Rural Hungary

At the request of a poster, I have started a health care experience thread as most of the older threads are now closed.
Feel welcome to share experiences at the GP's or hospital - though no blood and gore as I'm somewhat squeamish

Rural Hungary

Cathy's post from another thread:

I have found that once you are in the system it seems very efficient. In the past I have had serious medical treatment which means that I need regular checkups and tests. I tried to organise this through my village doctor but due to problems with communication it didn't work so I put it off for a while. Then I found out that a neighbour worked in our county hospital and she kindly arranged an appointment for me with the appropriate specialist. I used to work in the NHS so was very interested to find out what it would be like here. My impression is that the systems are very efficient. Basically I arrived at the hospital with a Hungarian friend in tow to help me. I had to register at reception which was a ticket system and a friendly receptionist registered me on the computer within about 5 minutes. This is where your HAJ card and address card are invaluable. I then proceeded to the clinic. Whilst seeing the specialist another nurse printed out the paperwork I needed for the tests. I then went back down to reception showed my paperwork and they booked the appointments for me there and then. I had to have an array of blood tests done so I arrived at my local clinic at 7 in the morning, handed in the paperwork and was given a printed bar code in return. I was whisked in for the test and out again in about 30 seconds flat! The next afternoon I returned to the clinic with my barcode which was used to printout the results from the computer and given to me. From what I understand here you as the patient collect your test results and then take them back to the specialist for interpretation if needed. All in all the systems seem to involve the patient more. I don't know why I felt surprised by this, even now Hungary can still surprise me and makes me realise that us 'westerners' can be blooming arrogant sometimes thinking that we have everything sussed.

Rural Hungary

My experience:

it's hit and miss - as with dentists.
Some hospitals are better than others and likewise, some are more modern than others.
Speak with the locals and you soon learn where to avoid.

As with Bulgaria, hospitals generally look empty by UK standards and waiting times in A&E are minimal. We have been into A&E, had an x-ray and given the all clear within half an hour.

We don't like the attitude in some hospitals that you are a number and have no say in your care, parents are not privy to what consultants say and even without the language difficulties, communication between members of staff can at times be lacking.

Having utilised four different hospitals, our hospital of choice would be Zalaegerszeg simply because it is modern and over all, our experiences have been positive there.

Our GP is brilliant, speaks some English and can't do enough to help.

Pollypaprika

Thanks for starting the thread Rural

**I might point out at this stage that this post is in respect of Women's Health Prevention/Screening.**

I am in the middle of the process at the moment but to date my experience has been a positive one. I was recommended a private specialist by a friend and set up an appointment to see him. I didn't have to wait long for an appointment and my appointment was on time. I was given an ultrasound, an examination and a pap and told I needed to have some blood tests (at another clinic) and it was recommended that I have a mammogram. In Hungary this is mandatory/highly recommended once a year for all women from the age of 40 onwards. I was also informed that it is usual for younger women to have these on a regular basis too.

The specialist gave me a note to take to another private health clinic for these further tests. I thought I would take my chances and turned up without an appointment early in the morning (having had no food or drink apart from water) and asked for a blood test. It was absolutely no problem and I was whizzed in and sorted straight away. I asked for an appt for a mammogram and was told I could have this there and then too if I wanted! Not one for putting things off I said yes. The examination was very thorough and included the mammogram, an ultrasound and consultation with a specialist. I was given the results on the spot.

When I was in the UK I had to literally beg my GP for a referral. Here I can just walk into a specialists office and be provided with the screening I require.

The total price so far was less than you would pay for 6 months TAJ contribution.

I can see why private medical tourism is so popular here.

This is just my experience so far, I hope it will be helpful to other women who might be a bit anxious about the procedure. Please feel free to PM me for any further info.

Rural Hungary

When I had my D&C, I was told the waiting time would be 3-4 months however, if I paid privately, it would be the following week - money talks.

Similar experience at the gynecologist in Keszthely, seen privately, immediate appointment, scan, pap and bloods. The only issue I have found if paying privately or using a European health card is that they send you for any and every test possible though by UK prices, it still works out considerably inexpensive.

I was told that as a preventative measure, all Hungarian woman have a D&C when they reach 40, not sure if that's true

Pollypaprika

Sounds about right!

Chips55

Not sure what would that prevent ladies... LOL.

Rural Hungary

Well that's what I thought but he said it was a "clear out" and could help prevent cancer as left over cells could accumulate and were more likely to turn cancerous - or something to that effect.
I had to have another procedure done and opted for the D&C at the same time but I did wonder.

