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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2014 1:06:43 GMT -1
Can I just add to that last post, on a personal note: My transplant operation cost you guys about £40,000. The followup visits, twice a year, 13 years and counting, cost you money too. And I'm SO SO grateful for that. In those 13 years since, though, I reckon I've paid just about that back via my NI contributions and I've another maybe 10 productive earning years left (frantically reaching for the nearest wooden thing).. It makes economic SENSE to me to invest in the health of our people. And to preserve life and well-being, I think that's a good, dignified and humane place for ANY society to be. <just saying >
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Post by ozneil on Jan 29, 2014 2:53:34 GMT -1
Please explain the difference between *basic* treatment in a *public* hospital for me, Oz? Is it worse than *private* hospitals or just restricted to emergencies or what? And what happens to those ordinary people, working folks, who can't afford private insurance: from the above it seems they only get the lowest tier of care? What happens if they need more treatment over time, complications say, from emergency or long standing illnesses? Keep me right here, so I understand it better? Gees will try. OK About 1/3 of people go for Private Health . Mostly young dont They reckon they dont need it. Public hospitals are owned by the public ie STATE Government not Federal. They vary from suburban hospital that do minor surgery and that sort of thing up to top international clsss hospitals that can do anything up to and including organ transplants with world class staff. In a public hospital you will probably be in a shared ward. The waiting lists for "elective" surgery are long. A private patient may pay for and get a private room in a public hospital They are not quite free there are little extras that sneak in. such as tv hire I have only been in one as a visitor. Private Hospitals are owned by a variety of organisations including the catholic church, Seventh day Adventists as well as companies like Ramsay Health Care They vary from day hospitals (vasectomies while you wait) removal of minor cancers etc then vary in capability up to the best of Public. There you usually get a room to yoursself with an en-suite and a higher proportion of staff to patient. The main thing about private is a shorter waiting time and your choice of surgeon (actually GP's recommendation as in "I think the best guy for you would be xxxx, I will phone him and see if he is available") There is no diffence in actual medical treatment just in the peripheries and speed. My last op was a bldder stone removal(Total cost to me $25.00) up to a years wait in public ...me 2 weeks I was in a private hospital joined by a bridges to a large public hospital. Medical facilities were interchangeable depending on work loads, Public and Private patients could be and were treated in either. The main differences being: Choice of surgeon waiting time for non urgent things Private room, usually ensuite Greater staff/ patient ratio eg cups of tea at the drop of a hat Comfort, bit like 4 star hotel Better meals (debateable) Look at this for details of Medibank biggest private insurer www.medibank.com.au/healthcover/cover-listings.aspxIn no way is Public Hospital sub-standard ... just misses out on bells and whistles PS in Public System you have no choice of hospital could be anywhere in state no too bad in Sydney but a country person could end up 100s of miles away. Would be transported by air ambulance. I know of one case where a lass had pregnancy problems in Broken Hill and was flown to Newcastle about 1,000 miles she was on her own hubby had to follow by road. Under Private prob to a nearer Hospital but maybe not
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2014 3:32:28 GMT -1
I'm making you work awful hard here, Oz, thanks for the comprehensive answer! I'm just dead interested in how things work in other countries, and looking, I suppose, for comparisons and best practice examples.
The reason being: we have such an opporchancity in Scotland to help shape the way we do things in future.
Hereabouts in public hospitals most people are in shared wards. There's been some disquiet lately that these are not always same sex wards and I can totally understand why.
Private rooms, of which there are few, are usually reserved for the most seriously ill and yes, those who're dying: and often people with hospital-acquired infections like MRSA that need specialist nursing; to the benefit of all patients. As far as I know in private hospitals every patient gets their own en-suite room. Which I think has advantages and disadvantages, myself.
I have to say when I reached the bit about some Aus private hospitals being owned by religious organisations, I went WOAH! How does that work? Do they earn income from the insurance companies?
Just a general comment about the choice of surgeons: I'm curious to know how you *choose* a surgeon (by their CV, by recommendation, by their 'death rate, what?)
Would it be fair to say that those who're compos mentis enough to 'rate' one surgeon over another might be in a higher socio-economic group and thus, just perhaps, healthier in the first place and more likely to have a good outcome?
Surely a surgeon who works in a very deprived area is likely to have less of a *success* rate?
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Post by ozneil on Jan 29, 2014 5:20:36 GMT -1
THats ok Rolo
Keep asking
The surgeon is recommended by your GP or specialist as being best for the job. I know my doc always asked me how I got on with surgeon, how much he charged extra (Come to that in a minute) and how was the hospital. In other word building up a dossier for other patients. In my bladder stone thingy I was peeing blood so I paniced and raced off to the local Medical centre. It was a Sunday & Medical centres are open 7 days & free. They said it was prob prostate and recommended a specialist but it was "non-urgent" there would be as few weeks wait. So I went to my GP next day and she said "I prefer MrXXXXXX I think he is more suitable but in interim I will sent you for an ultra sound" I took her recommendation and on Friday week I was operated on. Total cost to me $25 for hospital & op plus doc of net about $100 Ultra sound was free A mix of State & private.
