The NRI Way

Medical by and large is free in Australia ( ofcourse not EVERYTHING) . I was 5 months pregnant when we shifted to Australia . Coming from USA , we felt even better that we did not have to pay a penny towards any medical costs related to my pregnancy .I also had nurses visiting me everyday at my residence after my delivery. We were really pleased with the way medical worked in this country. And all this was without any private insurance.

However I did end up becoming a private patient from 30th week of my pregnancy which meant

I paid to see an obstetrician of my choice. I paid a lumpsum to the public/government hospital where I delivered my baby. I got a private room at the hospital . I did not have pay for any of my ultrasounds as my doctor did the ultrasounds himself whenever he felt the necessity. I was in complete control of my delivery plan. Of Course in agreement with my obstetrician.

When I had an option of going public ( only citizens of Australia and New Zealand and permanent residents of Australia have this option) and getting things done without paying anything , why did I go the private way? This was the first question my GP asked when I went to him for a referral to an OB.

Before that there few things one should know about the healthcare system here. This is only for pregnancy care as we do not have any experience with any other kind of medical need which required a hospital visit by God’s grace. Here are the categories of patient one can be .

Private patient in a private hospital – Your choice of doctor in your choice of private hospital Private patient in a public hospital – Your choice of doctor in your local public government hospital Public patient in a public hospital – You see mainly midwives in your local government hospital and midwives send you to the on duty doctor if they think there is a medical need for you to see a doctor.

To start with , we decided to be a public patient in public hospital. We searched over internet and read some really good reviews about our local hospital . My GP referred me to the local hospital sometime in the first week of August and warned me that it could be several weeks before I got a call from the hospital . However I got a call from the hospital , the very next week as I was already 5 months pregnant by that time.

My first appointment was with 2 lovely midwives and they spent a good 3 hours with me to take down all my medical history. I was very impressed and we were sure that we took the right decision by going public .

I was given few tests to do . I could do few of the test at the hospital on the same day .But I was advised that I had to do all other tests outside as I was late ( 20 weeks ) and they were booked in completely.

Test results came in and I had gestational diabetes. Midwives took it very seriously and I was sent to an endocrinologist immediately. Again , I was very impressed with the level of care .

However as days passed , things became very dull and the whole approach seemed very operational . There were a set of lines which I heard at each visit. Same set of checks and a new midwife at each visit. Queues at each appointment seemed to grow in line with my belly . Something was just not right.

From 25th week , midwives started telling me that my baby was measuring smaller , but they thought it was within the normal range. They measured the fundul length with the normal measuring tape that we use at home. I had various aches and pains , but I never got any medicine as midwives don’t write any prescriptions. They always suggested some herbal remedy to all my problems.

But the real game changer was when my baby was measuring almost 2 weeks smaller at my 28th week appointment and I was told there was nothing to worry and no ultrasound scan was required to check if there is something wrong.That night we decided to see an OB. We knew it was too late to get an OB. But we still thought , we would give it a try. And it turned out rather easy to get an OB who was also our 1st preference.

There was a huge difference in experience after becoming a private patient in the same public hospital. I never had to stand in queues. I could see my doctor as soon as I reached the hospital. And there was a day when my doctor came out in the sitting area outside the clinic searching for me as he wanted to see me before he went for his surgery. Yes it was that good.

We had our beautiful son on 19th January and that was the best day of our lives .

We know that the outcome would have been equally nice if I had stayed a public patient throughout my pregnancy . But its just that we could not digest the fact that we would not see any doctor during the whole course of my pregnancy. Again I have met a lot of ladies in my antenatal classes who saw midwives throughout the pregnancy and truly midwives do an amazing job here.

I guess at least in this case money bought me some peace of mind.