Advise Needed - Queen Mary vs. Maltida with No Insurance

[jwc209]

Hi all, I'm pregnant with my first (8 weeks along) and due in late May 2012. Currently, I?m seeing a private doctor for pre-natal check ups. I?ve had two check ups and scans so far and everything is going well. My private doctor is a resident at Maltida and I?m early enough to apply to deliver there.

The problem is my insurance doesn?t cover maternity and I have to pay all cost out of pocket. I?m considering doing all the pre-natal check ups privately and deliver at a public hospital. I live in Pokfulam so I will qualify for Queen Mary.

I am wondering if anyone has delivered both at Queen Mary and Maltida and can share their experiences and what they would do if they have to choose again. Is Maltida that much better to justify paying $100K out of pocket for delivery?

Your insight will be greatly appreciated!

Thank you.

 

[jvn]

It's a bit of a how long is a piece of string question. If you've got 100k ish to spare and it's really important to you to, for example, know your doctor well before delivery, have a private room and the other benefits that Matilda has then go for it. If however these sorts of things aren't important to you and it would be a stretch to afford it then, QM would be the way to go.

Medically, I've no reason to think there is a great difference between the two, if there is a problem with baby needing NICU or something like that then you would go to QM anyway as Matilda don't have those facilities but for a regular birth and aftercare, I've heard great things about both but also heard bad things about both.

Sorry, I know that's not much help but it does really depend on what you are looking for and your financial situation - maybe visit both and see how you feel after that.

 

[Zoska]

If I would niot have maternity insurance I would go for QM! Matilda it's grat for comfort but 100k is a lots of money for delivery and 3 days in hospital I think. I also heard that QM has best maternity ward medicly speaking and if there are any complications with your pregnancy Matilda would sent to to QM for delivery any way!
But I m pregnant with my first and did not deliver in either, and besed my opinion on what I heard from people plus what I would do if I would not have insurance. But ultimatly this is your decision and you need to feel comfortable with it!

 

[Obiwan]

Is it important to you to have the doctor you are seeing now, be there and deliver your baby?

 

[charade]

From everything I have read, Matilda seems to be the private hospital that is most accommodating to the mum's requests. I did not deliver there - went public the first time and have chosen a cheaper private hospital this time - but my husband had surgery there and the room was like a hotel room, complete with room service menu, nurses who were extremely friendly etc. In terms of comfort, I am sure Matilda is much much more comfortable than being in a public hospital. Queen Mary seems to be the most accommodating public hospital and the most expat friendly but I'm sure there's a vast difference in terms of comfort level and the number of 'rules' to be followed between Queen Mary and Matilda.

In terms of medical care, you can be sure the public system can match Matilda. But you can't choose your doctor in the public system - this was not a big deal to me but I did unfortunately get a very uncaring doctor when I delivered last year at United Christian.

It really depends how much you will be stretching yourself to deliver at Matilda.

 

[jwc209]

We can afford to pay out of pocket for Miltada... but it is a large sum that we rather put towards development/education for the baby.

I'm not so fussed about the comfort of a private room or restrictive visiting hours. I'm more concerned about having the best care possible during and post delivery. I am not very attached to my private doctor yet but it gives me comfort to know he has a good reputation and has vast experience in child delivery. Not knowing who will deliver my baby, doctor or midwife or intern is a little scary for me. Also I heard Miltada is very good in terms of baby/mom bounding post delivery and encouring breast feeding.

Has anyone delivered at both that can share their experiences and why they choose one over another?

Thanks all!

 

[lesliefu]

though i haven't delivered at QMH, 2 of my 3 children have been patients at the NICU there before (the first was in fact delivered at Matilda and ended up at QMH the same night - the 3rd was there for "yellow" can't remember the term....

anyhow, the point is that if you have a "problem" pregnancy - you want to be at QMH NOT Matilda. If it's a "normal" pregnancy then Matilda would be the choice - only because the personnel there are great and accomodating. QMH nurses and doctors are great too - but there are many restrictions as the to time you are allowed to feed your visit / feed your baby (though they ARE pro-breast feeding) they do not have enough staff to teach you each time - Matilda would have the people.

Would you be looking at other private hospitals? I've delivered at Matilda, HK Sanatorium and Adventist and I find HK Sanatorium the best all round hospital to deliver in. Just wondering since the price for the 3 hospitals mentioned above are very similar.

 

[charade]

Not knowing who will deliver my baby, doctor or midwife or intern is a little scary for me.

About the above, the midwives were the ones primarily around for my delivery at United Christian (public) and were excellent. I suspect they were much more experienced than the doctor who popped in now and then, and they were definitely much more caring. However, if there are complications, I'm sure your case would be escalated to a senior doctor.

 

[howardcoombs]

If it's a "normal" pregnancy then Matilda would be the choice - only because the personnel there are great and accomodating. QMH nurses and doctors are great too - but there are many restrictions as the to time you are allowed to feed your visit / feed your baby (though they ARE pro-breast feeding) they do not have enough staff to teach you each time - Matilda would have the people.

You also get lovely wards, beautiful grounds, nice chairs&sofas, many rooms with views and top notch food along with native english speaking staff and floor & room mates from the monied classes.

Since you will be paying out of pocket, this privilege will cost you approximately $30,000 per day.

Personally, I would have much better things to do with $100,000HKD (a typical 3 day stay in Matilda) than to spend it on a 3 day hospital stay.

HC

 

[mummymoo]

The other thing to keep in mind is that your bill may blow out above 100,000. Although you will be quoted a certain price, my bill and that of my friends always came to around 15-20% above that. ?underquoting - not sure, but is was always consistently the case. I guess at the end of the day each birth has things come up that the doctor nor you expect and it just tends to add to the bill e.g. a bit more bleeding, so extra blood tests were needed, baby looked a bit yellow and again extra tests needed.
One other note though, in general you do see more senior, established doctors when you deliver in the private and if you don't like their bedside manner you can change. The people who deliver you and examine your newborn in the public tend to be on the more junior side and you can not choose.

End of the day, it depends on what is important to you and what you can afford. Lots to think about.