Thread: The cost of getting sick...

Morning Chipman,

Hope everything goes well for your wife.

Originally Posted by Chipman

A bit hard to change surgeons once you get so far along the track.

Different situation in a small city.

We had a similar experience in 2005 when my wife was diagnosed with cancer. At the time we weren't in a fund and so the surgery was performed in a Public Hospital but as we both work in hospitals we "know" the surgeons, the choice is easy, which is an enormous benefit for that "peace of mind" component. To us, where (Private vs Public Hospital) the surgery is performed is less important than who does it, especially considering he had admitting rights to both hospitals.

Would your surgeon have performed the surgery in a Public Hospital?

Eventually we joined a fund, as our youngest son now has an Insulin pump, but personally I don't think we're better off.
Last year my wife became seriously ill while holidaying and despite the fund, the only Private Hospital in the area did not have an A&E Department and the much vaunted phrase, "choice of surgeon" was useless because...

A) We didn't know any of the surgeons, and...
B) There was only one surgeon available/on call.

Originally Posted by Chipman

...perhaps a reminder to us all to ask questions first...

Very hard at the time, but yes.

Best wishes,
Graeme