Going private in Hong Kong

May 30, 2007 5:59 AM

In short: how does my father, trapped in a hospital bed, get a private doctor and a second opinion?

My dad's been in hospital with severe paralysing backache for the last two weeks. Now the doctors tell him he's got a cyst or two near his kidneys - their solution is to give him four weeks of physical treatment, and if that doesn't work then a "dangerous" operation that could paralyse him if it goes wrong.

Naturally, we'd love to get a second opinion, preferably from a private doctor who can tell us (in the UK) what on earth is wrong with him. (Aside from a mid-life crisis, total belief that he's going to die soon from psychics etc.).

So how do we get a "private" second opinion with a reliable doctor? He's a HK resident, so medical insurance doesn't necessarily apply in this case.

Also bear in mind that the parents are traditional Chinese, so they're loathe to rock the boat, question doctors' diagnoses etc.

Thanks for your help!

posted by electriccynic to health & fitness (2 answers total)

i don't have much experience with this, but couldn't you get in contact with a private doctor and ask them to visit your father? the hospital doesn't necessarily need to know - you could close the door, and if the nurses/doctors say they need to see your father, tell them he is having a private talk/visit. they should respect his privacy.

how to find a private doctor who would be willing to make a bedside call, i am not entirely sure.

best of luck!
posted by gursky at 3:27 PM on May 30, 2007

Look up doctors near the hospital and start calling them. Most hospitals have doctors with priveleges in surrounding office buildings and they quite often will do hospital calls. At least in the U.S.
posted by Octoparrot at 5:34 PM on May 30, 2007