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Private semiprivate or public?

Beanybabog

What's the difference? I'll be going to holles street as its near work. The only thing that would entice me to pay for private or semi private is a shot at a better room (as I doubt it's easy to sleep on the wards). Is the treatment better or faster? What exactly do you get extra if you pay? If I want to try to get in at 8 am to keep the pregnancy under wraps from work would I be better public or private? Google seems to be telling you can wait longer for the consultant and get in and out quicker with the midwives?

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Cakerbaker

If you would be interested in leaving early you should look up the early release scheme and the domino scheme. They're only available in certain areas though so you'd have to make sure the area where you live is covered. With the early release scheme you can leave after 6 hours after labour, assuming that everything goes straight forward and you're both well after labour. A midwife then comes to your home for something like 5 or 6 days afterwards to check up on you and baby. I found it reassuring to have someone to ask questions to for a number of days after getting home.

Keane2baMused

http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/news/media/pressrel/newsarchive/200920082007Archive/dec09/MidUstudy.html

This is worth a read for anyone trying to decide. Informed decision making is always better than he said/ she said.

Keane2baMused

https://www.nice.org.uk/news/press-and-media/midwife-care-during-labour-safest-women-straightforward-pregnancies

This also!!!

br2015

I am going private (not in Dublin) at a cost of 2,600 and I will get about 520 back from my Med 1 claim so that's about 2,100 in total paid in installments.

For a nervous first time Mum to be, I find going private worth it's weight in gold. I spent a couple of nights in hospital under investigation during my pregnancy and I saw my consultant every day and he was constantly kept informed of my admission and updated. I love getting a scan at every appointment and the fact that I am out of the clinic sometimes even before my appointment time but these are bonuses. My consultant makes me feel calm and in control and that's important to me, but it may not be for everyone else.

We are by no means wealthy however and we had to save for the fees and hopefully all will go well with the delivery in a few weeks but I think private is worth considering if it's at all feasible for you.

The very best of luck with the pregnancy!

Toots

I went semi private in Holles St and if I was going again I would either fork out for private or else just go public. I found the queues on semi p to be just as long, if not longer, than in the public clinic. Also I couldn't get morning appts in semi p, the clinic only ran in the afternoon. I got a private room but that was purely by chance, and I was told at the time of booking that they couldn't guarantee I'd get one. I don't think it was worth 1k plus scans and blood tests on top of that.

Keane2baMused

br2015 wrote: »

I love getting a scan at every appointment and the fact that I am out of the clinic sometimes even before my appointment time but these are bonuses. My consultant makes me feel calm and in control and that's important to me, but it may not be for everyone else.

Had all this as a semi-private (first baby) and public patient also with my second. Just for info

br2015

Keane2baMused wrote: »

Had all this as a semi-private (first baby) and public patient also with my second. Just for info

Wow lucky you, haven't heard of that happening much as a public patient! Then again, it depends where your going. I know a girl at the same stage of pregnancy as me who hasn't had a scan since 20 weeks as shes going public.

Keane2baMused

br2015 wrote: »

Wow lucky you, haven't heard of that happening much as a public patient! Then again, it depends where your going. I know a girl at the same stage of pregnancy as me who hasn't had a scan since 20 weeks as shes going public.

Yeah this was in the Coombe I have to say they are great. Mini scan every visit and anomaly scan between 20-22 weeks!

LegacyUser

I went semi-private in the Rotunda for no.1 and am doing the same for no.2 (currently overdue!)

It's 1100eur (I think my choice was registrar led) for this. The main points are that your appointments are in a different building, their private clinic, and that you should get a semi-private room after the birth.

You will not necessarily see the same doctor all the time, although this time I've been lucky and I have, as the doctor that I'm seeing likes to see the same people in his clinic himself. You will not have this doctor on duty when you deliver. I'm not finding that the appointments are any quicker, tbh.

Basically, if you go fully private your consultant will be there to deliver your baby (and even this isn't a 100% guarantee - they could be away on holidays) and you should get a private room. Otherwise you come in in labour through the same Emergency Dept as everyone else, you see the same midwives and you go into the same delivery suites. I think you probably end up in the same labour ward as everyone else too, although I know that depends on what stage you come in at.

