Private Healthcare: Perks and Drawbacks

Posted by Lisa Corriveau on March 13th, 2021

When it comes to health, people choose a different kind of provider offering varying medical services. One option that is gaining popularity right now is private healthcare. This type of health service saves time and is very useful for an emergency.

There are several other benefits of using private healthcare, and of course, there are downsides to this form of medical treatment.

Before we look at that, it is important to explain what private healthcare is all about.

What is private healthcare?

This is a health service offered by a private company where the individual is provided with health insurance plans that they have to pay for every month.

A good number of specialist doctors offer this service. If you are looking for a private doctor near you, you can contact London GP Clinic.

What are the benefits of private healthcare?

1. Treatment time is convenient: Often, patients who subscribe to private healthcare are rewarded with the option of choosing their appointment time. In other words, you get to select your time to get treated.

In countries where health care is regulated, there is sometimes the issue of patients waiting for hours to consult the doctor. However, this comes down to the treatment that is required. So, if you have a very tight schedule, you may have to take a long time before you finally see a doctor. This is because you are not the only patient the doctor will be attending to.

However, a consultation is faster and easier when you are dealing with a private healthcare provider or doctor. It can even be planned following your schedule. You can see the doctor when you have the time out of your busy activities. Waiting time is drastically reduced.

2. Freedom to choose a specialist and hospital: One of the beautiful things about private healthcare is that there is a wide range of specialists and hospitals from which you can choose. Nobody gets to decide for you. The only third-party intrusion is in a recommendation - the choice is solely yours.

Since it is your health we are talking about, you may like to choose a specialist with great experience and expertise that can give you the best care. When it comes to public health care, sometimes some regulations determine the doctor you should see. The decision of who to see is not yours! To a reasonable point, this issue is ruled out with private healthcare.

3. It is all about privacy: Just like the name implies, patients who get private care are treated privately. They usually have their room where the doctor comes to see them.

As against government-regulated health services in some countries, this service has a good advantage. Following the circumstance, patients may be assigned rooms in the hospital where there are other patients with no ability to ask for a private room.

4. Customized patient care: Private doctors know their patients so well because there is always a one-on-one interaction devoid of haste since no other patient is in waiting. Should you find a doctor you can trust, having an open and honest discussion about your health concerns becomes easier.

With this knowledge, the GP can plan your treatment especially, ensuring all the concerns you have are put into consideration.

5. Private healthcare improves doctor-patient relationships: As your doctor gets to know more about your health condition, you also get to know them personally and professionally. This builds a stronger working relationship. Plus, the GP can do more for your health.
6. Very useful for emergency health situations: It is easy to quickly see your private doctor when you have an emergency than going to a public hospital. You don't have to wait with other patients before the doctor sees you.

The GP can even come down to your home if it happens that you are unable to visit the clinic. This is because you can simply call the doctor directly without going through their assistant, as seen in commercial health centres.

This alone will give you peace of mind knowing that you have a doctor you can rely on for urgent cases.

Now that you have seen the advantages of private healthcare, there are some downsides to this service that you should know as well.

What are the drawbacks of private healthcare?

1. Discrimination: There are countries where both the private and public health centers receive an equal amount of business when it comes to medical aids for the citizens. Be that as it may, there have been reported cases where patients having medical aid insurance have been discriminated against in private clinics.
2. That is not all. There have been reports showing that often, hospitals give preference to young and growing families and patients who are very healthy and have some kind of commercial medical insurance cover.
3. Insurance is often not provided: One major thumb down to private healthcare is that a lot of persons do not get insured. This implies that if you have no health insurance, the cost of receiving health care may be incredibly high, particularly when there is no help coming from outside.

Sometimes, bearing the cost of treatment becomes a burden that you may not be able to bear. This is one of the reasons people often go for public health services - the treatment cost tends to be lower there, and patients are provided with insurance cover.

Conclusion

People who choose to get a private doctor do so for most of the reasons that have been discussed here. Considering the benefits and disadvantages to private medical care, you can now decide what you really want for your healthcare.

If you still have other questions or need more clarification on this, you can contact our team.

Should you be ready and need a private doctor in London, our clinic offers some of the best private health care practitioners with a passion for what they do. You can be sure that we will be there for you when the need arises. Do give us a call today.