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hospitals FULL in June

  1. #17
    jane01 is offline Registered User
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    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 !


  2. #18
    KatBoo is offline Registered User
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    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


  3. #19
    beckveldman is offline Registered User
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    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!)


  4. #20
    KatBoo is offline Registered User
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    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.

    Last edited by KatBoo; 03-27-2007 at 07:32 PM.

  5. #21
    Konradsmom is offline Registered User
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    my obs advised me to book as soon I knew I as pregnant, but not having decided whether I will deliver natural or c-sec, I have not done so yet. But yesterday I was told again that the popular hospitals are full until August........so got me a bit worried.

    its true its never been the case before, its partly due to mainland mothers who wants to have a second child and the only way to do this without being penalised by the mainland govt is to have them in HK. Also this entitle their kids ( and possibily themselves later on) to HK social benefits. I was also told these are mainland parents who can spend and are prepared to spend, hence even private ones are now working at full capacity.


  6. #22
    kellyst is offline Registered User
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    My own theory on this, is that ever since the government raised prices to give birth for mainland mothers at public hospitals, the price tag for them is 39K (i think something like that) now for the delivery. that does not make much difference cost-wise for them to give birth at private vs. public hospitals, then of course they would choose the private route. with the same theory, that's how the numbers for mainland mother deliveries at public hospitals dropped so significantly, it basically just moved people from the public system to the private system. there's really no decrease of the influx of mainland pregnant woman, but that's my guess.

    i wonder if that's the case, but if so, has anyone seen any media report picked this up? i'm curious. i was worried about this when i heard the government raising fees to public hospital for mainlanders... it's very depressing to see such horrible policy making...


  7. #23
    Konradsmom is offline Registered User
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    All the hue and cry earlies about mainland mothers have died down now, you can hardly find any media coverage of this issue. You are probably right in that there is no decrease of the influx of mainland mothers, just a shift.

    i also did inquire with a public hospital, the official response is that yes in theory priority is given to HK residents, but then again, it all boils down to who is there before you.


  8. #24
    KatBoo is offline Registered User
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    I've been hoping there'd be something in the SCMP about this (they seem to cover much more trivial stuff!), but haven't seen anything.

    I guess I should pick up the phone to them myself but haven't really had the time or energy!

    Good theory about the swicth from public to private though. I had assumed that Private hospitals would have put their fee's up for mainlanders too, but maybe not.


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