Public Vs Private

B

Bubbly

Registered User
I have heard and read that a lot of people see both private and public drs throughout the pregnancy so that they have the safety of knowing that they can go public if complications arises.

However, with recent changes of rules in both private hospitals and public hospitals, we are now required to pay a deposit to private hospital in order to 'secure' a room (most private hospitals have a limit on how many can register). So if we pay this deposit, we cannot really choose to go public unless we forfeit the deposit.

Just wondering what everyone is doing about this or any thoughts? I am due in late May but the nurse already told me that it will not be possible to have my baby at several private hospitals as they are already full!:Butbut
 
I had no idea they had changed the rules in the private and public hospitals, I have just registered at QMH to keep both public and private options open. I would be interested to know where you got the information. My obstetrician uses Matilda mainly and has not mentioned anything and I am due mid april. v worrying. What if you have planned c sect you may not know until the end.
 
Miller,

I heard the information about the registration for private hospitals from a couple of private Obs. I also called up Canossa (where I plan to have the baby) and they told me the same thing.

I was told that I cannot have my baby in HK Sanatorium (as it is already full in May), and Matilda is very nearly full for May also. Adventist still has a few places but I need to go register straight away and same goes for Canossa. So that pretty much sums up my options of private hospitals on the Hong Kong Island.

I have the same questions as you have about planning to do something and then changing my mind at the end. Not sure what to do... Anyone else have any ideas?
 
Bubbly,

I just spoke to the Adventist hospital regarding a deposit and they said it was only for people NOT holding a HKID/PR. Are you sure that the other private hospitals are not the same?
 
Just got the following msg from the Matilda:

Regarding the deposit, HK$20,000.00 is required upon admission (we don't charge in advance, except for mainland passport holders).
 
Hmm... that is strange. A nurse called me from Dr Alex Doo's clinic to ask me to go register and pay a deposit and told me the situation. Then I called another Ob, who told me the same thing. I called Canossa too and they also told me that they require registration and deposit.

I am going to Canossa tonight for prenatal, maybe I will ask them again. It makes me less confused if we do not need to pay a deposit!
 
I went to Canossa and confirmed that they require a $20,000 deposit for HKID holders. According to the nurse, the deposit is refundable but when I asked them whether there were any situations where they will not refund, she told me yes, but couldn't be more specific! I guess Canossa is the only one taking deposits then by the sound of it!
 
I'm really worry now. I just find myself pregnant !!!! But start to worry about the space in the hospital.
Are all classes in Canossa/ HK Sanatorium / Matilda full ? I will give bith in Sept, shall I start planning to goes back to Australia or US to give birth ?
 
I think you are worrying unnecessarily. There are still seven or eight months before you have your baby ? none of the hospitals will be full if you start your planning soon.

It is the very nature of maternity hospitals to have fluctuations in their numbers ? it is very difficult to predict when someone will go into labour.

I have a friend who works on the maternity unit in the Matilda Hospital. She told me that last week there were so many mothers there that maternity had taken over four rooms on the paediatric floor but this week there were only five mothers in the unit.

If you are booked into a hospital they will take you even if it means finding solutions to the overcrowding situation. If, however, you aren?t booked into a hospital and you?ve left it to the last minute to find a hospital then you could have problems ? or you may be lucky and easily find a bed.

The main reason that hospitals are telling people they are full at the moment is because of last minute mothers from China trying to get a place. With the rumour of restrictions starting in the government hospitals the private hospitals are getting overwhelmed with their applications. If you are a Hong Kong resident then you should have no problem booking into a hospital in time.

Best wishes with your pregnancy,
Barb
 
Hi Bear,
Don't worry too much. All you need to do is start thinking about which hospital to give birth in and then put your name down for your due date. You should be ok once you do that.

For the classes, you can call up and reserve a space near your due date. You don't need to pay for them until the first class starts.

Good luck!
 
I am really worried that I won't get a space as I am due april. However, not once have I been told I need to book a space at the hospital my obstetrician has not mentioned anything. I am seeing him this week and going to matilda so will see what they say. We have to go to matilda as our ob gives a discount there but not for other hospitals which means we can only afford matilda.

Its such a nightmare here, if I had known I would have made plans to go back to the uk and have the baby months ago.
 
Just a thought, it's usually chaos before CNY as everyone is trying to have their babies before the New Year. Things should settle down in a few weeks.
 
Oh dear, I am really sorry to have caused you all worries! That is the last thing I wanted to do when I posted this, but I just wanted to have some clarification and also warn others who weren't aware of this problem (like me).

Don't worry mothers-to-be, I am sure we will all be able to give birth at the hospital we want, so chins up!

Bubbly
 
Just courious, why do you think everybody will try to have their babies before chinese new year?? What I heard is the opposite if they have a choice. But one cannot have the baby too early than their due date.
 
Bubbly

I spoke with Matilda today and they confirmed that you do have to book in advance, not sure about deposit yet. They also said that they were pretty booked for April when I am due but apparently my ob has already booked me in, something he does automatically.

Good luck with sorting your hospital out and thanks for making us aware of the situation otherwise I would never have known.
 
Just been to my OB for the first appointment. He told me the situation in private hospitals are really bad. He told me Canossa and HK Adventist are fully booked until July !!!!!!
He advice me to book all the three private hospitals on HK island and then I could cancel later. He said he think the policy will possibly change later, so he reassure me that I will definitely can get in one of the hospital.
One thing I really don't understand, why it seems that suddenly so many women want to give birth ? I had my first one last April, it seems that everythings went OK. If this situation is due to the mainland Chinese, does this means more and more of them comes to give birth in HK ?
 
Bookings

I don't understand, unless you are sure you are going to have a C-section, how can you book a place? I mean, how do you know exactly which day you need to go to the hospital? I am so confused!......:confused:
 
hermoine - I too was very confused a couple of days ago and am due in 10 weeks. Apparenlty your ob/gyn will book you into the hospital for your due date the hospitals then know approximate date you will be coming in and they juggle places accordingly at the time. Obviously you still run the risk that you happen to have a very busy day and won't get in, not sure what happens then.

I think this is a problem that has only arisen recently because I knew nothing about this and neither did a friend of mine who is due in a few weeks time. This has probably caused panic and everyone is booking into their hospitals way in advance, I am sure it will calm down eventually (otherwise we will be booking before we know we are pregnant!!!!)

Not sure what happens if the hospital you have booked into is too full to take you - where do you go if you have not booked any other hospital - will QMH still take you - surely they cannot turn you away at the public hospital if you are in labour and have nowhere to go.
 
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