hospitals FULL in June

U

u754268

Registered User
Have just been told that all private hospitals are full around mid June (when I am due) and will not even put people on waiting lists any more although will keep hold of details. I have been told that when labour starts, I will have to ring around to see if any have a bed and if not, then just turn up at public one and hope. Just imagine though, that is the private ones are full, people will be lining up down the corridoor in the public ones.

Is anyone else in the same boat?

Can't beleive that may even have to consider going abroad so at least I know what I can expect during my birth and have control over it. If only home births were available here!
 
Yes a lot of people are in the same boat. I was until I switched Drs, which I needed to do for other reasons. I was also told by my old Dr that there really isn't a point to the waiting list as if someone drops off, you really don't move up. Everyone (regardless if you're booked into the hospital, on the waiting list, or not on the waiting list) is just going to have to call when they go into labor and see what happens. Even if you have a confirmed booking, you could still get sent away to a public hospital if the maternity wards are full in the hospital you booked. So it's a risk everyone must take. I read in a different thread here that the Matilda has not turned anyone away yet but am not sure if they're talking about just patients that had confirmed rooms or not.

The other thing you could try is scheduling an elective c section on a certain date to try to "guarantee" yourself a bed.
 
I am due in 2 weeks and only got a confirmed room about 4 weeks ago. You should get your doc to book you in for a c-section around your due date. Once you have a confirmed booking the hospital will take you in when you go into labour naturally as they normally keep a few rooms for emergencies (as my doc says)
 
woodk6 said:
I read in a different thread here that the Matilda has not turned anyone away yet but am not sure if they're talking about just patients that had confirmed rooms or not.
Click to expand...

I know of one who didn't have a booking and was admitted at the Matilda. I'm sure there are others.
 
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fully booked

I was told that Mathilda turned away 3 last month. 2 Got into other private hospitals, 1 had to go public. Canossa has also turned people away this month already.

I am worried that if this is the situation for people booked in, then what does this suggest for people who are chancing it the summer. The prospedt is not good.
 
I just took a tour of the matilda maternity ward today and it was completely full, other than the VIP room. It was just my husband, myself and the maternity representative on the "tour". I asked about the risk of being turned away. She said not to worry about it if you have a booking. They are now booked through August, however.
 
That's great news for those who have a booking, but not for those of us due before August who don't! Am seeing my Obs this week so will enquire!
 
VIP room at Matilda

Purely out of curiousity has anyone got a clue about how much the VIP room costs at Matilda? It's probably hellishly expensive but it sounds like it's the only room you can guarantee yourself of.

How would I explain it to my husband's medical insurer???!!!
 
Aussiegal, I think it's HK$3000 per night more than the private room. I'm not sure if the doctor's fees increase too though (although I still need as justification for price discrimination based on accommodation type).
 
It is an extra $3000 per night but I'm sure that also increases your Dr's and any other misc fees. I saw it and it's not worth the extra $$$. Basically, instead of having a balcony (as I'm told all the private rooms do), that "balcony" space is enclosed to make the room bigger. It also has a shower/bath combo instead of just a shower. According to our tour guide, that's the only difference other than the room in general just being slightly bigger. don't get me wrong, I'd take it and gladly pay the extra $3000 per night (my insurance will not cover the upgrade) as opposed to nothing. I don't think that you can "guarantee" it though as it seems to have the same "risk" as all of the other rooms.
 
I sent my ObGyn an email and this is her reply.....

"No I cant "make" a confirmed booking at the Matilda until October now , but what I do is send in your details and they keep them on record. No prioritisation for elective Caesarian. However I am reassuring my patients that I have a high expectation of being able to deliver them at the Matilda or the Adventist (I expect not to be able to with approx 1%). So the main problem is anxiety and uncertainty."

Doesn't really make me feel hugely better....especially as I have a "high-risk" pregnancy.
 
Hi KatBoo,
is it Dr Dawkins that you see? He said the same thing to me.

You're right, it doesn't make me feel better.
 
I don't know if this helps, but I delivered at the Matilda, two years ago, before the scramble for beds that is happening now, and we were booked into a private room. When we arrived these rooms were unavailable and so they upgraded me into the VIP room with no extra costs. I also know that the doctor's fees are dependent upon which room you have so if you book into the VIP room then your doctor's fees will be greater than if you are booked into a private room.
Has anyone contacted the management of these hospitals to find out what they are doing about the bed crisis?
 
