• Jun He, Ghasem-Sam Toloo, Xiang-Yu Hou, and Gerry FitzGerald.
• School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
• Emerg Med Australas. 2016 Apr 1; 28 (2): 159-63.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to gather patients' perceptions regarding their choice between public and private hospital EDs for those who hold private health insurance. The findings of this study will contribute to knowledge regarding patients' decision-making processes and therefore may contribute to the development of evidence based public policies.MethodsAn in-depth semi-structured guide was used to interview participants at public and private hospital EDs. Questions sought to identify the issues that were considered by the participants to decide to attend that hospital ED, previous ED experience, expectations of ED services and perceived benefits and barriers to accessing services. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using content and thematic approaches.ResultsFour core themes emerged: prior good experience with the hospital, perceived quality of care, perceived waiting times and perceived costs that may explain patients' choice. Patients' choice between public and private EDs can be explained by the interaction of these core themes. The principal issues appear to be concern for gap payments at private hospital ED and waiting times at public hospital ED.ConclusionsPatients who choose to attend public EDs appear to value financial concern over waiting time; those who choose to attend private EDs appear to value waiting time ahead of financial concerns.© 2016 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

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