Private or Public?

[Negeen]

So I'm debating between two neuropsychologists one of them works for a big hospital and one of them is a private doctor. Which route should I go?

[B_S_A]

Private seems best, but depends on costs I guess?

[Negeen in reply to B_S_A]

The private doctor is cheaper than the big hospital doctor. Why do you reccomend private?

[B_S_A in reply to Negeen]

Oh right, to me private sounds better than public, i.e. one to one session.

But if that's the case either way, then spare no expense.

[Phat01]

Tough call, you need to see them both to make a decision. Can you have them both do an assessment then go with your gut feelings? I guess the private doc used to work in a hospital before going freelance might be less constrained.

[Negeen in reply to Phat01]

Well I mean i dunno if my insurance will cover two consultations.

[clivekeen]

If I had the insurence I would go private it took 2 years to get kings collage hospital London to agree I needed one I had mine at kings 2 , 5 years later typical of nhs go private if you can

[Thandiwe]

Our experience over three years was that the pvt Dr (we personally paid) versus hospital Dr was that the pvt was 'there' all the time, seen on a regular basis and was more involved in helping us with day to day problems. But my son related more to him than the hosp dr who he just did not think was caring enough. I went to each consultation - still go - and give the view of how I find things, different to my sons! We work well together and am really pleased to say the last hospital assessment was amazed at how well my son has done. He has now started working and we still have pvt sessions to help with any problems or anxiety. Expensive but one cannot put a price on giving back a life.

[RogerCMerriman]

Difficult question to answer really, are they equally experienced? Bedside manner? I'd find more about them if possible?

Uk has the free NHS and privet care as well, as with all things you get good and less good.

My wife was very impressed with the neurosurgeon who I saw (I have no memory) and once home, my GP has been fab, but clearly not always the case.

[QueenV]

Hi from personal experience you will find the NHS neurologists work for the private sector in the evenings after their work. A friend of mine also experienced this when she saw the same neurologist through the NHS & privately. Hope this helps. Vanessa

[iforget]

Its important to consider that Negeen is not in the UK and so the hospital vs private issue is not the same as if the question were based here in the UK.

Negeen the points I would consider if I had to make this decision would be based on personal recommendation - do you know anyone who has consulted either of these doctors- would they recommend them and why? General reputation - are they well respected in their field? Do they have the right experience in the field for which you are consulting them? And lastly and possibly most importantly, which one "feels right"

Considering your experiences so far and the strength of your convictions that others are wrong in their diagnosis/findings, I think it is really important that you choose this doctor yourself based on your own criteria. Good Luck...

[Negeen]

I'm going private!!

[SAMBS in reply to Negeen]

so tell us please Negeen - what are your reasons for deciding to go private in USA? .

You have asked the question initially of people almost all of whom are living in the UK on a UK based website - well 99.9% are - and who will not have experience of the American Healthcare system or its practitioners.

Answers from a different cultural philosophy and health practices are not helpful. That is something that is very much coming home to roost with me here in France over the last few days and weeks - not just for medical reasons but life in general! The main thing you have in common with us here on Headway forum at present is language. - not culture. Changes are happening all around the world - and people working in private practice are also money aware - for themselves - as well as patients.

This is one reason I have always said I live in France - because healthcare system/practice is very different from UK - I lived in UK for 60+ years and have been in France only 6+ and know from personal experience with my BI and Blood disorder diagnosed here, also from my husbands health when he had a triple bypass 3 weeks after diagnosis - despite he'd had no symptoms at all - from a routine ecographie, which had shown the problem up.. He had the ECG because we arrived here with prescriptions from UK doctor for tablets for high blood pressure - and french doctor was not happy so sent hm for tests - ergo - triple bypass! But that physical and easy to diagnose compaed to effects of a brain injury.

I do know that many things work very differently between one country and another - so go for personal recommendations and try not to base what is best for your diagnosis on cost! It may not be an answer you want to read but you can't buy the answer you want to hear from anyone, when it comes to health! Just make sure sure you make the right decision for the right reason!. Good luck!

[Negeen]

Shirley, for some reason when I click on the post-I can't see your entire post. But I think your comment was concerned with why I went private. I went private because the private doctor was willing to work with me on payment and is hundreds cheaper than the hospital doctor. And the private doctor has already invested more time in me- he's talked to me on the phone already a couple times where as the hospital doctor is a lot harder to get a hold of. Also the private doctor is doing all of the testing on his own with the hospital doctor a phd student is doing the testing. So yea. That's why.