Our Experience with New Zealand Healthcare
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- čas přidán 13. 09. 2024
- Hello everyone,
In today's video we talk about our experience with New Zealands healthcare system. All information coming from this video is simply based off of our experiences!
Sincerely,
The Foley Family
You need to register with a GP surgery rather than going to what sounds like a medical centre. That way you will always see the same doctor and build a relationship with them
True
25 yrs in New Zealand
One GP
Dr Siri
Bless him
He was like family
He was my Nana and Grandads too
Dr Sir and his wife who GPed in the room opposite the Doc always attended our family wakes as friends and fellow mounerz
Rest Eazy Doc
This. I’ve only ever had one doctor my whole life and I love her. Makes it easy and comfortable.
Rates of taxation are not that extreme in New Zealand, so it does pretty well to include public healthcare within that. It's not a perfect system, but private and public healthcare does seem to work quite well together here. For instance, I definitely feel it's harder to switch between the two in the UK, and in the US that option doesn't really exist for most people. Waiting times seem to have been affected by Covid and a shortage of medical staff, since many are recruited from overseas. But my guess that waiting times will always be longer on average than the US, simply because New Zealand has less money to throw at it.
Hey team, I think you need to change practice, where I go, I see the same Doctor, every time, I book with my doctor, i can book online, manage my own medical records online, I can see any doctor but if I want to see the same one I just book in. Also I have a combo, private and public, so check out private health care options, there’s different bundles of cover. Hospital and specialist options are the best, then use public for everything else. But definitely check out different practices…
EDIT: friends I know in the health care system say COVID has definitely wrecked and now overloaded the system, apparently during the last two years with lock downs only the very urgent we’re getting treated as everyone else was shifted to COVID, now the whole system is in catch up mode.
Our experience is exactly the same as yours regarding a good doctor's practice....and we live rurally in north Waikato. Never have to wait more than one day to get an appointment either, have had the same doctor for 12 years but if he's unavailable, there are 4 others we can see, all of whom we've known for years. We use the Manage My Health online system for booking appointments, although mostly I phone in to make one, and to access my medical records. Definitely works for me and my whanau.
@@x-75hurricane65 I live in rural Waitarere Beach, I use the same on line system. They definitely need to find a different Practice or start booking and using the online systems
COVID has put extreme pressure on the health system and the people who work in the health system are burnt out. It also sounds like you might be using a clinic as your go to when you need to register with a GP to have one family doctor. You may be able to register where you're currently going (if not already) to get to see them same doctor every time. If you're just a "walk in" you'll get whoever is available.
100% behind this David. I have this experience first hand being a boomer and in poor health. Since COVID hit here in NZ, regular check-ups have gone by the way. Even now l find it damn hard to see my GP within 10days!
@@pianoman4967 "boomer and in poor health" ditto. I can get to my GP in two or three days.
@@pianoman4967 I was wondering too, they didn't seem to have a Primary Health Care doctor yet
As other commentators have suggested, register at a GPS. No system is perfect, try to remember when things go a bit awry, that a broken arm in the US costs upwards of 4000 us to treat. Here as in other places with socialised health care, it's around 400 NZ and often the outcomes are better. This is particularly the Case with childbirth incidents
Broken arm is considered an accident, so it shouldn't cost anything. Unless it's changed since 1998.
@@mikeymike1843 actually nothings free not even in 98 as then even today you pay for all medical care through taxation
@@johanmeischke9189 yeah yeah. FFS
We live near Christchurch and I've never had to wait long for surgery. . I guess a lot of it has been caused by Covid issues. Overworked and understaffed hospitals. Also as others have commented it is worth signing up to a GP surgery and see the same Doctor rather than be a walk in patient. I think it's cheaper too Hope things go well with your new baby🙂 and that Charlotte is feeling better soon. 🙂 My son had grommets put in years ago at about age 2 and it helped so much.
One of my children developed arthritis when she was young and we were in and out of hospital for a year. Always got seen straight away and never had to worry about any costs. The same with myself and the rest of my family.
One of my son's had grommets inserted when he was young through the public system at Waitakere. He wasn't on the wait list long.
What I liked about the process was he went in, short procedure and the staff had me sit in an armchair and they brought him out to me so he could wake up in my arms.
Recently I had a pacemaker replacement due to blowing the old one out two years earlier than expected. Although it wasn't deemed life threatening they thought it was urgent. I had a new one inserted two days later.
Your new to the health system and still finding your feet with it and as suggested by others in the comments, start with obtaining a GP. Do you have any restrictions as new residents to NZ, if so that could be part of the issue and would explain going private.
