Hong Kong Public Hospital Advice

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PregnantHK

Registered User
Can anyone give me an up to date recommendation on public hospitals in Hong Kong?

I have been reading lots of great feedback in the threads of this site but still not sure which hospital to register with.

I arrived in Hong Kong from Sydney a week ago and I'm 23 weeks pregnant - so keen to continue my pre-natal treatment and get booked in somewhere. Have also considered booking a private room/ward in a public hospital (read a thread from 2003 to say that Prince of Wales has excellent care and also Pamela Youde - is this still true?). Also, I'll probably be living mid levels, which hospital is going to be the most convenient? Many thanks in advance, any advice/tips will be most appreciated.
 
Welcome!
Your closest hospital is the Queen Mary, which is in Pok Fu Lam. It has a very good reputation and this is where the HK neonatal care facility is (known as one of the best in the world apparently). If you have a very problematic delivery or the baby needs emergency care after birth, this is the hospital you are sent to immediately, regardless of where you are booked. I am delivering my first baby there in July.

The confusing part is that you actually register at Tsan Yuk Hospital, which is in Mid Levels West. To register, you just need a doctor's certificate confirming your due date, and your ID card.
Given you have only just arrived, I doubt you have one of those yet! If you wish to register without one, you are treated as a 'non elligible patient' which means you have to pay more. The 'package' that includes all antenatal care and delivery, is currently HK49,000. If you have an ID card, you pay less than HK500 all up.

You then have all your antenatal care at Tsan Yuk Hospital, and deliver the baby at Queen Mary Hospital. If you have complications prior to the birth, you may be seen at Queen Mary instead, where there are specialists.

You would also need to give your current medical notes to Tsan Yuk Hospital and they would plan the rest of your care from here.

I looked into a private booking in the public system. It costs about the same as a private hospital (about HK100,000+) and really the only benefit is a private room. The food is still bad, the visiting hours very restrictive (they apply to your husband as well) and the bedside manner is still lacking.

You can do a tour of QM Hospital, they do them every 2nd Saturday at 11am. I think you can call direct and book. I found the tour helped calm my nerves a lot.

Good luck!
 
Hi Rachrobin

Thanks so much for replying to me....I'm starting to feel more and more confident about giving birth in HK!! I've just booked in to register at Tsan Yuk on 7th June so I'm on my way!

Please do keep in touch if you have any other hints/tips and discoveries as you prepare for July. The doctor I have seen has suggested I write a birthing plan to ensure I am clear on what I do/don't want - does the antenatal clinic encourage this as well?

Once again, thanks very much for your help and good luck too!!
 
Hello pregnant HK -

I am also doing my care at Tsun Yak and delivery at Queen Mary. If you have any qustions please shout. I have found the care to be very good and apart from the odd horror story, which every hospital in the world has, it seems that QMH is really the best.

When are you due?
 
Hi Rachrobin, I was wondering if I lived in Kowloon, can I still have the delivery at QMH? Or will I have to go to the public hospital in the Kowloon area?
I haven't been issued my ID yet, so I'm going through private care now, but hopefully I will have my ID by the time I deliver in Sept and I can then have the option of either going private or public.

Thanks
 
Hi Katelyn,
From what I understand, you will be directed to register at the hospital closest to you (sorry, I am not sure which one that would be for you). If you call Tsan Yuk registration, they will be able to tell you if you are eligible to register with them or not (and also tell you where to call instead).
If you can give them a HK Island address (a friend / work colleague?) you could definitely register at Tsan Yuk. They don't send you anything via post, or do home visits, so I would consider it as a way around the problem!

Pregnant HK - they did discuss birth plans at the QMH tour, in terms of the fact that patients regularly use them and they try to accommodate all requests possible at the time. They said to write the birth plan and show it to the doctor or midwife at your Tsan Yuk check up - they will be able to advise what will / will not be possible, and help rewrite it with you if necessary. QMH also said to bring plenty of copies (even laminate if you can!) so you are covered with staff shift changes during your labour. i.e. they are more likely to follow your birth plan if they have their own copy and not have to wait for someone to run through it as they come off shift.

Take care,

Rachael
 
Thanks Racheal and hello Kharel

This site really is great to connect to other expectant mums! Racheal, thanks for your view on birth plans at QMH...another question, do they have a prenatal class for couple? Are you registered with one or going elsewhere?

