Travelling for care: Is it cheaper to stay local?
Living on the Fraser Coast offers many advantages, but accessing certain specialist healthcare services through the public system can be challenging.
Often, residents are required to travel to Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, or Bundaberg to attend appointments that are not available locally.
To ease the financial burden of these journeys, the Queensland Government provides support through the Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme (PTSS).
The PTSS is designed to help patients with travel and accommodation costs when they need to access medical care far from home.
While the scheme appears beneficial at first glance, recent media coverage has highlighted that the subsidy has not kept pace with the rising cost of living.
The PTSS offers a fixed amount per kilometre for travel and may contribute toward accommodation expenses if an overnight stay is required.
However, these payments frequently fall short of covering the full costs involved.
When factoring in petrol, parking, meals, and potentially several nights in a motel, the subsidy often does not go far enough.
Additionally, taking time off work and the stress of a lengthy drive down the Bruce Highway can make the experience even more costly, turning what was meant to be a "free" trip into an expensive ordeal.
As a General Practitioner, I give the option for patients to consider consulting a private specialist closer to home.
While the upfront consultation fees may seem high, the overall expenses including travel, accommodation, lost income, and time.
This can make this option more affordable in the long run. For instance, rather than spending an entire day travelling, paying hundreds of dollars on fuel and lodging, and missing work, patients can often attend a local specialist clinic and be finished within an hour.
This approach eliminates the hassles of traffic, early starts, and the need to arrange overnight accommodation.
Private specialist appointments are usually available sooner, allowing patients to receive answers and begin treatment more quickly.
This can have a significant impact not just on health outcomes, but also on peace of mind.
In some cases, travelling to larger centres is unavoidable, especially if specific specialists or procedures are not available locally.
However, for many Fraser Coast residents, choosing a private specialist nearby can be a smarter, less stressful, and even more cost-effective solution.
If you are unsure about the best option for your circumstances, it is worthwhile to discuss this with your GP and carefully consider all the costs involved.
The Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme (PTSS) - https://www.qld.gov.au/health/services/travel/subsidies
Dr Nick Yim - Hervey Bay Doctors