You guys look knackered (tired as) in the video. You definitely look like you need sleep lol.
Kia kaha.
Thank you both so very much for sharing! I saw you both having a new baby boy. Hope your daughter is doing well now! Comparing USA, I feel New Zealand is doing much better on healthcare. Many Americans got broke by the huge medical bills after accidents or surgeries. I got a small surgery in a hospital in US 1.5 years ago. I had good healthcare insurance but I still had to pay $8000 cash from my pocket. New Zealand's universal free healthcare is the top one reason driving me and my family move to New Zealand from US in 1-2 years.
Hi Guys. You can make an appointment with the same Dr. If you just phone for the next available appointment or just wonder in you're going to get a different doctor. If you phone and ask to book with Dr So and So you'll be able to do that.
I am assuming you are attending a medical centre. There are doctors or small groups of doctors that have their own practice where you can see the same doctor every time. Perhaps when you are not so busy (or tired), you could have a look around and find someone you would be happy with.
Hi!
(1) Are you registered with a doctor, or Medical centre? Cannot remember where you live in New Zealand but, wherever it is, you should definitely register with a doctor. Do you know whether you have a NHI (National Health Insurance) number?
(2) I'm registered with the local Medical Centre (they have around 10 doctors - male and female) and I cannot always get an appointment with my preferred doctor, at times. However, all my medical records are recorded on computer so the doctor who sees me has to do is to put in my NHI Number and all of them are available. As far as I am aware, this is now the default in New Zealand.
With going the private route, would you say the cost is greater or less than the USA.
My assumption has always been that because private healthcare in NZ is competing against a free public system, the pricing would be cheaper to try and attract customers.
Vs the USA where I understand most things are private and so those companies are not trying to compete against a free option.
I am keen to know about that - like is comparable private/insurance based healthcare cheaper in NZ or the USA?
I think your right though - the healthcare system effectively shut down for a year for everything non-life threatening or covid related so its going to take a long time to catch up in terms of private and public wait times.
The government wait times dashboard shows for ear/nose/throat operations, Bay of Plenty's health board is under performing but still one of the top third in speed of getting through the backlog.
Private Healthcare in New Zealand is not only competing directly with public services, but they can work their policies around them. Overall, I think that one of the great things about healthcare in NZ is they are able to operate so well side by side.
Not sure where you live, but usually I would see my own doctor, and only occasionally would I see another in the practice if the matter was urgent and my own doctor was fully booked or on leave. As for surgeries, if it isn't life threatening, you probably do have to wait longer than in the USA. Cost-wise if you opt to go private, I suspect it is a lot cheaper here. In my view where NZ currently falls short is the time it can to see the specialist or have the diagnostic treatment (eg scan) that tells you whether you have anything seriously wrong or not. Go private for that and then if it's something serious like cancer, the public system will deal as fast and as well as private.
Healthcare here for kids is not quick, I had a couple illnesses as a kid that seemed like every kid had, grommets etc and we always had to go private too. Especially if you’re in school you can’t just be sick and wait, I definitely recommend private health insurance specifically for this type of thing.
Weelll at least you won't be carrying your newborn during a hot humid Tauranga summer. I always fell a great deal of empathy for pregnant ( hapu) women during summer
once that grommet goes in your life will change over night. the health system is good here but if it's not a life threatening problem you go to the waiting list unless you want to pay for private. You'll think 3k is cheap once it's done. your life will change big time overnight. my boy had grommets inserted and it was a huge relief for his parents
My son had grommets fit very quick, back in 1993 or 1994. But that was during the brief few years I had health insurance through my union.
They are dealing with backlogs and staff shortages like never b4 because of the pandemic.
I don't understand why you are saying different doctors every time. I've never had that.
Are you registered for your GP?
My son was born at 27 weeks. 810 grams. Or 1 pound 12 Ounces. He was in hospital 3 months. My wife in ICU for a week. Had an couple of operations later. Didn't pay anything. Zero.
But that was back in the 90s. Both our kids were by caeserian, and didn't pay a cent. But for the specialists or anything.
Do you know about experion care newzealand limited which is in onekawa.
Holy crap, you managed to get an appointment for ear infection treatment in less than 6 months?! In the UK we've been waiting for ear surgery for years. We can't even get the GP to pick up the phone, calling the Non-Emergency medical help number is pointless because they don't pick up, going to the hospital's emergency room takes 12-24 hours to be seen and it's only getting worse thanks to further government pressure to cut costs and move over to privatised subcontractors who happen to have links to the politicians themselves. We have hospitals on the brink of falling down because they cut the funding to repair the buildings, knowing that it would fall down as a result. They just hoped it wouldn't fall down before they were voted out.
