Getting to hospital

B

burrcl

Registered User
I have a perhaps irrational fear, but perhaps you could help put my mind (and more to the point my husband's mind) at ease. I'm due end of July, and giving birth at the Canossa. We live on Conduit Road. A perhaps stupid question, but how do people get to hospital?! We don't have a car, and my husband's main fear is that we need to get there at 4 am or the like, and can't get a cab (or rush hour). We don't have any friends with cars here, and were told that if we call an ambulance it will take us to a public hospital. I've been saying to him that as it's a first I don't think we'll have any worries time wise, and if we do then to ring up the cab company and offer $100 for a journey they normally wouldn't be interested in taking. It's a journey we could normally walk in 10 minutes max but I don't think that will be an option either!
Do the private hospitals have ambulances? I think it's only just really come to mind as we've just started antenatal classes and got us thinking... I'll ask the Doc too when I next see him, but just wondered what people did.
Back in the UK we'd have our car, or the ambulance would take us where we needed to go, but not sure how it all works here.
Many thanks,
Claire
 
taking the cab would be easiest - what i would be is get the numbers for a local cab company (your management office should have it) and then when it happens, you can either call OR if have your management office call one for you...that's what your paying management fees for right?!? a little service! i'm sure if you let them know ahead of time that's what you'll be doing they will be more than willing to help! good luck!
 
I don't know how far Conduit Road is away from Canossa but I think most women take a taxi to the hospital and if this is your first baby the likelihood that you're going to give birth so quickly that you won't have time to make it is pretty low statistically. Most first babies mean at least 10 or more hours in labor (in my case it was much more than that). You can also call a transport company and rent a van. I don't think you're going to have that many problems--especially if you give a nice tip. And whether they want to or not, if you call to book a taxi at 4 am, then they will send a taxi to you--it's not the taxi driver's choice if he is sent out on a call from his company AND if they give you any grief just tell him you'll call 999 and report him to the police--you shouldn't have any problems so it is probably an irrational fear.
 
Depends upon which building u live on conduit Rd. It is practically 5-10 mins max to Canossa
 
Thanks, we were thinking taxi was easiest, but quite often when we ring for one (we call 2861 1011 or 2527 8524) and they put a call out on the radio, no drivers want the fare - either because none are around or we assume the fare is too small for them to bother (they always seem to take the longer fares over $18!) Because we know we are so close to the hospital I think we just fear that no-one will want the fare. Are there other numbers I could use that guarantee they will send someone then?
Thank you
 
actually, thanka, if you call for a cab, they can refuse you simply by no driver accepting the call. it doesn't work like it does "at home".

no, they will not guarantee a taxi. just tell them you will pay $100 for the fare and you might get someone, but honestly, i've NEVER not been able to get a taxi on hk island...
 
You won't have a problem finding a taxi at 4am. Don't worry. Also, if your water breaks at home it takes a while for your contractions. My water broke at 7am. I had breakfast, a shower and went to the hospital after 9am and wasn't in any pain. I was only 3cm dilated when I reached the hospital.
 
if no one responds at the taxi station you can always say you are willing to pay extra money, say $10..normally that will work...particularly since you are so close to canossa
 
carang said:
actually, thanka, if you call for a cab, they can refuse you simply by no driver accepting the call. it doesn't work like it does "at home".

no, they will not guarantee a taxi. just tell them you will pay $100 for the fare and you might get someone, but honestly, i've NEVER not been able to get a taxi on hk island...
Click to expand...

He he he...actually my "at home" doesn't have taxis so I've never called for a taxi in the States--have absolutely no experience with it. But...with the taxi company we contact out where we live in HK the company assigns the driver and they do show up.

brrcl, I'm going to PM you a number of a dependable, highly recommended red taxi driver who probably can help you arrange for a driver on the day you go into labor. I will give you details in the PM.
 
So good to read that someone else has the same worry! We are moving into Pacific View middle of May, I am due mid July and delivering at Matilda. My husband laughed at me when I expressed worry about being able to get a taxi, etc. when the time comes. I even thought of having us rent a car for the last two weeks if the baby does not come early and having hubby drive us, but that could be even scarier! :)
 
honestly, i think that you ladies are worried about something that you don't really need to be worried about.
 
i think taxi is probably the easiest way, and shouldn't be a problem if you offer a healthy tip when you are booking them and let them know you're in labour. management in your building should be able to help.

also we were told at our antenatal class that if you want an ambulance to take you to a private hospital, you need to get a letter from your obstetrician to say that you take all responsibility and that you want to go to the Canossa. otherwise it is the ambulance's responsibility to take you to the nearest public hospital (which might be Queen Mary - and may not be such a bad thing if it was a real emergency like a big haemorrhage or something).
 
laial said:
i think taxi is probably the easiest way, and shouldn't be a problem if you offer a healthy tip when you are booking them and let them know you're in labour. management in your building should be able to help.

also we were told at our antenatal class that if you want an ambulance to take you to a private hospital, you need to get a letter from your obstetrician to say that you take all responsibility and that you want to go to the Canossa. otherwise it is the ambulance's responsibility to take you to the nearest public hospital (which might be Queen Mary - and may not be such a bad thing if it was a real emergency like a big haemorrhage or something).
Click to expand...

the "protocol" for ambulances in the south side is Rutonjee and then after they decide what your condition is, they will send you off to the "right" hospital...they wanted to send my daughter there when she had convulsions - even though the DO NOT have a pediatric ward! only when my pedi asked if the driver wanted to be responsible for my daughter did they send her to Pamela Youde in Chai Wan.

Anyhow - taxi is easiest - they will come with a good tip! :) no need to worry about anything - it doens't normally happen so fast with the first one! all the best!
 
i would be very careful about an ambulance even if you have a letter. i passed out at a shoppe in central and the ambulance refused to take me to queen mary or matilda. afterwards, i got letters from both hospitals that i carried with me all the time but the doctors warned me that the ambulance drivers may very well ignore the letters. just a note of caution ... the law is that they should take you to the nearest public hospital.

in my case, i got off the stretcher, signed a release and got in a taxi -- i wasn't worried about the scratches/bleeding on my face but was worried about baby, and knew i needed to get to a hospital with an ob service.
 
Thank you ladies, a few ideas there for me, and the mention of a large tip to the person on the end of the phone will probably secure what we need! We're usually loathe to do that as we think it's a complete con, and are normally willing to walk around until we find a taxi (we don't live right on the main road and have to walk 5 mins down a steep hill to get to it, and all passing traffic), but I think this might warrant a special case!
 
sadly, the baby isn't born the minute labour starts. you, generally, have HOURS and HOURS (not always of course) until the baby's actual arrival. finding some form of transport to the hospital should not be a problem, no matter the time of day.
 
I have had a taxi company try and charge me an extra $20 as a booking fee when I call up and book for a short fare. Drives me insane (and its illegal) as they are not allowed to charge more than the $5 telephone booking fee. HOWEVER, if I was in labour then I would pay the $20 and complain later!
 
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