No guarantee bed!

I have the same situation too. My doctor registered 3 hospitals for me back in January as my expected due date is end of June. Unfortunately, 1 rejected my registration as it's full. The other 2 are just for "record-only", and they do not guarantee any bed. That makes me very worried. I am due in about 3 months time. If worst case the other 2 hospitals are full when I am due, I am not sure if I can go public still. I have never registered any public hospitals. Any comments?
 
Aussiegal, no my Doc is Dr Sally Ferguson. But I know she works quite closely with Dawkins (they cover each other when on hols), I presume they all must say the same things....not much else they can say really. I'm seeing her this afternoon so I'll delve more into the situation.

I know that I definately have to register with Queen Mary because I am expecting twins and private hospitals wont accept you if you go into labour before 34 weeks.

The situation does seem ridiculous, especially as the 'mainland mother' problem has seemingly been tackled (according to the SCMP a couple weeks ago) and they are turnng quite a few away at the borders. Does it mean that the mainland mothers have been organised and booked all the beds, or that there are lots of locals due at the same time?

A friend gave birth 5-months ago at Matilda and was told not to bother booking as there were loads of beds free! She had no problems.

K
 
I have to say I have a big problem with this !

Firstly Matilda Hospital we are women, not 'ladies'. Common people ! Grrr... pet hate of mine.

But on a more serious note. I think that the private hospitals should only take bookings from non-HK residents, say, 3 months before due date. Hong Kong hospitals should cater for Hong Kong women first and foremost. If they have facilities leftover, by all means take bookings from non-HK residents.

Three reasons I see for this, and I'm sure there are more:

1. Hong Kong women should be able to deliver with the OB of their choice, the OB who has seen them throughout their pregnancy. From a medical point of view, not to mention emotional, isn't it better to deliver with the person who knows your medical history best?

2. From a health policy point of view, if a HK resident can afford a private hospital, they should be encouraged (but not required) to use one. Why should you be forced to use the heavily subsidised public sector hospitals if you want to and can afford to go to a private hospital?

3. The HK government does subsidise some of the private hospitals operations. For example, I recently read that they were paying private hospital nurses to do the midwifery course. So, HK taxpayers are paying for a service that non HK residents are using?

Giving HK residents a few months to settle on a doctor, a hospital, etc after they find out they are pregnant is only fair !

Glad I'm not planning any more babies !
 
Spoke to My OBGYN about this yesterday. She said there are loads of 'regular' Matilda Docs (inc Lucy Lord, Dawkins, herself) who are in the same situation....all with about 6 or 7 ladies due in May/June that they are unable to book in.

She said this has NEVER happened before! She's not sure if the problem is due to overbooking by other not so regular doctors, or if the mainlanders are being really organised, or if there is generally a surge of locals due at that time. She suspects that they wont have booked all of the beds...more likely 80% and therefore are 20% left unbooked for on-the-day admissions (although she doesn't know this for sure).

Her feeling is that because they are all 'regular' Matilda doctors, and with the general ebb and flow of pregnancies, that there wont be a problem.

K
 
Just to clarify?

Reading this I'm a little confused - can those in the know clarify?

I understand that the Matilda is now not taking any further bookings for EDD up to and including June 2007. But presumably there are women with confirmed bookings,who booked early in their pregnancies? Looking at the Matilda for a future pregnancy, and just wanting to understand the nuance here.

I understand that in Hong Kong previously it hasn't really been necessary to book in advance, there's always been an excess of places in private here. That really astounded me, as in the city where I am from in Australia you have to rush to book the major private hospitals as soon as you discover you are pregnant. (I booked at 6w!)
 
Hi

Yes, there are women who have confirmed bookings for June (and surrounding months), who I presume must have booked early. According to my obgyn, there has never been a need to book early in HK and usually all the docs leave it until about 3-months prior to due date to make the bookings.

As I said in my earlier post, my obgyn said this scenario has never happened before (ie, not being able to book people in), and I'm not sure if it has to do with the new booking system to try and quash the bed shortages problem (as a result of mainland mothers just turning up when in labour). Maybe the hospitals now only have a certain quota that they are allowed to book for...who knows?

In any case, I am hoping that on-the-day it will all be fine (for my sanity I am letting myself be reassured by my obgyn).

If you are thinking ahead, and not pregnant yet, I wouldn't worry. I would just book as early as you can.
 
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