Our way of looking at it was that we had a bit of money and we were willing to spend a bit extra to see the same staff at appointments, and also for the room afterwards. We didn't see the point in forking out an extra 2-3k for fully private because you are only in the hospital for a short time anyway, and honestly - if I'd spent the guts of 4k only to be told that my consultant was on holiday when I went in to deliver I would have been so annoyed! In hindsight, my first delivery was relatively quick and uncomplicated - and the only medical person in the room all the way through was a midwife, which I was quite happy about. I had no need for a doctor.

We had some complications afterwards and I spent almost 1 week in a 3 person ward and a second week shortly afterwards, because I had a bleed. The staff were excellent, the ward was claustrophobic, but then I find the hospital totally claustrophobic, so that doesn't mean much. I think I saw in the small print this time that they keep you in for 3 nights if you're semi-private - they're not inclined to let you go early. I would have thought they'd need the beds but actually, I have a feeling that they take the view that the insurance company pays for it and the 3 nights gets the most out of that (everything that is wrong with our health system).I felt that if I was public I might have been discharged both times a bit quicker.

It suits us but I can see how it would be viewed as a waste of money. Equally, the public system is excellent, it's the big wards afterwards that were my hang-up. You can think about sleep as an issue alright, but seriously, first time round you just aren't going to sleep no matter where you are.I didn't sleep for 5 days in there. Kind of the noise, but also the baby! This time round, I went in with a false alarm for labour a couple of weeks ago, to a ward full of people - and yes, I fell asleep. You're starting from a whole other level of exhaustion after your first!!!!!

Oh I should say, I just paid the 1100eur and that covers everything, all tests and scans throughout. Every appointment there's a mini-scan with the doctor and blood tests are done at 12 weeks and 28 weeks. The Semi-private clinic in the Rotunda runs all day. My visits are combined care with the GP.

MichB2012

Went semi private on 1st in holles st - cost was €900, got half this back from laya and then 20% of the balance back in tax. Did combined care so saw hospital/gp for every second visit. If you appointment was for 2, you were out by 2:30 at the latest which was always great. Couldn't stomach the thought of 3.5-4k paying for private care to be honest. We decided to go public this time and put the semi private fee money towards new pram etc for baby. First visit was late in the evening so wasn't many people in the waiting room, but we still had to wait about 1 hour. When we went in for the 'scan', all it was was the heartbeat monitor that the docs use - no actual scan. (Got a scan on every visit with semi private, and pics too!) have the anomaly scan booked for a few wks time so will report back how that goes and then the next appointment a wk later. I thought with semi private that they really checked everything, if you said u felt a little reduced movement, they sent you for a trace, if ur bp was a little high, you were sent to be monitored for 2-3 hours and given some tea, going public this time, they just don't seem to pay as much attention to me. Although I did find the public midwife that looked after us a lot more friendly and helpful then the semiprivate ladies - she just seemed to be on her own dealing with 6-8 patients whereas there were 3-4 of them in semi private dealing with you on the visit.

helimachoptor

Just had 2nd baby . Both were public but could have went private. Complete waste of money imo.

Pay your chunk of cash. Consultant could be on holidays or golfing or hammered so you get someone else.

And if something does go wrong you'll be surrounded by an army of people anyway

fro9etb8j5qsl2

I was public with both pregnancies. Had a few complications with the first which resulted in preeclampsia and an induction. I cannot praise the treatment I got highly enough both times. Saw the consultant or the registrar at every visit, although I understand that of you don't have any risk factors, you may end up with the midwifes clinic and you won't see the Dr as much. In the event of any problems, both private and public patients are treated the same.

The only reason I would ever go private in future would be to avoid having to go to the maternity and wait around for the clinic appointments and that is simply because I have 2 kids and would find it difficult to get a babysitter, and even then I would have to be loaded to be willing to splash out the cash.

yellow hen

I'm 37 weeks pregnant under the public service in the coombe. I was semi private in the same hospital last time. So far I can't see any difference other than the fact that I didn't have to pay for my 12 or 20 week scan which was nice. Off 6 hospital visits,I've seen my consultant on 4 of them and a member of her team on 2 which was fine with me. Had the same experience in semi private.

This thread comes up time and time again and I think it depends on the assurances you need as a patient, the hospital you're in and the number of people you're willing/not willing to share a room with (although your level of plan doesn't necessarily dictate this).