Chips55

Well..I have never heard that one before. Mind you sometimes when some one is on the table for an intra-abdominal operation, some of the old surgeons used to remove the appendix while they are in there even if nothing was wrong with it.
I have been involved with health care prevention in 4 countries including the UK for 20 years and never heard about preventative D&C.

PaulinEger

Our experiences in Hungary have been very mixed. Suffice to say I never want to be seriously ill here!
As has been said above, if you pay privately you can have very good, swift treatment. However, if using the national health system care and treatment can be very hit and miss.
I have had to have regular endoscopies for many years for a long standing condition. Over here I was sent to the local specialist by my gp and he performed the procedure and confirmed that yes, I DO have the condition :/ (I'd known that for years). " years later I went back for the next endo and the same specialist said that I DIDN'T have it. What I have will never get better so I knew he didn't know what he was talking about so when I challenged him he checked again and agreed that actually yes, I did have it. I never went back and for my last treatment I went to see the top specialist in the area at the recommendation of a local we know, again using the Hungarian NHS. The appointment was prompt and the treatment thorough.
Furthermore, my wife's aunt was admitted to the local hospital in Eger with extensive, untreatable cancer. Shortly afterwards she was transferred to a larger hospital in Miskolc. The lady was dying and only had a few weeks to live. She was very frail and couldn't move herself. First of all the staff removed the buzzer so she couldn't call the nurses for help and then they tied her arms to the bed. There were no curtains around any of the beds so absolutely no dignity or privacy when she needed to be examined or have her nappy changed.
My wife has visited our local hospital a few times, the most notable was when she had appendicitis. Instead of the usual 4 inch scar above her right hip they opened her up from the navel down, leaving her with 14 stitches and a much longer healing time.
I could go on but overall my experiences have been more negative than positive.
My local gp in Sirok was very thorough and spoke a little English but the waiting times in a crowded waiting room, surrounded by many other people with various illnesses were unacceptable. Usually 2-3 hours. Our new gp speaks English but I'm not convinced he's qualified. He says he's a cardiologist but he's been here, working as a gp for 17 years, working in a little village in the middle of nowhere and was unprofessional when he asked my wife if he could take her for a coffee!

Chips55

God that sounds horrendous..here here for not falling seriously ill there then. My experience everywhere is there is always good doctors and bad doctors but it depends on the ratio. I can tell you some horror stories about doctors everywhere.

Peter_in_Hungary

I agree with Chips55, over the 20 years we have been here our experiences have been good to acceptable. At least the corruption seems to have gone out of the health service. (we never paid anyway and it didn't seem to make any difference)

I seem to recall that a few NHS trusts are going through a bit of a bad time in the UK of late with several scandals creeping out of the woodwork.

IMO the biggest problem facing any health service is balancing the budget with an aging population and (expensive) advances in available treatment, however that should not (does not) excuse bad practice or unsympathetic staff.

Whilst some may have to wait 2 or 3 hours to see the GP (we never have that problem) at least you see the GP the same day. I have heard several times of situations in the UK where an appointment requested for the GP results in a 1 - 2 week wait

Of course it also must be remembered that the starting salary for a nurse is 130k huf / month (325 GBP) (2013 figures) which is why the best are working in the west

Chips55

Absolutely spot on Peter. Medicine is a craft and a vocation but still practiced by human being who are fallible. Malpractice is failure to apply existing knowledge as we have been told repeatedly. No excuse for no knowledge or bad unethical manners.

fidobsa

Nobody here has said much about dentists, do you all go private? I had some private dental work done before I signed up for the Hungarian NHS but would like to give the state system a try. I don't know how it works though, can you go to any dentist or are there nominated ones based on your address? I have received conflicting advice in this regard for GPs, some say you can go to any doctor, others say you must go to the one for your address. So far I've never managed to see a doctor as they seem to change the surgery hours so often that my information is always out of date.
I do need to get at least one tooth pulled, as I've had toothache for the last few days and am losing sleep. There seems to be a visiting dentist who comes to the village but I have visions of them doing the job like something out of a wild west film, as I know the room they use is not properly equipped.

Rural Hungary

As far as I am aware, you can go to any dentist Fib, so long as you have your card.
Unless you have no fear of dentists and can tolerate them being somewhat less than gentle, I would ask locally for recommendations. The dentist in Gelse is somewhat of a butcher, two of them in Nagy I wouldn't recommend and so travel to Zalaegerszeg. If out that way, pop in and see him as they are not exclusively private.