In New Zealand, your general practitioner is usually your first stop. If necessary, they will introduce you to a hospital or a specialist.
See a family doctor, accident and medical center (A & amp； M, Accident and Medical Center), and other private professional services are charged. If you are a New Zealand citizen, resident, or have a two-year work permit visa, treatment and specialist clinics in public hospitals are generally free. If you are willing to pay or have private medical insurance, you can use private hospitals and specialized services.
In New Zealand, we encourage you to register at a family doctor's clinic. A family doctor can help you stay healthy. He/she can help you use other medical services, such as women's health and vaccines, and support you in managing any health conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension. He/she will help you quit smoking and give you advice on other healthy lifestyles. Your family doctor will also ensure that you receive other medical examinations (such as X-rays, blood tests and B-ultrasound) when necessary. When necessary, he/she will refer you to a specialist for further evaluation and treatment to ensure that you get the medical care you deserve.
What do you do when you are not feeling well?
If your condition is not very bad, you just need general health assessment and care.
→ See a family doctor
To find a suitable family doctor, you can:
√ Consult a friend or refer to the phone book.
√ Or call the local public consultation bureau (CAB) or the health hotline 0800 611116.
If you live in Auckland, you can find doctors in your area through the following websites.
Http://www.yourlocaldoctor.co.nz/(English)
Http://Chinese.yourlocaldoctor.co.nz/(in Chinese)
You can also go to the accident and medical center when the family doctor doesn't go to work on weekends or after work (at night or in the early morning).
┃: When your illness is so serious that you can't walk, drive or have an accident.
→ Go to the nearest accident and medical center or public hospital emergency room.
→ If there is an emergency (for example, you have a heart attack), call11and call an ambulance.
The emergency department of the hospital is open 24 hours a day. In case of emergency, you can go directly to the emergency department of the hospital without referral from a family doctor. This service only gives priority to seriously ill patients in emergency.
If you need to see an expert, you need the advice and recommendation of a family doctor. If further diagnosis and treatment are needed, your family doctor will refer you to a public hospital or a private expert. Note that public hospitals do not provide all services.
┃ Health hotline: 080061116.
You can also call the government health hotline (080061116), which will provide you with free consultation service. If you are:
I feel sick, but I'm not sure if I need to see a doctor.
When a family member or friend is sick, some urgent consultation is needed.
I want to know where the nearest doctor or pharmacy is when I am on vacation.
Free health consultation is provided 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (services in different languages are provided from 9 am to 6 pm).
Cost
→ If you are a New Zealand citizen or have the right of abode in New Zealand, or hold a two-year work permit visa, it is free in public hospitals, otherwise you will be charged.
→ If you are not sure whether you are qualified, you can check the website: http://www.health.govt.nz/new-zealand-health-system/eligibility-public-funded-health-services.
→ You need to pay for family doctor visits, accidents and medical centers or other private services. Each private clinic charges different fees. But if you are a registered patient in a family doctor's clinic or hold a community service card, you can get a preferential price.
→ Vaccination and some health checks for infants and young children are free.
Some clinics are free for people under 6 years old.
medicine
For most people, the cost of prescription drugs does not exceed $5.
→ Prescription drugs for children under 6 years old are generally free.
→ Families who need 20 kinds of prescription drugs every year can get a "drug discount card", and the drug fee will be cheaper. Please consult the drugstore for details.
→ Weekend service (Saturday and Sunday), drug delivery fee, or extra charge for repeated prescriptions (ask the prescription fee before dispensing).
Other medical expenses
→ If you choose a private laboratory for treatment, X-ray examination and other diagnostic tests need to be paid.
When traveling overseas, you may have to pay for special vaccines.
→ If you choose to find a private medical institution for any treatment, you have to bear all the expenses yourself (unless you have joined the private medical insurance plan).
About family doctors
Family doctor/primary care provider.
Basic health care providers provide the following services: physical examination, immunization; Pregnant women, health care and so on. The community provides basic health care services, including family general practitioners, nurses, midwives, dental practical nurse and pharmacists.
Most family doctors or primary health care providers are members of PHO. They usually have financial support to provide a wide range of services.
→ You can choose your favorite family doctor and register in this family doctor's clinic. They will keep your case and provide services to keep you healthy, including prescribing medicine. If you live in Auckland, you can ask the clinic to provide free translation service when you see a family doctor (see the family doctor registration form for details).
→ If you need diagnosis or specialist evaluation services in public hospitals, your family doctor will refer you to a suitable hospital for diagnosis or specialist evaluation services. If you need translation service when making an appointment in the hospital, please remind your family doctor to fill out the referral form. After the referral request from the family doctor is sent, you have to wait for the appointment confirmation from the hospital. The appointment time is arranged according to the priority of your illness, and it usually takes 2 to 6 months.
→ Once the appointment time is confirmed, you will receive a letter from the hospital containing more details of the appointment (such as date, time, place and doctor's name). We encourage you to contact the hospital by calling the telephone number attached to the letter to confirm that you will attend on time.
→ Most test results (such as laboratory tests, X-rays or B-ultrasound, blood tests) will be sent to the family doctor, not the patient himself. If the test results show that you have a very serious problem, your family doctor will contact you in time, otherwise you will not be informed of the test results. If you want to know the results of your examination, please contact your family doctor.
→ Please note that some hospitals may not provide certain specialized services, and you will be referred to hospitals with corresponding specialized services when necessary.