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How long and how much? Wait times and costs for initial private child mental health appointments
Author(s) -
Mulraney Melissa,
Lee Cindy,
Freed Gary,
Sawyer Michael,
Coghill David,
Sciberras Emma,
Efron Daryl,
Hiscock Harriet
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/jpc.15253
Subject(s) - medicine , mental health , anxiety , psychiatry , private practice , metropolitan area , family medicine , child health , pediatrics , pathology
Aim To determine: (i) wait times and out‐of‐pocket costs for children attending private specialists for initial mental health appointments; and (ii) whether these differed between specialists working in metropolitan versus rural areas and in low, medium and high socio‐economic areas. Methods Prospective secret shopper study whereby a researcher posed as a parent seeking an appointment for her child with anxiety or attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder. We contacted 317 private paediatrician, psychiatrist and psychologist practices in Victoria and South Australia between 12 March and 5 May 2019. Results One third (29.8%) of private practices were closed to new referrals. The average wait times for paediatricians, psychiatrists, and psychologists were 44, 41 and 34 days, respectively. Average out‐of‐pocket costs quoted were AU$120 for paediatricians, AU$176 for psychiatrists and AU$85 for psychologists. Conclusion Parents face extensive wait times and substantial out‐of‐pocket costs when seeking private mental health services for their child.