OSHCstudents – There are lots of things to take into consideration when choosing a hospital, and some of it can be quite confusing. We will make it easier for you by listing some of things you may want to look into.
You can start by considering these questions:
- How urgently do you need the treatment?
- How far is the hospital from your home or work?
- Did a family member or friend recommend it?
- How much does your specialist, and the hospital charge?
- Where does your specialist work?
- Does your health insurer have a contract with the hospital that could provide you other benefits and help keep your costs down?
[See more: What is Medical Gap Scheme, or Gap Cover?]
- Will your insurer cover part or all of your treatment costs, or should you consider being treated in a public hospital?
Below we investigate some of these options, and explore what they might mean to you.
How urgently do you need the treatment?
If you need urgent treatment, such as in an emergency, a public hospital will often be the best place to treat you. If you have a medical emergency, please call 000 or visit your local emergency department (also known as the ED, emergency room, or ER).
Some private hospitals have emergency departments. The waiting list may be shorter, but unless you are admitted to that hospital, you will have to pay for most services they provide you. Medicare may cover some of the cost of diagnosing your condition (eg. tests and scans), but most of the costs generally aren’t covered by Medicare or private health insurance.
Where is the hospital?
Depending on your health condition, and the treatment you may need, where a hospital is, and how quickly you can get to it, may be an important factor to consider.
This could be particularly important if you need emergency treatment, if you’re pregnant, or to access support from friends or family nearby.
What facilities does it provide?
All hospitals are slightly different, and you may have particular preferences, or additional care needs that require a specific facility. It’s worth discussing this with your specialist, or you can call the hospital directly to find out what options are available and if they’ll be available during your stay.
Where can your specialist treat you?
A lot of specialists will practice in more than one hospital, so speak to them about this before choosing your hospital. Depending on what is important to you in your hospital choice, it might even be a consideration you make in choosing your specialist.
OSHCstudents (source: Bupa)
