Dr. Alex Doo vs. Dr. Philip Ho?

lukabella

Registered User
I got to HK late in my pregnancy and have been trying to decide between either Dr. Alex Doo and Dr. Philip Ho. Can anyone share their experiences?

Thanks,
Christine
 
I went to Dr Philip Ho with my second baby, expect long waiting as with any other doctor in Hong Kong, he is a man of few words and very matter of fact. A few times I found him rushing through the appointment maybe because he had a waiting room full of people. BUT after I had my baby my perspective changed completely towards him. When I was in labour he was by my bedside within minutes, very reassuring through out, got a few stitches which healed within days and he had very good bedside manner held my hand when he spoke to me.
I think the waiting time is inevitable as Dr Ho was doing rounds in hospitals in the mornings. And perhaps had been occupied with delivering babies as well. So I now understand it completely. Would give him 8/ 10 :)
 
I saw Dr Doo for the last 4 months of my 2nd pregnancy and he delivered my baby up at Matilda. I was very happy with him and if I was to have a third baby, I would definitely go back and see him. Like Geomum's experience with Dr Ho, I did find sometimes I was waiting upto 1 hour or so, but this does seem to be standard in HK, especially with Obs who have to run out for deliveries etc. But regardless of whether I waited 1 minute or 1 hour, he still always took his time in the consulation.

Dr Doo does a full scan every visit, which I found re-assuring and interesting each time. I definitely learnt more in this pregnancy with Dr Doo than my in my first pregnancy in Austalia. For this reason though, he is a little more expensive (around $2000 per visit) so insurance cover may be a factor on your decision.

For the delivery, his bedside manner was fantastic. I had a drug free VD which he never tried to steer me otherwise, and he gave me a lot of confidence which I need.

I can't recommend him enough.

If you are unsure, have an appointment with each doctor and then decide. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy and delivery.
 
ho versus doo

Mmm, can only tell you that his Dr.Ho's 'lack of hands on approach' to obstetrics has just resulted in a pretty severe health issue with myself and whilst I found him quite good up until this point, I have now opted for someone who IS AVAILABLE in a medical crisis. I have only heard good things about Dr Doo, but have never seen him myself.
Good luck
 
I saw Dr. Ho for my 20 week scan. He was extremely thorough and talked me through everything he was looking at and measuring. We had a talk before and after the scan and he spent a lot of time answering my questions. I was very happy with him.

He is very busy and there is a wait but so do all the other doctors I have seen before. He also works with Dr. Hon who is a very lovely man and is more "talkative".

I would go with what AussieMum said and get an appointment with both and then decide who is better suited to you. All the best in your pregnancy. Good luck.
 
I saw Alex Doo throughout my pregnancy and he delivered my baby at the Matilda last year. I cannot recommend him highly enough.

As AussieMum said, he is more expensive, however I believe he is definitely worth it. He is an expert at ultrasound and has a great bedside manner. I had a very long labour which almost resulted in a c-section. I think if I'd had any other Doctor I probably would've ended up having to have a c-section but Dr Doo let me go for as long as possible and I was able to have a natural delivery.

Good luck!
 
Thanks to everyone for their input. I have actually seen both doctors! My husband and I thought we decided on Dr. Doo, but when we went to his office in Central this past Saturday it was crawling with people and we waited nearly an hour and a half before we told the receptionist we'd reschedule for another day (as we had appointments to view apartments). This made us re-think our choice. I remember Dr. Ho being a bit of a wait, but his waiting room wasn't as disorganized and hectic as Dr. Doo's. I'm wondering if that was just an exceptional day?

Also, I'm giving birth at Adventist around the time of the big doctor's convention in Italy. This coupled with Dr. Doo's commitments to Matilda make me wonder whether Dr. Ho is the safer bet. I didn't want to go with Dr. Doo and then have him unable to be there for the delivery, but I was very impressed with both doctors (slightly more with Dr. Doo). Don't know what to do!
 
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I think it happens wit all the popular doctors - sometimes i was seen within 5 min other times if they called for delivery there is a longer wait.Don't know when your due date is but it's always wotrh checking when their planned holidays are . Dr Doo was my OB and he was very very good. I don't know much about dr Ho so can't comment on that but I'm sure he is just as skiled.
 
