I delivered my first at a private hospital (Canossa) and will be delivering my third at QMH, which is public. I have to say that my experience at the private hospital was generally negative. They were doing massive renovations when I was there - apparently to upgrade the rooms for foreign parents able to pay top dollar. I was there for a week and it gave me a headache. Also, they were unhelpful when it came to breastfeeding. The nurses would run in every hour saying that the baby was hungry, so I would ask for the baby to nurse. They would give me only a short time before taking him away again. I learned later that although I had explicitly instructed them not to give formula, they went ahead to give him glucose water! No wonder he was trouble nursing with me! They never offered to watch/help me breastfeed and sent me home with a big container of formula, which they had given him after I found out about the glucose water, telling me I obviously didn't have enough milk. Took me six painful weeks to wean my baby off the formula completely. All this for HK$120,000 at that time (5 years ago)! And by the way, I ended up nursing my first for 17 months and my second for 20 months, until they were completely weaned!
On the other hand, my experience at QMH so far has been excellent. My first had jaundice which was noted by both the private doctor as well as the public one at the local Maternal and Child Health Clinic. The latter referred me to QMH who later noted that he also developed an inguinal hernia at 10 weeks at a routine visit for jaundice. They immediately referred him to A&E, then paediatric surgery and had him scheduled for an operation the next morning. Everything was done in less than 24 hours for a non-emergency surgery. I was able to room-in with my baby in a double room, but there was no one in the other bed. The entire cost of the operation including rooming was HK$450.
I was also hospitalized earlier this year for food poisoning. As I was pregnant, they ran the full range of tests, which I had looked up in advance on-line to know what to expect. They did not cut any corners for their public patients. I was there for less than 24 hours and the entire cost was HK$100.
I have been back for my antenatal visits, scans and tests and there has been no charges levied for these standard services. I needed some additional tests for a condition that I have, which they have charged HK$150 each time for two times so far, but have been told I will no longer be needing them. When I give birth, admission charge should be HK$100, plus another HK$100 per night, so for a vaginal delivery (no matter how complicated), the recommended stay is 3 days/2 nights, so it should be around HK$300. For a c-section, the recommended stay is 5 days/4 nights, so it should be around HK$500. I've had friends ask to stay longer without any issues. There are no additional charges for doctors, anesthesiologists, consumables/disposables, etc., for which you will be charged per item!
Also, please be sure to register the birth of your child at your local public Maternal and Child Health Clinic. They will administer all the necessary vaccinations as well as perform the development assessments for your child. They also have a lactation nurse as well as a nursing room, which you can visit anytime. I was living in Wanchai at the time, so I was going to Tang Chi Ngong MCHC, where everyone knew me and my baby by name! They were ever os patient with me and allowed me to come in anytime to weigh my baby to confirm that he is thriving while I was breastfeeding.
I'm sure this is a place for private hospitals, but it wasn't the place for me. I will never go back to a private hospital - at least in Hong Kong.