Penny Dreadful

I went semi private in the Coombe last time and ever once saw my consultant. As luck would have it on the day of my booking appointment with her she went into labour early and I never saw her at all.
I did see NCHDs and the pregnancy was grand so I had no issue with that. The wait times were still long enough but not as bad or as crowded as the public waiting areas were.
For labour and delivery again I didn't see a doctor anywhere along the way and that was fine. The midwife I had a brilliant woman and I was delighted with her.

Things went belly up after that though and there were complications with the placenta, etc. A doctor was called and he did (to be fair) what he thought was best and it seemed to have resolved the issue. However it turns out that it didn't and it took 3 months of me trekking back into the Coombe and eventually staging a sit in to get it taken seriously and resolved.
I was also kept in for a week post delivery and while I had a semi private room I have never been so deranged from lack of sleep- not down to the baby but the heat and noise from other patients, staff, etc. I thought I'd never get home.

This time around I've opted for fully private care and while it is expensive I have never once been anything other than very happy with my decision. I've seen my consultsnt at each and every visit. I've been seen a little early or right on time at each visit save for one which is fine. I've been able to discuss a plan to deal with placenta issues should they arise (and are likely to) again this time. I developed RA after having my first baby and it's comforting to me to know that both my rheumatologist and obstetrician have been in contact with each other around managing that, the impact on the baby when it's born, etc.
The scans at each visit in semi private were fine and nice but a little perfunctory, in fully private they are more detailed, take longer and are performed on newer and better machines. It's been comforting to have that level of detail available to me this time around because of the RA meds and seeing how they haven't (thankfully) affected the little one.
I also has a miscarriage last summer and it happened under the care of this same consultant and she was so lovely and kind that it was an automatic thing to go back to her this time out too. It also allowed for many early visits and scans to monitor the pregnancy which was comforting.

In my heart and soul I know that when the day comes if my labour and delivery are progressing fine and the consultant had a patient in greater need than me then she will have to go to that other patient and I'm ok with that. It would be great to need just the midwives again BUT I know that if things go wrong after delivery they will call the consultant not a junior doctor and things won't be left this time as they were the last time.
A room of my own would be the icing on the cake and that may not happen, if not I'll ask to be allowed home I think.

Overall it's been money well spent for me/ us and I'd do it again tomorrow. That said, no matter whether you're public, semi private or fully private things can go well or not. Sometimes it's just sheer awful luck if they're bad. No doctor or midwife is seeking anything other than a happy positive outcome for both the mother and baby.

eviltwin

I was public both times, pre natal care was fantastic. My pregnancies were high risk, I had pre eclampsia from the second trimester and they took excellent care of me. Labour was only okay but that was due to pressure of space, with my second baby I ended up in a semi private ward and the care was terrible. I was probably unlucky, the two other ladies in the room had both had sections so had limited mobility, there was a shortage of staff and it was the time of the swine flu restrictions so there were no visitors to help out. The first child was born during the Celtic tiger years and the difference in care was huge. I got more one to one attention in a public room with ten beds than I did in the semi private one. I think cutbacks and demand for services are going to have the biggest impact and if going private helps give reassurance then go for it.

Beanybabog

How much are you all getting from health insurance? I have aviva and my husband rang and they said the cover consultant fees- they have a schedule of benefits and some accept it. That doesn't sound right to me- I always thought you paid a good % of fees yourself?

Penny Dreadful

I'm with Laya and on the Simply Health plans. They will pay for my accommodation in the hospital and a c- section if needed, epidural and other such stuff and I get €500 towards the consultant fees. The remainder (€3000) I have to pay myself.

There are very few companies that do direct billing with the consultant fees. I think Garda Medical Aid do but I'm not 100% sure on that.

Beanybabog

We were told there's a schedule
Of professional fees and some accept it some don't. I assume it'll be a case that they pay the fee and I top up the rest but I really want an exact figure before I commit. How did you find out exactly how much?

pc7

Vhi paid hospital stay,I paid consultant fees but got 50% back up to 1000 with the hospital Saturday fund, plus an €800 birth grant, then 20% on med1 on balance so worked out very reasonable for me

dori_dormer

Like others have said it's pretty pot luck!

