't cover it all and it can be VERY expensive! Unless your pregnancy is complicated the State system is usually very good. Get your GP to justify his statement and then choose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Long ago but I had both of mine privately, mainly because I wanted the doctor I saw for nine months to be the doctor who would assist me in the birth. I was an older Mum and just wanted to be sure, and with the first I was very pleased he was there as had problems. The public system is fine but you just cannot have doctor of your choice. As you have medical insurance and if you like the obstetrician you are seeing and want him/her there then no contest. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eera Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 I don't know whether it's standard practise, but when I cranked my son out I wasn't given the choice; I presented at the public hospital , they asked me if I had private insurance, then put me through as a private patient. At the end of the day meant I had a room to myself and nothing more. I don't know if that's normal - the admissions department sort of said that as I had private insurance I *had* to be private, so I didn't query it any further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p182 Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 I don't know whether it's standard practise, but when I cranked my son out I wasn't given the choice; I presented at the public hospital , they asked me if I had private insurance, then put me through as a private patient. At the end of the day meant I had a room to myself and nothing more. I don't know if that's normal - the admissions department sort of said that as I had private insurance I *had* to be private, so I didn't query it any further. That is very naughty of admissions. Every medicare eligible patient, with or without private health insurance, can elect to be treated as either a public or private patient in a public hospital. The public hospital prefers it if you go as a private patient as they are able to claim some reimbursement from the private health insurance company. This isn't the case if you are public patient. They are expected to treat you from the block funding the hospital receives. To the Claire L, the main stated benefits for having a baby in a private hospital are 1. choice of doctor and choice of hospital. 2. private room for yourself and baby after delivery. Some public hospitals have private rooms, but most don't. Some people believe the standard of care is higher in one system than the other. It's really impossible to tell. This study in the Medical Journal of Australia concluded: "For women delivering a single baby at term in Australia, the prevalence of adverse perinatal outcomes is higher in public hospitals than in private hospitals." See here: http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/190_09_040509/rob10880_fm.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy Robinson Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Hi Claire, I had my daughter 8 months ago in the public system, I also had insurance but chose to go public because all I would have got was *maybe* my own room and also out of pocket expenses of around 2.5K (if I remember right.) I had a high risk pregnancy due to multiple C-sections and the risk of my caesar scar opening up again, I was seen by a obstetric led midwife unit attached to the hospital, I saw the same doctor pretty much every time and always the same midwife. I had my daughter via elective C-section and can't fault the care I received before, during and after the birth. I would definitely go public again but each to their own I suppose.. Hope this helps. Wendy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ck10_9 Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 My wife and I just had a baby 6 months ago and the public system was very good. After hearing friends talk about the private care they got I really couldn't see a difference. I do think though that certain areas will be better than others. We had Eva at the Royal Brisbane and the staff were great. What the standards are like in suburban hospitals, i can't say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dermedicus Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Regarding the MJA article, I haven't got time to read it at the moment but one would hope they adjusted for the fact that those with higher risk pregnancies or complications are more likely to be in the public system for socio-economic reasons or because specialists/insurers would rather them be in a public hospital with full adult & neonatal critical care facilities rather than Mum or Baby collapsing in a heap in privateland. If they adjusted for this in the study, all well & good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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