Most efficient way to get an X-Ray

Monokne

Hi all

I believe I have a broken bone in my foot. Been walking around with bad pain for a while now, and a physio looked at it today, did some poking and prodding and said it is probably a fracture and to get an x-ray ASAP.

I want to get it X-rayed so I can go about getting better. But I'm not sure what my best bet is. I believe I have 3 options:

1) I know it's €100 to go to A&E and it would be a long wait. Plus i feel given I've been walking on it for a month, it's hardly an emergency.

2) I know I can go to my GP for a referral letter, and this is my preference, but I have been led to believe if I do that, it may be weeks before I get an appointment - can anyone confirm if that is true?

3) My last option is Swiftcare. My understanding is it's €125 to see a doctor before an additional €95 for the x-ray. That's €220. In and of itself that isn't TOO bad, but I am unclear about what happens then - would they put it in a boot/cast for you if they find a fracture? Or do they do nothing without additional charges?

Any and all help/pointers would be great.

genericguy

Go to swiftcare. If it were your car you'd pay the money.

RobFowl

Go to your GP and if he/she refers you for an X Ray in most areas you'll get it done within 24hours at worst is referred.

intheclouds

Affidea, used to be called Euromedic.

Went to my gp for a referral for a foot X-ray last month and she sad to go there for private X-ray. I left GP, phoned them and they had an appointment free less than an hour later so I just headed down straight from GP.

It was 40 euro for GP and I think 85 for X-ray? Gave me copy on a cd too.

Had there been a fracture I could have attended A&E with fee waived as I'd already seen GP.

Monokne

genericguy wrote: »

Go to swiftcare. If it were your car you'd pay the money.

I have no issue paying the money to see the doc and get the x-ray, but let's say I needed a cast or a walking boot and it was gonna cost hundreds, I would like to know in advance! Any idea if there are additional costs?

intheclouds

Monokne wrote: »

I have no issue paying the money to see the doc and get the x-ray, but let's say I needed a cast or a walking boot and it was gonna cost hundreds, I would like to know in advance! Any idea if there are additional costs?

You dont get charged hundreds for a cast or a boot.

I brought a friend to swiftcare with a broken ankle, she was charged for the consultation and the xray and then a nominal sum for "materials" (like 15 euro) to cast it.

You can ring swiftcare in advance and ask them what the cost would be before you went.

Monokne

Think I'll probably just go to swiftcare. Rather get it sorted ASAP.

Thanks all, will report back just in case the info is of any use to anyone else...

Vorsprung

intheclouds wrote: »

You dont get charged hundreds for a cast or a boot.

I brought a friend to swiftcare with a broken ankle, she was charged for the consultation and the xray and then a nominal sum for "materials" (like 15 euro) to cast it.

You can ring swiftcare in advance and ask them what the cost would be before you went.

Swiftcare will refer you privately for follow-up and will certainly accrue extra charges for you where they can! And if you don't want follow up privately, they'll refer you to your local ED to organise fracture clinic follow-up.

Breezer

If your GP believes there is a fracture, you should be able to get a walk-in (or hobble in) slot in the X-ray department of most hospitals, provided you have a letter from your GP. Double check the policy at your local hospital by phoning the X-ray department in advance. Most also do a walk-in chest X-ray service.

pc11

If it has been a month, I'm not sure what an x-ray will achieve. It's almost healed already. Just rest as much as you can. Unless it's a really bad displaced fracture, which it's probably not if you've been able to walk on it for a month, there's very little to be done.

Monokne wrote: »

Hi all

I believe I have a broken bone in my foot. Been walking around with bad pain for a while now, and a physio looked at it today, did some poking and prodding and said it is probably a fracture and to get an x-ray ASAP.

I want to get it X-rayed so I can go about getting better. But I'm not sure what my best bet is. I believe I have 3 options:

1) I know it's €100 to go to A&E and it would be a long wait. Plus i feel given I've been walking on it for a month, it's hardly an emergency.

2) I know I can go to my GP for a referral letter, and this is my preference, but I have been led to believe if I do that, it may be weeks before I get an appointment - can anyone confirm if that is true?

3) My last option is Swiftcare. My understanding is it's €125 to see a doctor before an additional €95 for the x-ray. That's €220. In and of itself that isn't TOO bad, but I am unclear about what happens then - would they put it in a boot/cast for you if they find a fracture? Or do they do nothing without additional charges?

Any and all help/pointers would be great.

Monokne

Just FYI - I bit the bullet and went to swiftcare. As the last poster guessed, basically I'd had a fracture but it was almost completely healed by the time I got the x ray. Oh well!