I did semi private in coombe last time. All consultant visits were on time and we were out in less than 30 min. Mini scan each time. Always saw my doc .
Labour was in one of their giant new rooms and very comfortable. 4 of us on the ward, 3 had c sections. So nurses were very busy with them. Didn't sleep but then who relaly does when the baby wakes every hour or two anyway?
My sister that the same doc as me, but she didn't see her once as she was pregnant at the time. Appointments by her replacements/ team were delayed constantly.

I'm going semi private again as I had a good experience first time, but if I was my sister I probably wouldn't bother!

A friend went private in coombe , and she was left waiting hours for her 'guaranteed' consultant appointment as he was always in surgery. She said she'd never bother again cos he went on holiday when she was due anyway! Complete waste of her money.

Penny Dreadful

Beanybabog wrote: »

We were told there's a schedule
Of professional fees and some accept it some don't. I assume it'll be a case that they pay the fee and I top up the rest but I really want an exact figure before I commit. How did you find out exactly how much?

When I called the consultant's office I asked what the fees were and what their payment schedule was (€1500 at your booking appointment- for me this time it was at 15 weeks, I had visits at week 7,9,11,13 and then 15 due to the previous miscarriage- then another €1500 at 28 weeks and the remainder at your 6 week check up post delivery).
Then I called my insurance company to see what they covered and they told me they pay the Coombe directly for the stay and all that goes with that and I can also claim back for my anomaly scan and will give €500 towards the Consultant fee.

dusst

First time pregnant after an early miscarriage, I'm private in Rotunda and I do not regret spending 3800Euro. I'm 28 weeks now, I had my first visit-scan at 9 weeks and a scan in every appointment including nuchal translucency and bloods, 2 anomaly (since we couldn't see everything at the first due to the position of the baby) and even a 4d scan last week! I see my doctor in rcsi unit and I never have to wait more than 20mins. I had a severe case of hyperemesis from October to February and I was subscribed pills (which my gp never heard of, actually when I first visited him I was instructed to get used to nausea and vomiting).
Also for me it is important to feel reassured in every visit that my doctor knows how the baby is growing etc, something that a gp surely cannot know! As far as I know in public and sp half appointments are with gp.
I was advised that if my consultant is on holidays while I'm giving birth that another of 4 specific consultants will attend instead. (We will see in approx 11weeks).
Regarding the payment I gave : 2000Euro 14 week, 1000Euro 24 week and I'll give 400Euro 32 weeks and 400Euro after birth. My insurance won't cover much at all but they will provide me with a form to claim 20%tax and will pay directly the private room if I'm lucky to get it.

Keane2baMused

dusst wrote: »

As far as I know in public and sp half appointments are with gp.

This is the combined care scheme but it's not compulsory for semi-p or public. It's just for handiness sake for most and if the pregnancy is straight forward no need to go to the hospital for every visit.

yellow hen

Keane2baMused wrote: »

This is the combined care scheme but it's not compulsory for semi-p or public. It's just for handiness sake for most and if the pregnancy is straight forward no need to go to the hospital for every visit.

I agree. It's actually one of the HSE's better initiatives.

Beanybabog

yellow hen wrote: »

I agree. It's actually one of the HSE's better initiatives.

My GP gave me a leaflet on this. If I register as public can I just choose this option? I'd prefer it

yellow hen

Beanybabog wrote: »

My GP gave me a leaflet on this. If I register as public can I just choose this option? I'd prefer it

Absolutely. It works great.

Keane2baMused

If you have no complications or underlying health factors which mean you need more regular hospital visits then you can of course do combined care

It's so handy saves unnecessary trips to the hospital!

Beanybabog

Keane2baMused wrote: »

If you have no complications or underlying health factors which mean you need more regular hospital visits then you can of course do combined care

It's so handy saves unnecessary trips to the hospital!

My work is very near the hospital, but I presume you have to wait ages in hospital? My GP opens at 8am and does late lights so probably will be best

Keane2baMused

Beanybabog wrote: »

My work is very near the hospital, but I presume you have to wait ages in hospital? My GP opens at 8am and does late lights so probably will be best

For public on a bad day you could be two hours which is why the gp works well for those rushing back to work

Toots

I did combined care while semi p and it was great. I had some complications during the pregnancy, but they were looked after by both the GP and the hospital. It was definitely very handy to be able to avoid going in to the hospital for every appointment.