How to See a Doctor?

I know its a dam simple question but from my experience, there are like 10 loops I need to go through in order to get to the right doctor and place- i just dont know how everyone else does it so easily.

Im young, dont have private insurance. I've been going to medical centres all my life seeing GPs, never been to hospital or private practices.

So few months ago, I booked to see my regular gp at my local bulk bill medical centre. After a 2 minute consultation, he writes me a letter to refer me to a specialist who also works at the medical centre.

Had to wait 2 weeks to see the specialist.

2 weeks later, saw the specialist for 5 flipping minutes. He refers me to a day surgery clinic to do a minor procedural check ($400).

I didnt pursue day clinic as I wanted to go public hospital.

i went back to original gp (1 week booking) and he spends 30 sec to type out a 1 sentence letter to a hospital.

However public is going to take 6 months. So I decided to go back to the day surgery. Do you see where Im comming from? To do that i gotta go through that whole process again. Its going in circles and takes referals after referals, why can't i just go straight to the day surgery clinic? Why do I need referal letter? why does it cost money for consultation when I dont have referal letter? I cant wait another flipping 6 weeks for this.

all i need is 1 simple thing from a doc to get me going. Surely that cant be the same process for you guys? How do you guys see the right doctor straight away?

Comments

  • +10

    Generally you can't and that's the way our system works.

    It's to stop your average joe from thinking "welp my chest hurts so it's probs my heart, better see the cardiothoracics surgeon for a transplant"

    • But if i still had the letter from the first consultation, wouldnt that make me not the average joe? I mean, now, all i need to ask the the specialist is 1 question "where is the day clinic so I can make a booking?". To ask this 1 simple question, i gotta go through several other loops..

      • Just make a booking with the private specialist.
        When (not if) they ask you for the letter of referral, just give them your Dr's details.
        It's the receptionists job to chase that up for you.

        Don't take "No" for an answer, that's why she works there.
        And being in a private centre, they're usually paid better than Doctors (at least in their first year).

        Besides, most of the private health workers have good working conditions and are paid nicely.
        So they're usually cheerful, and happy to help.

        … … …
        If worst comes to worst, go back to the initial doctor/specialist and say you lost your referral.
        It's on record, they'll just re-print it for you.
        Forget waiting 3 weeks+ to repeat the cycle, your healths at stake (or so I presume).

        • +1

          "being in a private centre"
          Dont think it is private? hes a specialist that works in a bulk bill medical centre so im not sure whether it is private or not.

        • @Thenarrator:

          Oh, well that changes everything.

  • Get PHI, that's the only way if you have medical issues you want to address sooner rather than later. I spent years underutilising my PHI until a year ago, when I racked up almost $50k worth of inpatient and outpatient care costs.

  • You don't need a referral to go to that private specialist you saw previously, but if you're on his bad books, he won't see you in any timely fashion and you'll need to go see him before the day surgery clinic to book in a time for the procedure.

    • Im not sure whether he was a private specialist or a public specialist(?) It didnt cost me money to see him.. so im confused

  • +3

    A gp is just a googler who dispatches you around

    I had bad back pain for ages, with nerve issues il left leg.

    I went around in circles, and in the end gave up…. It's less painful to just take the pain

    • my thoughts exactly! i mean this health we're talking about and its too hard to find help at the right place! It should be easy

      • +4

        Here's my experience:

        I needed wisdom tooth removal, and the pain happened around the Christmas break.
        This is in metro Sydney… 95% (or more) dental doctors had left their clinics to have a holiday.
        No joke, an entire CITY, without dentist.

        My GP was a bit shocked, and ultimately gave me a referral to go to the hospital.

        I went to the hospital, and it was quite empty. But I still waited to be addressed.
        It took them 4, that's right, FOUR hours to get me in.
        And they only checked me out for 5 minutes.
        They eventually said "all our dentists are away on holiday, except for one, which is for emergencies".
        And they said that despite the pain, they weren't going to book me in.
        They gave me an antibiotic mouth wash, and receipt for pain killers.

        I had to "sign in" to get an appointment for the surgery at the hospital.

        After 4 weeks of excruciating toothache (all 4 wisdom teeth impacting from deep gum, growing horizontally)…
        …I sort of got over the pain, and the pain died out.

        But then one of my friends working in pathology recommended their close friend for surgery.
        He was an orthodontist (specialist) and would give me the best price in Sydney.
        And he did, he quoted me for $7,000 for the whole package, compared to $12,000.
        My bank account begged to differ. I eventually forgot that I had wisdom teeth problems.

        I got a letter in the mail about 9 months later, saying that I can now go in and have my surgery done.
        I really wanted it sorted out, but I just couldn't in good faith go back to that unethical building.
        I figured if it starts causing me problems again, I'll go, otherwise stay away from those crooks.
        Seriously NINE months, all their dentists came back from their month long vacation already, and no-one wanted to deal with such an extraction.
        The dr's just played volleyball with my appointment, because they weren't getting paid $12,000 like the specialist.

        I didn't get a toothache. Destiny chose for me. I didn't go have my surgery at the hospital (not that they care).

        After a few months later, I saved up a bit of money.
        I went on overseas for a vacation, the first I had in over a decade!
        I travelled from Japan and down the East-coast of Asia, and did so on cheap flights, and budget rooms… so that I could use money on actual holiday experiences there. I think it totalled to about $5K, for ~5 weeks, and involved ~6 countries, so not "craigslist Joe" but a very affordable.
        When I was in China, I went in to a fancy specialist centre.
        I got all four teeth extracted, also got a crown for chipped tooth, a mould and dentist bleach kit. All that set me back ~$1,100.
        Something that probably would've cost me ~$15,000 here in Aus.
        So the trip PAID for itself.

        True OzBargainer style ; )

        • +4

          When I was in China, I went in to a fancy specialist centre.
          I got all four teeth extracted, also got a crown for chipped tooth, a mould and dentist bleach kit. All that set me back ~$1,100.

          Be sure to check that you don't have a missing kidney.

        • +1

          i had a friend walk into robina hospital saying he had urges to kill himself as he had just been divorced. he then sat down for 30 mins and waited. No one came to see him, so he left, and rang up the police stating the same… they came in 1 minute

        • @unclesnake:

          I can believe that.
          And the Robina hospital is a fancy one.

        • @Ughhh:

          Lol, still have the kidneys. But I think my left testicle is gone.

  • +2

    "So I decided to go back to the day surgery." Go back? Effectively, "I didn't pursue as I wanted to go public hospital" you say you haven't been there yet. You have been referred, so go there if you wish.

    • +4

      Yeah just call up say you missed your appointment or whatever and need to reschedule and here is my referral letter or whatever!

      Your the one thats making it difficult. Its not like a McDonalds menu - i'll take the geriatrician doctor please for my babies sore throat please! :)

  • What are you seeing the doctor for, if you dont mind me asking? Some things are harder to diagnose so GPs and even some less competent specialists tend to give out referrals when they're uncertain…

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