Public patient but would like private room!

Hi

I had my 1st baby last year at Osborne Park Hospital and had a terrible experience...I was left in the observation area with only a curtain between me and who else ever came in for over 20hrs while going through contractions as the birthing suites were all being used and just got into the birthing suite about an hour before I delivered. As I never wanted pain relief they said there was nothing they could do and I could go home when ever I liked if I did not like it. After giving birth I had to leave the birthing suite about an hour after but was allowed to have a shower there then I was stuck in a ward with 4 other people, my bed was behind the door so everytime people walked past the curtain was pulled and the lady in the bed next to me was the loudest person i have ever come across. I went home the next day as it was all just to much to deal with, my babies crib kept being bumped by the lady next to me as she kept pushing chairs through to my area to make more space for herself. I must say it was not all bad...the midwife who delivered my baby was lovely and a great help, just wish I she had came on shift alot sooner!!
I'm expecting my second baby 13th Dec and dont want to have to go through that again. Does anyone know of anywhere where you can have your own room once you start having your contractions and stay in there until you are ready to go home. I am a public patient but would be willing to pay especially if you can get a rebate with medicare.

Thanks
Sus

I have to be honest, I don't know about in the Perth area. Your best bet would be to call all your local hospitals and find out if this is an option for you.

I know that many public hospitals do have private rooms, but I am not sure how you would go about paying for them?

The main reason we pay for our private health cover is to ensure a private room. I know that the cost of a private room is exhorbitant, so I am not sure how much, if any, you could get back from Medicare.

Some of the other girls may have more experience with this.

At my hospital (which is in sydney so not much help sorry) you were able to request a private room and they would "see what they could do"... You were more likely to get it if you have private cover, as that would pay for the room... or if you had twins or more, or if you were in hospital for an extended period of time and a few other reasons. They said they would not normally give the private rooms to a public patient because if a private patient showed up they would have to give your room to them.. but it could vary between hospitals. They also had a birth centre, where you got your own room and you stayed the night in the room you give birth in. Maybe that could be an option?

at my hospital (public) there are 10 double birthing rooms, and if you have a vaginal birth, that where you are for your labour and birth. This is for public patients, not the same as a "private room" as such, so you pay nothing.

Its worth checking what the facilities the public hospitals near you have available

Thanks for the responses...will have a word at my next doc visit and see what he can come up with!!

A lot of public hospitals use their single rooms for ppl with higher needs, eg, post caesarean, multiple births etc. Might be worth asking about in your area though.

Even if you can get a room with only two in it, is better than a large room with four!

Wow Sus I had the exact same experiance at Osbourne park when I had Shelby. We got there at midnight with contractions 3 mins apart (didn't want to see me before then) got told to go home as only 2 cm dilated and to take some panadol! I refused and got left in the observation room with a hot pack, 4 hours later they came in because I was making "too much noise" when they finally checked me I was fully dilated, they then made me walk to the delivery room.
After having Shelby I was allowed a shower then got moved to a private room (but they knew I was a nurse, so they felt obligated to give me one) but it was still horrible.

I advise you to go to King Edward if you want a private room, all their rooms are single but they do kick you out after 24 hours because they are just so busy. Their antenatal clinic is also a nightmare, we had a 6 hour wait last week so have decided to go to swan districts.

If you get a private room you wont be guaranteed to keep it as people with private health insurance will get preference and most hospitals will kick you out for them. Exactly the reason why I pay for health insurance, so I get to be in a private hospital with a private room. The only time you would have to share a room in the private hospital I gave birth in is if you had a caesar.

Thanks for all the info...will check out King Edward, friend had bub there and said it was good...but thats what people said about OP!!
Happy Mothers Day to everyone hope you all have a fantastic day!!

Sus

I am a private patient in a public hospital (HBA cover).... in Melbourne...

I had my baby 12 months ago - I was 'high risk' & ended up having an emergency ceasar, and a cyst cut out as well.... I got my own obstetrician (the private part)...

but I was in a room with 4 others... And that is when I pay for health insurance & I was fairly high risk!

There were 6 private rooms - but they are priority for Higher risk, multiple births and people who get in there first... I asked... but to no avail.

So if you want a private room - you'll have to pay for it... private health insurance, private hospital. In a public hospital/public cover - you don't get any choices.

Hope you have a wonderful Mothers day too!!!

Sus, I had my daughet at King Eddie in June last year and cant coompliment the service there more. I was in the Observation area for a few hours during early labour (my waterrs had broken) but there were showers that I could use so I didnt have to stay in the little curtained of area. I was moved to the birthing suite as soon as one was available, I think it was about 3 am, I stayed there right through to delivery at 2pm and then was int there untill about 6:30 that night when I got moved down to the ward, I had my own room which was great. I was there for 48 hours after the delievery, they wanted me to stay another night but I didnt want to, I was ready to go home by them.
I know that King Eddie gets a bad wrap some times but you have to remember that they delievery all the hightest risk cases, multiples, teen mums etc.
I will be going back to have this baby there in Dec as well.

Thanks for all the info, after watching the news last night may look into a home birth!
I will talk to the doctor next week and see if he can give me any more information. When my little pumpkin goes down for a nap I will call up medicare and see what they say about rebates and how the safe net thing works(from the UK so dont have much info on how it all works).
Sus

I have just called medicare(should have done this first) and a lovely lady explained to me that if I wanted to have my baby in a private hospital 75% of the cost would be covered but it does not include the cost of accommodation. As its a hospital related expense you cant put the out of pocket expense toward the safety net.

Thanks to everyone who gave me some help on this!!!

Sus

oh god, you all just got me thinking. last time i was in a small country town - all the rooms were private and the conditions excellent - it hadn't even occurred to me tha now i live in a city that i would get 'less' service. maybe i need to do some research.

This doesn't help you at all, but I've just realised that I'm sooo lucky that my local hospital is a dual public/private hospital with only single rooms so this lucky public girl got a single room with private bath when having my DS. Hope there's room this time (they tend to fill up) and the next hospital is 1hr away.

I think I will move to Mt Barker!!
I know I should just be happy that I have a choice of 3 hospitals, that the people who work there are qualified and that I will get a bed in the end. I just cant stop thinking of how horrible and upsetting it all was last time which is making me feel pretty crap and want to cry!!! Never mind its only one day and I will just have to stop thinking about it in a negative way and think of the wonderful outcome....a happy healthy baby!!