Beaumont Hospital

mille100piedi

After waiting for months I finally managed to see a consultant, but I was disappointed because she didn't even sit down to talk to me.
I realized that there is a private Clinic in the hospital and since I have insurance I was thinking to book a consultation with another specialist. Which is the difference between private and public? Are private consultants able to take more care of their patients?

sullivlo

mille100piedi wrote: »

After waiting for months I finally managed to see a consultant, but I was disappointed because she didn't even sit down to talk to me.
I realized that there is a private Clinic in the hospital and since I have insurance I was thinking to book a consultation with another specialist. Which is the difference between private and public? Are private consultants able to take more care of their patients?

Not every consultant has private clinics, so check that out first.

From my own experience public -V- private:
- public: see a member of the consultants team - SHO or similar, who review your case & take a history. They then speak to the consultant and if they think it's required the consultant will see you. If not, the consultant lets the other doctors take the lead. No decision will be made about your care/treatment plan without the consultant reviewing it. Long wait times to be seen initially, but once you're in the system it's okay.

When it came to procedures, when I used my health insurance it was the consultant that did the procedure. Otherwise it's whoever is on the rota. When I had my last scope I went "public" because there were lots of private patients in front of me. The procedure is in the same ward!!!

- private: you should see the consultant at every visit, but expect to pay each time. I think the last consultant I saw was €200 for the initial assessment & then €150 for follow up. It starts to add up if you go frequently, especially as the insurance only covers (I think) €50 per visit.

If you have already waited to be seen publically, I would stick it out. The only time I have intentionally gone private was when the waiting list for the public list was too long - like when I needed surgery on my shoulder and there was a 2 year wait to see an orthopaedic surgeon publically.

The standard of care you will receive will be the same. In my experience anyway.

Simon2015

I find it strange that 90% of the time when I have an appointment with a named consultant I end up seeing a member of his/her team.

I don't see the point of having a named consultant on my appointment letter when I never end up seeing them.

mille100piedi

sullivlo wrote: »

Not every consultant has private clinics, so check that out first.

From my own experience public -V- private:
- public: see a member of the consultants team - SHO or similar, who review your case & take a history. They then speak to the consultant and if they think it's required the consultant will see you. If not, the consultant lets the other doctors take the lead. No decision will be made about your care/treatment plan without the consultant reviewing it. Long wait times to be seen initially, but once you're in the system it's okay.

When it came to procedures, when I used my health insurance it was the consultant that did the procedure. Otherwise it's whoever is on the rota. When I had my last scope I went "public" because there were lots of private patients in front of me. The procedure is in the same ward!!!

- private: you should see the consultant at every visit, but expect to pay each time. I think the last consultant I saw was €200 for the initial assessment & then €150 for follow up. It starts to add up if you go frequently, especially as the insurance only covers (I think) €50 per visit.

If you have already waited to be seen publically, I would stick it out. The only time I have intentionally gone private was when the waiting list for the public list was too long - like when I needed surgery on my shoulder and there was a 2 year wait to see an orthopaedic surgeon publically.

The standard of care you will receive will be the same. In my experience anyway.

Thank you for all the information, I just sent the referral letter for a consultation with a private neurologist..it will cost 400Euro the first visit and 250 the follow up.
Now I understand better my last public visit. A member of the team came to talk to me, but since I have a rare disorder he really didn't have a clue what I was talking about. He was very young and I don't even know what was his specialization. He eventually called the neurologist which proposed me to take some drugs pretty strong and I refused, I asked to be helped to manage my condition in my everyday life (I have muscle genetic disorder)and I would need physiotherapy and similar. I also asked to get some letter from them for my insurance company and for the tax office, but they really didn't have time to do it. I also don't see a point to arrange an appointment with a consultant that doesn't actually come and talk to me. How can they treat patient if they don't listen to them? I find this very strange. I also have a few questions, but they didn't give me the time to ask them. They told me they will send me a letter regarding the physiotherapy so maybe now that I am in the system it will be all right as you said? I am going to see the private neurologist just in case, because I really prefer to have one to one conversation with a specialist that have a deep knowledge regarding disorders like mine and that can follow my case over the years. I will probably need to see him just once in a year

Simon2015

mille100piedi wrote: »

Thank you for all the information, I just sent the referral letter for a consultation with a private neurologist..it will cost 400Euro the first visit and 250 the follow up.
Now I understand better my last public visit. A member of the team came to talk to me, but since I have a rare disorder he really didn't have a clue what I was talking about. He was very young and I don't even know what was his specialization. He eventually called the neurologist which proposed me to take some drugs pretty strong and I refused, I asked to be helped to manage my condition in my everyday life (I have muscle genetic disorder)and I would need physiotherapy and similar. I also asked to get some letter from them for my insurance company and for the tax office, but they really didn't have time to do it. I also don't see a point to arrange an appointment with a consultant that doesn't actually come and talk to me. How can they treat patient if they don't listen to them? I find this very strange. I also have a few questions, but they didn't give me the time to ask them. They told me they will send me a letter regarding the physiotherapy so maybe now that I am in the system it will be all right as you said? I am going to see the private neurologist just in case, because I really prefer to have one to one conversation with a specialist that have a deep knowledge regarding disorders like mine and that can follow my case over the years. I will probably need to see him just once in a year

400 Euro for a consultation is daylight robbery I've never heard of a consultant charging more than 250 Euro for a consultation.

It's no wonder they want people in the private system when they can make far more money.

mille100piedi

Simon2015 wrote: »

400 Euro for a consultation is daylight robbery I've never heard of a consultant charging more than 250 Euro for a consultation.

It's no wonder they want people in the private system when they can make far more money.

I am used to pay this amount of money because my doctors are all in USA, I just wanted to find an Irish doctor. I am really surprise too that he is charging as the doctors in USA. It is sad to say, but I only got positive results from doctors when I was charged.

Corruptedmorals

Simon2015 wrote: »

I find it strange that 90% of the time when I have an appointment with a named consultant I end up seeing a member of his/her team.

I don't see the point of having a named consultant on my appointment letter when I never end up seeing them.

It's all the one clinic, the appointment system isn't going to know or differentiate who will see what doctor. Where I work, the patients that see the consultant tend to be complex.

I am a private patient, to be seen quickly. I've had very long appointments with the consultant as my case is unusual. I'm on the public list for something else and seeing the SHO or reg wouldn't make any difference as it's so straightforward. That's what influences me other than length of waiting list.