Private healthcare refers to an independently driven hospital or clinic. Its management can be by a company, an individual or even a charitable organization. People sought private healthcare because medication and treatment are easily accessed. Secondly, you have the liberty to choose a specialist of your choice. Lastly, they provide better surroundings and facilities that make you feel comfortable, including tasty meals and open visitations.
Accessing a private healthcare facility is possible when you have an insurance policy either self-owned or provided by your employer. Moreover, other means of accessing private healthcare is by paying in cash or apply for a health loan that can be initiated by the hospital.
Insurance policies
There are different alternatives to a health insurance policy. Private health insurance policy requires you to pay every month as they provide cover when you get sick. In most cases, it is always advisable to join your employer’s insurance cover because it will be cheaper.
Another alternative is to pay the hospital in cash installments which tend to offer subsidized monthly payments. However, this may depend on the period that the patient stays in the hospital.
In cases where the ailments are critical, the critical illness insurance pays out a sum of cash if you are diagnosed with one of seven core conditions, for example, cancer or stroke. This means that the insurance will cover only some amount of money and you should be able to complete the rest.
Every insurance policy has exclusions whereby there are certain diseases and treatments that they don’t cover. Many private health insurance policies don’t cover patients who have conditions that you have already sought treatment, medication or advice. They also don’t cover for illnesses that are long-term and can never be cured.
There are also other treatments like HIV/AIDS, kidney complications, experimental therapies and organ transplants that are excluded in most insurance health covers.
Types of private healthcare
There are four types of private healthcare facilities. Namely;
- Large hospitals groups – These include private hospitals that have branches nationwide. In the UK, BMI Healthcare has over 70 offices within the country. Kenya also has Bliss Medical Center that offers good healthcare within the country with over 80 branches.
- Small independent hospitals
- Charitable hospitals – These hospitals are those that provide treatment for the poor and uninsured.
- Private patient clinics
When you want to go to a private hospital, you should do some research and conclude on the one that suits you. As you are finding more information, take note of the prices of treatment and compare hospitals. It is also essential to know the specialists who are available in that particular hospital. Moreover, be sure to check out the reviews comments and ratings that other people have highlighted.
More importantly, find private healthcare that has emergency facilities and a functional intensive care unit that is reliable in any case. You must enquire about private room facilities, other units that can be accessible to you and the visiting hours.
Challenges encountered by private healthcare
There has been no consistency in the methods that are used to measure the contribution of private health sectors. The participation of private healthcare has resulted in increased expenses. This is whereby patients are exposed to pay much more. This is usually a way to cover up for taxes that the government does not apply for the private sector. Besides, there has been a tendency for weak regulation frameworks. Inadequate regulation frameworks result in poor management and administration of the private sector.
Resolutions
It is essential to have well-trained primary health care teams that can execute customized plans of care. There are vital elements of coordinated care which are teamwork and communication among all actors. These are Bottom of Form essential to successful care coordination and the delivery of high-quality care.
Other key factors that influence the smooth functioning of a team include a shared understanding of goals and necessary information — additionally, knowledge of available resources, and allocation and coordination of tasks conducted by each team member.
Conclusion
In summary, the various types of private healthcare facilities offer many benefits to their users. Some of these benefits are no time wastages as most of these private healthcare facilities are not crowded; thus, no queuing for you to be treated. Additionally, there is a better relationship between doctors and patients as patients are treated with respect despite their social status. There is a high level of hygiene and excellent services. Finally, they have a better doctor and fully stocked with drugs.
Therefore, you should check the available types of private healthcare facilities nearby to know where to get assistance should need to arise. Also, do your research well about the nearby hospitals before seeking their services. You should check too on the services they offer.
