Hamad Hospital and Health center dilemma

doesn't have to be nerve wracking... for starters... take your sons health card and id card... go to the evening clinic in Hamad... the building adjacent to the car park at Hamad between 8am and 10am... you have to go to whichever department you want to consult and there will be people there who are very helpful... and they will advise you how to get an appointment... you pay up the money and they will give you a slip of paper with the details on the time of the appointment and the name of the specialist etc...

http://www.hmc.org.qa/hmcnewsite/otpatient.aspx

Refer to this link... its very easy... once you do it... its like going to any private clinic

verisimilitude , thank your for your help ,I will keep trying of course , that is all very nerve taking

Jack , Yeah he may has said no broblem, I was just so shocked at his attitude altogether

so expressodoc is really a doctor or you joking?

with the ppl here you never know you is joking or who is for real:(

to answer your question... how to get a referral to a Hamad specialist...

you cannot get a referral unless the Health Centers give you one

And I know how sometimes the doctors in the Health Centers take it personally and sometimes get offended when you try to pass over them and go to a specialist :-)

But in any case, even when you get a referral, the appointment, say if it is for a cardiologist could be up to two to three months later... that's how many patients they have and that's why they are not too eager to give you a referral... they don't want to clog the system any more than it is already...

So the flipside of trying to get a referral... you have to get the Health Center doctor to endorse you, you need to wait up to three months and you have no control on which specialist you may get referred to...

The advantage of course is that you don't have to pay for consultation...

The other option you have is to use the Hamad evening clinics... its the building adjacent to the car parks... go there in the morning between 8 to 10 and you can get an appointment to any Hamad specialist during evening times... you would not need to wait longer than two weeks usually but sometimes, you may have to wait for up to two months for certain high demand doctors. But at least you can ask for a particular doctor... the flip side of this... you need to pay for it (I think it QAR 150)... but its still worth it...

If you still aren't clear, send me a PM

Hope your son gets well soon...

PM is correct Rumeilah Hospital is only for women.

umm-salayum did the doctor say No Problem or No Broblem?

contact QL user xpressodoc maybe he can help you out.....he is a good doc with the HMC.

http://www.qatarliving.com/user/xpressodoc

thank you all, I keep trying until I get what I need

You might check and see if Al Ahli will accept payment on a sliding scale. When they first opened, I took my housekeeper there to see a good doc and they charged her very little based on the fact she didn't have private insurance. Things have changed, though, so I can't be sure they still do that. A call to their billing department will let you know.

I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM

and hope your son will get the sincere consultation you are expecting...

Salaaam

“Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.”

I'm German , but I'm totally covered , so ppl can't tell what nationality I am, they think I'm Arab.

Anyways, I know the risks of high blood pressure, I have read up on it and that is why I want to get to the bottom of it , to see what is the cause , ....

I would go to a private Hospital , but to be totally honest , we don't have that much money for every day living, and I don't mined spending money for my kids health at all, if I have it I spend every last dirham I have .... but right now I just need some sincere doctor to look into it

“Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.”

High blood pressure adds to the workload of your heart and arteries. Your heart must pump harder, and the arteries carry blood that's moving under greater pressure. If high blood pressure continues for a long time, your heart and arteries may not work as well as they should. Other body organs may also be affected. There is increased risk of stroke, congestive heart failure, kidney failure and heart attack. When high blood pressure exists with obesity, smoking, high blood cholesterol or diabetes, the risk of heart attack or stroke increases several times.

“Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.”

I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM

better try to go there and if possible show them that really you are worried and don't tell them anymore that you've been to Hamad before.

No harm in trying..btw, may I ask what nationality you are? coz there are times and based on our experiences there's some racial discremination happening in most of the public hospitals here. That's why i see to it that our HR Manager will go with our staff if they are experiencing some health problems.

“Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.”

venus , we went to the Hamad hospital the general hospital last Thursday to the emergency and that is when we found out he has high blood pressure, they just wanted to get rid of him that night . And they told us to come back as a out patient , so I went back to Hamad Hospital and wanted to make a appointment , of course they didn't want to give me a appointment until i have a referral from the health center and that is when the dilemma started.

So you saying it's different at Rumeilla?!

only the specialist can tell you what is the exact situation your son is going through. At least have peace of mind in a way...I will pray that that was only due to the high temperature these past few days..

“Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.”

you can go directly to Hamad Hospital Emergency section (Rumeilla) at any time and have your son admitted if possible, explain to them that your son urgently need their consultation.

“Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.”

thank you PM , I will look into it ,and get some info form Al Ahli insha allah

I am sure he doesn't feel good, bless his heart. I know they have good Cardiology at Al Ahli because I took a friend there whose heart attack was mis-diagnosed at Hamad Emergency.

I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM

and I think Al-Ahli has one that visits to review cases. You can check with their pediatric department. The first step is monitoring his BP and considering treatment options, though.

I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM

well ,my son is 16 and I think he needs to see a cardiologist , for clarification, what maybe the cause of the high blood pressure is . Right now , he just don't feel good .

Ordinary pediatricians, you can get from any private clinics like Al Ahli anf Al Emadi. But specialist like pediatric neurologist we have no choice but Hamad hosp only.

thanx for the input , I take that into consideration

may be in for a lifelong struggle with heart disease (we have it in my family) so I would urge you not to take no for an answer from these "health clinics".

I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM

There are great pediatricians and doctors at Al Ahli. I avoid Hamad at all costs, mainly because of the heavy bureaucracy.

I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM

very simple...go to a known private paediatrician,it will cost you of course but then this is your son,spending money on his health shouldn't be something to think about...want good healthcare,avoid health centres & Hamad hospital...