Transfer from public hospital to private

madmaggie

Could anyone tell me the procedure if you are an inpatient in a public hospital and want to transfer to a private hospital? Is it straightforward? I know I probably should be asking my health insurance company about this. Thanks anyway.

his_dudeness

I would suspect that you need to have a doctor in the private hospital agree to admit you under their care to presumably continue on the care. The insurance companies may even help you, as it's probably cheaper for them to have you there that in the public hospital, if their complaints to the media are to be believed. Not all private hospitals take all types of patients as inpatients, especially overnight (i.e. some hospitals only take certain levels of surgical patients overnight, but not medical patients.)

madmaggie

Thanks for your reply. I was in a public hospital a few years back, they kept telling it was for a couple of days, but I felt they were hanging on to me to generate income. I just wanted to know the situation if I was ever in a public hospital again.

Vorsprung

Yea a consultant in the private hospital has to accept you over under their care. It's a lot easier when a) the consultant looking after you has a private practice and b) that private practice is in a colocated private hospital (not always a barrier). The other issue is that some people's condition isn't best suited to being looked after in a private hospital, things like trauma cases, strokes might well be more appropriate in public hospitals where there is more medical cover on site.