Private patients
As a member of a health fund, you already understand the importance of ensuring that you and your family have access to high quality medical care when you need it.
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital treats thousands of patients who choose to use their private health insurance every year.
You may not be aware that more than two-thirds of privately-insured patients choose to use their private health insurance in WA public hospitals.
This choice makes an important contribution to ensuring high quality health services are available to everyone in the community, and the additional money received helps provide essential services for the benefit of all patients.
What are the benefits of being admitted as a private patient?
For you
- Access to the State’s leading doctors, specialists, and equipment.
- 24/7 access to appropriate medical support, services and emergency treatment.
- No out-of-pocket expenses for your hospital stay and procedures[1], even if you have an excess or co-payment on your policy[2].
To thank you for choosing to use your private health insurance, you will be offered a range of amenities to make your stay more comfortable. These include:
- free daily newspaper
- television rental
- meal vouchers for your visitors
- toiletries pamper pack.
As a private patient you may request a single room for your admission, and we will record your room preference.
Single room accommodation cannot be guaranteed, as the clinical needs of all our patients take priority. If a suitable single room is available for your stay, we will do our best to ensure that one is available to you.
For the hospital
Your private health insurance helps us to ensure that our hospital has the resources to continue to attract and retain the State’s leading doctors, specialists, nursing and allied health staff, and can continue to provide our patients with the highest quality care in a safe and caring environment.
[1] Hospital accommodation, prosthetics, pathology, radiology, ICU, theatre fees, pharmaceuticals, etc.
[2] Your specialist doctor / consultant will provide medical care at no out-of-pocket expense unless he or she advises you differently. You should discuss the cost directly with your specialist.
When can I choose to use my private health insurance?
You can make a decision to be treated as a private patient either before, or at any time during your stay. Please ask to see a Private Patient Liaison Officer who will be able to answer all your queries and change your admission to private.
What if my private health insurance only provides basic hospital cover?
Basic hospital cover still entitles you to admit as a private patient at our hospital. Your health fund policy may have some exclusions for certain services (for example, cardiac, orthopaedic, obstetric).
Our Private Patient Liaison Officers will be able to assist you to determine the type of cover you have, and whether your cover applies to the specialist care you will receive in our hospital.
Emergency Department admissions
If you are admitted as a private patient via the Emergency Department, you will not be charged for your hospital stay and procedures.
When you choose to use your private health insurance, you will have no out-of-pocket expenses, including any additional costs associated with pathology, radiology and pharmaceuticals.
Please let the admissions clerks know if you would like to use your private health insurance.
Elective surgery admissions
If you use your private health insurance, you will be able to choose the doctor who provides your treatment in most cases. However, there may be instances where your preferred doctor is unavailable and another suitably qualified doctor will provide your treatment.
The specialist doctor you have chosen will provide medical care at no out-of-pocket expense unless he or she advises you differently. You should discuss any potential medical service charges directly with your doctor.
As an elective surgery patient, you can opt to use your private health insurance at any stage during your admission process – from the time you are referred through to the day you are admitted to the hospital, and in some cases while you are in the hospital after your treatment has commenced.
There are no out-of-pocket expenses, gap or health fund excess payments for treatment received or your stay in hospital.
For further information about being treated as a private patient, contact the Private Patient Liaison Officer.
Private Patient Liaison Officer
Tel: (08) 6457 4423
Mobile: 0466 503 411
Email: SCGH.PPLO@health.wa.gov.au