This morning my grand son was rushed into A&E at our local hospital down the road having breathing difficulties. He was not well on Friday when he was fetched from school and being the weekend his choice is to spend the weekend with his grand parents as we have basically been there for him from day one. We joke that we have a new batch of kids again even when my daughter has moved out 2 weekends ago.
All I can say it is lucky we are living in South Africa for medical treatment and not the UK. Within 10 minutes of arriving at A&E a pediatric doctor ordered a few tests and x rays. Within the hour he was riding in an ambulance on his way to a pediatric intensive care ward at a nearby hospital. The ambulance crew even asked him if he wants the siren on and this was the first tie he smiled as this was a big deal which he obviously said yes.
We have spent the Sunday at the hospital and he is in very good hands under a specialists care. Tomorrow once his oxygen is stabilized he will be moved to the kiddies ward and guess be out on maybe Wednesday or possibly Thursday. Tonight he is on his own and no parents or grand parents can stay with him which is understandable due to having a controlled environment. Tomorrow someone will be staying with him ad we will take it in turns until he is allowed out.
What has amazed me is the amount of care I have witnessed today with the pediatric doctor who happened to be walking past hospital admissions and asked what the problem was. Once he heard it was breathing issues he took charge and thigs progressed rapidly.
I cannot stress enough this is why you have to have private medical as I can only imagine what it would have been like visiting a government hospital. Our medical aid covers you when you are admitted into hospital and having gone direct to A&E everything is fully covered. The x-ray's were not, but our other plan covered those and we paid R280 ($15) as he had not been officially admitted yet and these were the prelim tests.
If you go the normal route via a doctor then a specialist and then hospital you pay for all the extras ad this will come out of your funds. The hospital stay is paid for, but you would be liable for the x-rays, specialist fees etc. Somehow we only deal in emergencies and have never had the luxury of going the doctor, specialist route.
I have heard horror stories coming from the UK when patients wait hours to be seen by a doctor and are admitted if there is a bed available. A close friend of mine was sent home waiting 3 weeks to have a gall bladder removed which in comparison I was admitted immediately once they knew what was wrong. In her case there was no bed available and had to go on the waiting list.
Private medical care may be the only service working properly in SA these days as the services were exceptional. The debate over wealth or health in this case means you need a little wealth to pay for private cover and this today is a must have for everyone.