Why go Private for Health Care?

Due to growing waiting lists for national healthcare services and rising costs of healthcare, more and more patients are seeking private treatment both at home and abroad. Private healthcare ensures you have complete control over your own health and can receive treatment or undergo cosmetic procedures at the time that is right and convenient for you. Private healthcare offers you the freedom of choice – choice to choose a doctor you trust, choice in where and when you have treatment and, most importantly, choice about the healthcare treatment you receive.


Government funded healthcare has many benefits – it is accessible to everyone, there is no financial worry concerning treatment costs and patients can generally reach the care they need from one source – the general practitioner or family doctor. However, government funded healthcare also has many downsides and there are many reasons why patients choose to fund treatment themselves or through private health insurance.

More treatment options

Many treatments that are offered on national health services are basic – very few government funded hospitals provide patients with treatment using the latest medical techniques as limited budgets don’t allow for new equipment as soon as it is available. Hospitals and clinics that are privately owned are in control of their budgets making it easier for private hospitals to invest in new medical technology.
Shorter waiting time

Government-run healthcare often has too few facilities for the numbers of patients needing treatment. This leads to long waiting lists, even for urgent procedures that could cause long-term, possibly fatal health problems if untreated. The United States, United Kingdom and Canada are striving to reduce the waiting times of patients; however until more funding is available many patients must wait while their health deteriorates. Choosing to go private for healthcare means you can have treatment sooner and reduce the risk of complications from delayed treatment.

Second opinion

Some patients are daunted by the idea of taking control of their health and choosing private healthcare.  Finding a private doctor can be a confusing process – especially if you are not entirely sure what the problem is. One way to reduce the confusion and an option chosen by many patients is to seek consultation with a private doctor after an initial diagnosis. This not only helps direct you to the most suitable health specialist, but also allows you to receive a second opinion before going ahead with treatment and choose a doctor you trust.