doctor charges for family visit

noni0310

Hi Guys
Our whole family (2 ads and 2 kids) are down with a bad virus / cough which we need to get sorted. Made an appoint with doc for myself and kids today. Unknown to me my partner made an appoint also (scheduled for right after me). he tried to cancel so we could all go in to first appoint but they said we need to keep them seperate. So what Im wondering is what will the cost be. Is it standard to charge for all 4. Just worried as that would mean more than €200 euros for docs today - and then there the prescription cost on top of this.

emer_b

I don't understand why they need to keep the appointments seperate but maybe it's just that they need two appointment slots in order to have time to assess you all.

I'd be shocked if you were charged for 4 consultations. My gp has a family consultation rate advertised in the surgery, can't remember exactly what it is but I'm sure it's less than the price of two individual consultations.

Get well soon!

L1011

This entirely depends on the GP. Most have family consultation rates but come prepared in case yours doesn't

noni0310

Thanks Emer and MYOB, Fingers crossed. Ill ask about a family consultation rate but good advice to be prepared.

ArthurG

Why dont you just ring them and ask?

Xcellor

noni0310 wrote: »

Hi Guys
Our whole family (2 ads and 2 kids) are down with a bad virus / cough which we need to get sorted. Made an appoint with doc for myself and kids today. Unknown to me my partner made an appoint also (scheduled for right after me). he tried to cancel so we could all go in to first appoint but they said we need to keep them seperate. So what Im wondering is what will the cost be. Is it standard to charge for all 4. Just worried as that would mean more than €200 euros for docs today - and then there the prescription cost on top of this.

Out of interest what do you expect the doctor to do for you? With virus/cold there is nothing he/she can prescribe apart from the stuff you can get in your pharmacy. Maybe a trip to your pharamacist should have been the first thing to do? It's free consulation and probably end up with the same result.

Treat the symptoms and let time take care of the actual cause.

doctorjohn

Save yourself the money. If you think it is a cold/"bad virus" then don't go as there is no prescription drug that will alleviate same.

The only treatment is supportive measures (fluids and paracetamol) and time.

If you think it could be worse - eg pneumonia or meningitis or other nasties then go.

If you yourself have a cold or flu like illness , then just man up and take the paracetamol and fluids, and save the money for the family groceries.

PucaMama

please dont risk your health to save money!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

PucaMama wrote: »

please dont risk your health to save money!

True, but follow the advice from the HSE and the IMO - ask your pharmacist first.

Chattastrophe!

Interested to hear what the usual is.

I've had a few appointments with my GP where I attended with my son (now four months old) and was looking for a consultation for both of us. I've only ever been charged for a single consultation which is (I think) fifty euro. I don't know if that's the norm, or if he's just being nice!

L1011

Chattastrophe! wrote: »

Interested to hear what the usual is.

I've had a few appointments with my GP where I attended with my son (now four months old) and was looking for a consultation for both of us. I've only ever been charged for a single consultation which is (I think) fifty euro. I don't know if that's the norm, or if he's just being nice!

Fair few surgeries I know of have a scale along the lines of 50/80/100 or 40/50/60 (depending on what they charge to begin with) for adult, adult plus one child, adult plus two or more kids; assuming its all one consultation. I'd say the age of the child has a factor in your case also.

Xcellor

PucaMama wrote: »

please dont risk your health to save money!

I think the point is nothing the doc can do...if u are that bad you should be visiting a&e. Not infecting everyone else in the doc surgery.

There is no magic pill. Time fluids rest and symptom control.

miss no stars

The amount of bad advice in here. Correct me if I'm wrong, but nobody on boards is allowed to offer medical advice? So all the people here advising people not to go to the doctor should probably stop.

There ARE circumstances where you should go to the doctor with a virus, such as when a cold isn't getting better after 2 weeks, or when a cough goes nasty. How on earth do all you amateur medics know that it's only a virus? Don't forget that when you're fighting one infection you can pick up other infections that can be treated, but that can get very serious without treatment. If a cough is particularly bad sometimes doctors will want a chest xray to make sure there's no sign of anything else like pneumonia (which normally hangs out harmlessly in your nasal passage, but can become a problem when your immune system is down).

I can't get over people advising against seeing a doctor when a whole family has come down badly with something, especially when there are kids involved. Shocking. It's hardly something they haven't thought about - the OP is having to fork out for it!

Xcellor

miss no stars wrote: »

The amount of bad advice in here. Correct me if I'm wrong, but nobody on boards is allowed to offer medical advice? So all the people here advising people not to go to the doctor should probably stop.

There ARE circumstances where you should go to the doctor with a virus, such as when a cold isn't getting better after 2 weeks, or when a cough goes nasty. How on earth do all you amateur medics know that it's only a virus? Don't forget that when you're fighting one infection you can pick up other infections that can be treated, but that can get very serious without treatment. If a cough is particularly bad sometimes doctors will want a chest xray to make sure there's no sign of anything else like pneumonia (which normally hangs out harmlessly in your nasal passage, but can become a problem when your immune system is down).

I can't get over people advising against seeing a doctor when a whole family has come down badly with something, especially when there are kids involved. Shocking. It's hardly something they haven't thought about - the OP is having to fork out for it!

Yeah you are right. Of course there are circumstances when it is obvious that you need to goto doctor. But overwhelmingly the case is the doc can do nothing. The OP posted because he she was obviously concerned about the cost and all myself and others are saying is visit pharmacy. Get something for symptoms. If no better goto doctor.

dudara

Posters - please do not post any medical advice. It is the OP's prerogative whether they attend the doctor. We cannot diagnose or tell otherwise.

dudara

davo10

If GP books his appointments in 15min slots, then examining four people, prescriptions etc may take longer then one time slot so two consecutive appointment times may be necessary to see your family. Expect to be charged for two appointments, not four.

doctorjohn

Apologies