I highly recommend Dr Edmond Hon, Dr Ho's partner - have seen him since week 4 and my husband and I find him tremendously supportive and comforting.
I initially planned on using Dr Ho but when I made my appt at week 4, their nurse Kelly ( their entire nursing staff is wonderful btw - a huge advantage when you're a first time mom) said he was rather busy that day - I popped into the clinic anyway and was told that Dr Hon was around, and if I wanted to, I could have a chat with him.
Anyway, first visit, knew nothing, had tonnes of questions and Dr Hon spent close to 35mins with me answering every question I had. He was patient, very thorough and friendly. At the end of it, I thoroughly expected to be charged for the consultation ( and would have gladly paid for it) but the nurse said no as it wasn't an appt. That did it!
So went with Dr Hon and he has been fabulous ever since - I cannot recommend him enough.

And there's never a wait for Dr Hon, which is bliss - part of the reason is that he's not as well known as the other Drs, so is not besieged as yet - which almost makes me not want to write this recommendation!

Oh and another reason why I went with Dr Hon - he was with Queen Mary Hospital for a long time, before Dr Ho asked him to join his clinic and still teaches at the university I believe - so think it's great that he's still in touch with academia & on top of new research.

Give him a call & speak to him - he really is a very good doctor.
 
I am also with Dr Ho and cannot fault him, he seems to know what he is doing which is the most important thing to me.

I did have a chance to meet Dr Hon one day when I needed to see someone urgently and Dr Ho was in OT that day. Have to say, he is one of the most personable specialists I have seen. Patient, knowledgeable, professional, supportive and comforting.

I am due early July and I think Dr Ho is flying to Italy as well for a conference. Dr Hon would be covering for him and I have absolutely no problems with that.
 
I have just had my second baby with Dr Ho and have nothing but positive feedback to share. I have never found the waiting times too bad, and have heard worse tales from other doctors. It pays to book in the mornings if possible (and not the first appointment as that is often affected by hospital rounds). I also find Kelly absolutely brilliant and she runs the practice extremely efficiently. As other posters have said he is not always the most chatty, but he is extremely professional. I have found over the 2 years I have seen him he has got more warm and friendly and I am extremely happy in his care.
 
Hi Lukabella,

I have to agree with geomum. Both my sons are delivered(by C-section) by Dr. Ho and I give him 2 thumbs up.

Although Dr. Ho doesn't talk much, he makes sure that you know and understands what you need to know. As most 1st-time expecting moms usually bring tons of questions and worries to his office, he will only answer those which really concern you and won't dwell on unrelated issues. He may seem a bit unfriendly many people but from what I see, he is very level-headed, efficient, and trustworthy.

And once you're in the OT/labour room with him, you will feel that you're in GOOD hands. Both my sons had their umbilical cord wrapped around their neck (2 loops with my younger son!) and it was a scary sight for my husband (who was holding a video camera at that time). But Dr. Ho has seen it all..he was SOOOO calm & experienced that in less a minute, I heard my healthy baby cry and was then placed on my chest. It's his efficiency & professionalism that totally gives you a peace of mind.

Best of all, his skills are TOP-NOTCH! My wound healed incredibly well...my husband was just telling me that other night that he can't even see the scar now!

Hope it helps give you a clearer picture and make you final decision...if you still haven't. =) Good luck and all the best to you!
 
I just had my second baby delivered by Dr. Doo at Adventist and I can't say enough about how positive my experience was. Dr. Doo is expensive but cost aside, I feel like he was totally worth it. I never doubted his abilities and always felt like I was getting top notch medical treatment. He also has a good sense of humour and took time to answer all my questions. He does run late like most HK OBGYNs but I didn't feel rushed in our appointments. My delivery couldn't have gone better but it was pretty routine - I would highly recommend Dr. Doo.
 
Yes, thumbs up here for Dr Ho. Although I have to agree with Tenten that Dr Hon is amazing!!!!! I saw him recently for a check up when I couldn't get an appointment with DR Ho for another 3 weeks and he was great! Infact, one of the best Drs I've seen in HK. So patient, so thorough and so reassuring.

x
 
After all the wavering, I ended up going with Dr. Ho and have not looked back. Dr. Ho sees me within minutes of my scheduled appointments and is always very thorough.

My husband and I got to meet with Dr. Hon recently, too, and agree he is quite lovely (love his accent!). He sat down with us for an impromptu chat and answered every question we had for him.

Honestly, everything at this practice is great: the doctors, the ladies at reception, the nurse who takes your vitals, the waiting room, etc. I'm pleased with my choice. All this puts one at ease, especially with the delivery date soon approaching!

Good luck to everyone else who is still looking for a doctor. Don't stop until you find the right one for you!
 
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