Yeah it’s good that you got health insurance to get your kids into the health system faster.
Also, Covid also stressed the health system, some areas worse than others.
And agreed if your always getting a different dr you haven’t registered with a GP. It is tough because so many GPS books are full.
I don't know how long the wait was supposed to be for my grommet surgery, but I was "lucky" enough that shortly after scheduling I developed tonsilitis which required imminent surgery, so they removed the grommet surgery up and did it at the same time, along with an adenoidectomy because my father was a tremendous snorer so the surgeon suggested it to help pre-empt potential breathing issues and sleep apnea that I might be predisposed to.
We had exactly same with our son and get had crommets. But was pretty quick as we are in Auckland where there is a dedicated children's hospital called Starship so I'm not sure if that was a contributing factor. Also I think but us alot to do with Covid as well as medical staff shortages in NZ (like alot if ather countries) but before Covid my wife had some surgeries done pretty quick but like you said there us a compromise on the public health system but it has definitely gotten worse with Covid. Good luck stay strong and I feel your pain because was so hard to deal with a child with alot of ear infections but trust me the difference is awesome with the grommets. Interestingly when they fell out my wife still has them put away in a baby book.
My boys all had ear infections, grommets. Drs have said all along that cigarette smoke was to blame for glue ear. You need your own Dr. I have had the same Dr for 20 yrs. Covid has hit Drs bad. Staffing is really affected. Things are different here. How big an area did you live in in the US? I think you are expecting things that may have already happened with better planning. Family Dr. Totally different here compared to the US...population wise etc. My son has been told that he will have to be in a wheelchair before he can have a hip operation. It is what it is, when all ops had to be stopped during Covid, naturally there's now a longer wait. Those people are now having their ops. The whole health system has been over loaded. How much would you be paying for all of these Drs visits in the US? And how much would it be costing you to have a baby there? Free here.
You do realise you can request which doctor you wish to see, so you don't have to see a different doctor everytime
You definitely need to change to a doctors clinic and not a health hub. Just remember there is only 5 million people in NZ so probably only 10 ear specialists for the whole country. I know it sucks but NZ health care isn't in a good place right now
It sounds like maybe you go to a medical centre rather than Family Practice. Their is a other name for it but I can’t think of it.
But yep it has change over the last few years of getting medical appointments.
You have to let go of your idea of needing everything right away, what do you expect, people just wait patiently
Oh mates your videos sound is very quiet and hard to hear alot of the time. My tv is cranked right up but when goes to ads it's really loud so not sure if need change volume when recording or closer to camera/microphone. Just an observation, thanx.
Watching on my phone and the sound quality is absolutely fine 👍🏻
On my laptop it's ok. No problems.
I'm not complaining, it's just a observation. I'm not watching on phone, tablet, PC or similar. I'm watching on a new Samsung 75" smart tv so maybe have to adjust settings but all other videos are all good. Again not complaining.
@@rogerb4436 Sweet Roger. Damn that's a huge TV! I'm not sure I'd feel that comfortable have this particular channel that big in my room! Ha! BTW l live off-grid so don't have TV.
@@pianoman4967 oh dude don't know if could be without tv these days but it does sound peaceful and idyllic. To be quite honest I'm a bit envious but I know I'm to weak to live it. Be safe.
Please don't take offence to this, but I really don't think New Zealand is the place for you guys, after watching all your videos I think you were better off moving States in the US. New Zealand is a huge culture shock and it isn't for everyone. You can either embrace the differences or you are not going to last long here.
Moving countries is stressful! And to do it in winter and then have a sick child, will get anyone down. Now that we are past Labour Day, I would recommend getting out and enjoying everything New Zealand has to offer. It's important to look forward rather than back. Judging everything against the US is natural, but it's not a good idea, since NZ is not the US. Remember, it's the little extras that make New Zealand special!
I see you have moved back to the states, I knew you guys weren't a good fit for NZ. All the best, hope you made some good memories here.
the G is silent Toe-run-na you roll the R a little like spanish
Healthcare here is under a lot of pressure these days. Government keeps changing thing for them . COVID made some quit.just keep on them cos I’ve seen a few deaths reported of late from patients being sent away or put off
It seems like some areas of our healthcare system have really gone down the shitter at the moment! Ive heard stories of family members who have had the same issue's where you go in expecting to talk to someone who knows about your case and you have to go and "re-explain" whats going on all the time! very frustrating alright!
get you a doctor,, next time you have a real good experience , ,,,,thats the one