The Religious hospitals charge the Insurance companies such as Medibank or NIB for their services. They try to subsidise their "good works" by these charges. ST Vincents in Sydney is one of the top public & private hospitals
The Surgeons are mostly under contract to the government to perform X operations on Public patients per whatever. They supplement their income with private patients. Dont blame them. Keeps public costs down.
Surgeons extra charges called the gap. Insurance companies have negoiated the cost of each operation with the surgeons and that is what they will pay end of story. However some surgeons rightly or wrongly say its not enough and we need more which the patient has to find. This can be expensive or the patient can decline and "go public" and find someone who will do it cheeper. Plastic surgeons are the worst!!! I had a BCC cancer removed from near my eye by one of them for Scheduled fee ie $0 , He said if I wanted a whole face lift his "gap" would have been $5,000.
The real baddy here is dentist. On public there is a 2 year waiting list for an appointment. The government has promised to sort that out. Im not covered for desntist as I reckon its more cost effective to pay as I go.
I can go to any doctor, dentist or witch doctor I want to at any time. In the case of the medical centre I promptly went for a second opinion to my GP.
If Ive missed anything ask
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Post by notanimby on Jan 29, 2014 6:48:38 GMT -1
Can I just add to that last post, on a personal note: My transplant operation cost you guys about £40,000. The followup visits, twice a year, 13 years and counting, cost you money too. And I'm SO SO grateful for that. In those 13 years since, though, I reckon I've paid just about that back via my NI contributions and I've another maybe 10 productive earning years left (frantically reaching for the nearest wooden thing).. It makes economic SENSE to me to invest in the health of our people. And to preserve life and well-being, I think that's a good, dignified and humane place for ANY society to be. <just saying > PAH! the cost of someone's health and wellbeing is immaterial to me, it's money well spent by us
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Post by peony on Jan 29, 2014 12:47:41 GMT -1
Over here the religious owned hospitals (St. Luke's, Methodist, etc.) are non profit, and don't usually show a profit. Then there are corporate owned hospitals which are for profit. They all must treat someone to preserve life, whether or not they have insurance.
I choose a hospital or surgeon based on recommendations from my general practitioner.
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Post by ozneil on Jan 29, 2014 19:16:23 GMT -1
North Shoe Private Hospital www.northshoreprivate.com.au/give you an idea of what you get for your buck Like US life threatening is treated immediately with no thought of payment.
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Post by ozneil on Feb 16, 2014 20:21:22 GMT -1
Western NSW is in drought. The PM Tony Abbot went there to discuss Government loans to the farmers
Luved this from Tim Blair's Blog.
Very Australian humour dont know how well it translates to weejies
Supposed Headlines from lefty news media
ABC: “Prime Minister fails to separate religion and politics”
SMH: “Abbott exploits relationship with God to slash farm aid”
The Age: “Abbott attempts to drown disadvantaged farmers”
The Guardian: “Drought broken as Government weather machine malfunctions”
Additional headline:
“Tony Abbott Causes Climate Change”
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Post by ozneil on Mar 3, 2014 19:03:46 GMT -1
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Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2014 18:21:04 GMT -1
haha! Oddly enough I was perusing a fashion catalogue on the way home in 5 degrees C tonight. Gotta laugh, this stuff in pale pastel colours, florals, tiny dresses, shorts, vest tops, there's about two days per 'summer' you can actually wear em without a duvet coat on top. And socks.
I've quit falling for this daft marketing. Now I just take an empty case, buy a few light things when I get to Cat and stock up on autumn stuff too. Same clothes and shoes, for a third less.
UK prices for just about everything are a total rip-off!
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Post by ozneil on Mar 4, 2014 19:26:35 GMT -1
I remember it being 5°C here one winter's day a couple of years ago. Of course that was pre AGW (I think that is latest name for Global Warming)
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Post by ozneil on Mar 4, 2014 19:40:26 GMT -1
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Post by ozneil on Mar 4, 2014 19:42:03 GMT -1
cartoonist was Emile Mercier a French guy living in Sydney. He got Oz humour to a tee
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Post by ozneil on Mar 13, 2014 22:34:04 GMT -1
luved this one. A group of adolescent TV "comedians" and commentators showing how few people will come to help of fellow man. In this case an attempted robbery Dey gottit wrang! www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg85bD9AQWMServes them right arrogant little twits
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Post by ozneil on Mar 13, 2014 23:05:49 GMT -1
Here is a suggestion for a few from Tim Blair for readers to vote on
*The readers voted winner 20%* #runner up 16%
PS I dont think Tim Blair is impressed by left wing advocates
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