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This isn't really a sway question, but I was wondering about being a public patient in a public hospital in Aus.
Can you choose your Dr (that delivers there) and have them for the delivery if you go in as a public patient in KEMH? Or do you get the registrar ie whoever is on shift at the time of delivery?
Thanks.
I had my DS3 at KEMH through the NBAC clinic. As a public patient you pretty much get whoever is on shift at the time.
If you are a public patient you don't get a choice of which Dr you have (if you need a Dr) but I think if you have a problem with who you are assigned you can request someone else.
It varies from hospital to hospital but you normally have the options of being in the womens clinic, shared care with your GP or a midwife group practice. You normally only see an obstetrician if you are high risk.
I only had my first in hospital but chose the midwife group practice option and had the same midwife from 20 weeks. I also met a backup one in case she wasn't available when I gave birth. The best part about this option was the home visits afterwards to help get settled with feeding etc.
If I had gone with the womens clinic or shared care I would have just ended up with whichever midwife was on duty at the time and the ones you see when pregnant are different to the ones in the labour & delivery ward.
What did you do with your first two kids?
Thanks for the replies.
We went private in a private hospital before, but now that I have diabetes my GP says I'm high risk and I need to deliver at KEMH.
I know how much it cost us before. PHI just means you pay your premiums and then you pay some more. I was hoping to avoid those extra costs again, but I think we'll go private at KEddys. Better for bubs. And I need a Dr as I need a c/s. The first birth I had an unplanned c/s and I don't want to risk a rupture so its c/s for all of them.
The process might be different for a c-section, I presumed you were talking about a natural birth. Could be worth ringing up and finding out what your options are. I actually ruptured at KEMH with my VBA2C with DS3, so my next bub will be c, section as well. I'm not sure whether I'll go back to KEMH or go to Fiona Stanley.
Thanks gals.
I've contacted the patient liason person and she said you can only choose your Dr if you go private. The good thing is, it should all be covered under medicare and private health at KEMH. We went to SJOG subi last time and had to pay extra $$s. I think the Drs there charge more.
All the best with your birth.