Diabetes Day Care

ManUnited123

Hi Guys -

I'm a diabetic and every 6 months or so i visit Diabetes Day Care at Connolly Hospital. As part of this visit, i need to go a week before to get my bloods and other tests done so that when i visit again to meet the doctor i have all my tests and results ready.

The whole process is good but it's time consuming and i have to take a couple of days off work for this (1 for the day of the blood test and another for the day i actually meet the doctor). So that's 4 days a year.

I currently got employed at a company which provides VHI insurance for it's employees and all pre existing conditions (like diabetes) are covered. Do i still need to keep going to public hospitals for this check up or can i just do these check ups with my GP? Also do i need to get my bloods done at Connolly or can i get them done instead at a GP as that might save me a day to take off from work.

Thanks

banie01

I'll be quite honest here.
I attended my previous Endo under both the public and the private systems.

I attend my current one under the public system after the retirement of my previous endo.

I will never return to the "private" care system, my HI allows me to jump the queue for quicker scans, and any diagnostic tests needed to be done on a by appt basis.
Other than that advantage, it really has no benefit over the public system at present for my own ongoing diabetes care.

I see the team in UHL, the specialist nurses are always available to answer any questions.
The level of care is honestly top class and far in excess of the level of care I feel I received as a private patient.

I am lucky enough to be very well controlled at the moment and from originally being on 3 month appt cycles I am out to a 12 month gap now.

Yes the logistics of the visit could do with improving.
I also attend @week before for bloods.
The phlebotomy clinic opens in UHL at 8.30 on certain days, I attend then get an early number and arrange to start work a little late that day.

The day of my Endo visit, I request afternoon appts so I can get away with a half day from work usually.


Now that said, you can certainly get the bloods done privately at your GP.
I'd be very surprised if your HI covered that cost as its usually below any excess and those bloods will usually be available to the hospital for their view.

I know that my GP ordered tests are available for UHL to view on their system, but not vice versa.

Hope that info is some use.
But if it's not my
TL:DR; Stick with public system and learn to manage it a little better.

jimf

get my bloods checked once a year by my gp I always get a copy of the print out from him

so far thank god ive been able to stay away from uhl hope it stays that way

I do know a few lads attending there and as banie says above top class care seems to be case