Kharel, I'm due on 26 September and feel really reassured that the public system at QMH will be fine (if not very luxurious). My Australian health insurance won't cover me for obstetrics over here so I was a little nervous but it seems that we'll be well looked after at QMH! Where are you doing your antenatal classes?

As I've only been in HK for 13 days and don't know anyone here yet, I'd love to be able to meet other expectant mums down the track...so please do let me know if you have any groups on the go!!

Cheers

Helen

ps Not sure why I decided to use PregnantHK for my user name???!!
 
Hi PregnantHK

I'm in the mums-to-be group with Kharel, have a look through the threads for 'due Oct-Dec '08' (I don't know how to post a link, not such a wiz with technology!). You should definately join us the next time we meet up.

I moved from Sydney in Jan this year, it took me a while to stop comparing everything so I hope you are settling in well!
 
Oct-Dec due date group

Hi Smiles

Thanks, I will definitely look out for when you're next all meeting up - that's great. Hmmm, know what you mean about comparing - it is becoming a bit of an obsession but sure it will pass over time and when we've settled in bit more.

Hope to meet you soon - have a great weekend.

Helen
 
Antenatal Classes

Hi Helen,

When you attend registration at Tsan Yuk Hospital, they give you lots of information and a booklet on pretty much everything you need to know leading up to the birth. You can attend English antenatal classes through the hospital, and your husband is expected to attend with you if possible. Not sure how much it costs, but it would be a very low, nominal fee.

I attended Annerley midwives 'Babies and Beyond' classes, mainly due to the fact the times of the classes suited us better. It's all pretty basic information that you can get from any book, with the added bonus of being able to ask questions and meet other expecting couples. The classes are also very small.

Tsan Yuk also do antenatal exercise courses, which I probably would have done if I gave it more thought.

If you are interested in meeting up, the Geobaby due date club I am in (July-Sept) are meeting this Sunday at 4pm for afternoon tea at the Press Club. It's in Hollywood Rd, Central, and the more the merrier. I moved to HK from Melbourne last September, still finding my feet to be honest!

Cheers,
Rachael
 
Meeting up!

Hi Rachael

Afternoon tea on Sunday sounds great...I'd already seen The Press Room - looks a bit like a Melbourne hang out!!.

I've come down with a bit of a cold (I hear this is pretty normal when you first arrive in HK - need to build up my immunity somehow) so may or may not make it. But hopefully will be feeling better by 4pm Sunday!

Thanks for antenatal class info.

Helen
 
Hi Helen,

It would be great to meet you on Sunday. There's a group of about 4-6 of us generally. If you can't make it, I'd love to meet for a coffee pretty much anytime that suits. I'm no longer working, so pretty flexible weekdays/weekends.

Cheers,

Rachael
 
Cool...will try to make tomorrow and if not, yes, would love to get together one afternoon- I'm also work-less and would very much welcome a break from apartment hunting!
 
Antenatal exercise classes at Tsan Yuk

Hi Helen,

Tsan Yuk holds English antenatal exercise classes every 3 months or so and they've just started their first session last Wednesday.... :( I don't think you need to do them all starting from session 1 so you might be able to join half way through and re-do the missed sessions at a later date? You might like to check that out. It's just the next course might finish a bit close to your due date.

The sessions cost HKD100 each and the one I went to last week had max 10 or so ladies there. It's on Wednesday afternoons 2.30-5pm

(I'm in the same due date club as Smiles and Kharel!)
 
Hi there

Thanks for the tip...I'll give Tsan Yuk a call this morning to find out if I can come along on Wednesday...appreciate the heads up on this.


Helen
 
Re. Kowloon.

My wife had our son at kwang wah in yau ma tei and I have to say I was massively impressed by the facilities and the service. the post delivery ward was very good - six beds to a room but only maximum three occupants in wife's room while she was there and midwifes were great. we had a look at queen elizabeth but was not so impressed with service.

only downside is, as with all HK hospitals, the regulations on husband's attendance. I was only allowed in to delivery some 30 minutes before (luckily my wife had very short labour) and was nudged out ten minutes after. was allowed back in once she had been tidied up by the midwifes.

oh, and the bill: 350 HK$ for delivery and 3 nights in the ward
 
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