Pattaya Bangkok Hospital

[Bruprince]

Unless you're unconscious, don't go there

if you wake up, leave

I can second that.

[Bruprince]

I agree with others about BPH they are rip offs, soi 4 international is getting nearly as bad.

we now take our daughter to satahip ,once you register and get your card its a bit quicker,but be prepared to wait,and eveyone stops for lunch,get there early,main section closes at 5pm,emergancy open all the time naturaly.

daughter was there for 4 days 9.000 .one night in BPH 22,000 same prob,never again if i can help it.

cat

I had a cyst removed from my lip at Sattahip and the total cost for doctor, consultant and surgeon including the operating theatre was 1100 Baht. The following check up was 10 Baht.

[Simbo]

gf is pregnant and was talking to a new mum who had given birth at bangkok pattaya. no complications or other contributing factors---------- 70,000 baht

My wife had our baby in Banglamung hospital. normal birth. 2 nights private room.

2.450 baht total not the most lavish establishment, but clean, adequate and efficient.

[helicoptor]

I have just come back from there after having a standard medical.

The 'hotelospital' is certainly impressive, It doesnt surprise me that this thread is here regarding costs, I imagine the swish decor and air hostess type uniforms have to be funded by someone.

The medical consisted of:

Chest Xray

Blood Test

Blood Pressure

Check eyesight

Measure Height, Check Weight

All in all it took around 2 hours, some waiting between departments but not much. Total cost 2,850 THB.

Check eyesight, height and weight? Why would you pay a doctor to do that? It's usually pretty obvious how your eyes function, so why would you need a doctor to check them....just head down to the optometrist when you need some new glasses.

Whenever I go to PIH, they always want to take my blood pressure and measure my weight so they can add on substantial nurse's fee. I always decline this service.

This standard medical is a pre-requisite for my need to go off-shore - therefore the company paid anyway.

FYI I work in O&G Industry which takes me by Chopper to the Oil Platforms out in the Gulf, you need medical for working on the Platforms.

[helicoptor]

gf is pregnant and was talking to a new mum who had given birth at bangkok pattaya. no complications or other contributing factors---------- 70,000 baht

My wife had our baby in Banglamung hospital. normal birth. 2 nights private room.

2.450 baht total not the most lavish establishment, but clean, adequate and efficient.

Where is this please?

[wilko]

All these hosptitals seem to spend most of their time doing "tests".

How many people haver these tests performed at home (esp. UK)? They really are a bit of a con...they're quick and easy to do and they reassure the patient, and may provide a bit of a warning in the odd case, but essentially they are unnecessary.

[COBBER]

gf is pregnant and was talking to a new mum who had given birth at bangkok pattaya. no complications or other contributing factors---------- 70,000 baht

My wife had our baby in Banglamung hospital. normal birth. 2 nights private room.

2.450 baht total not the most lavish establishment, but clean, adequate and efficient.

Where is this please?

Banglamung is the Govt. hospital located behind Naklua market. If you head down towards the Naklua Post Office its hard to miss the signs.

[Weho]

If in Bangkok, consider the Yanhee hospital, across the river, 1 kl. from Rama 7 bridge. It was very busy there, indicating reasonable prices. Everyone spoke good english. Much of it is catering to beauty/cosmetic/plastic surgery, but I think they do everything there. They have a rather complete website. I believe their dental center is even open 24 hours, and I'm told you don't need appointments for anything, you just show up.

[moo9]

BPH is expensive in any respect, but anyway I feel comfortable and fortunately I don't have to go there too often.

For a flu I would not go there anyway, as you end up paying 1,500 Bht for a short doctor visit and a bag of overpriced medicaments. However for anything serious I would trust in them much more than any other place (unless you have no chance to go home...).

[Pattaya Dave]

Just spoken to my wife who informs me our little boy is not very well.She took him to PBH for a check.They have decided to keep him in for 24 hrs to monitor him as they think he has an infection so needs anti biotics.This is fine and money for taking care of my Sons health is really not important.However for the overnight stay and to be "monitored" the price is a basic 20,000 plus any additional treatment.This in my opinion is outrageous.No wonder they can afford to build a nice new wing to their Hospital.My opinion is Soi 4 Pattaya International is a much better Hospital and far more reasonable rates.Are we suffering from PBH price hiking ???

EPG

I too have noticed that the prices have risen at Bangkok-Pattaya hospital over the past two years. I have also visited the Pattaya International hospital briefly and do find that their costs are more reasonable, however its been a while since I've been there. If you think that Bangkok-Pattaya hospital is expensive, you should experience Bumrungrad Hospital on Sukumvit Soi 3 in Bangkok. They get a lot of international business, particularly Middle-Eastern and their prices are substancially higher than anything in Pattaya.

I will say that I feel that I have not been presented a heavily padded bill at any of the hospitals as yet. I believe it is because I don't have an insurance plan in Thailand. I am a retired disabled veteran of the US Army living overseas so I basically receive a 75% reimbursement of expenses on most medical care minus a deductible. I pay my hospital bills in full then mail my claim to the US. When asked at the hospital if I have insurance, I tell them "no", which is the truth. I believe I receive a more favorable (not padded) bill just because I don't have medical insurance. Just my two cents worth.

Pattaya Dave

[Mobi]

My wife's sister has a boy friend from Norway who unexpectedly passed out in his bathroom a couple of days ago. He recovered quickly, but was taken to Bangkok Pattaya, just to be on the safe side.

They couldn't find anything wrong with him, but advised him to stay in overnight for observation.

Now, I haven't yet seen the bill (but plan to), but I understand that no extensive tests were run, and certainly no cat scans, xrays or the like.

He was released the foillowing morning with no positive explanation of what had caused him to pass out, and was presented with a bill of 33,000 Baht. He has medical insurance.

I will report further when I have seen the bill.

[suiging]

Not all folk are bad in BPH.

My dear old Mom came out to see her Grand Kids for the last time at Xmas. Because of her illness ( sadly terminal ) she could not get insurance. Xmas day, unrelated serious heart problem found her in ICU, with 10 mins left to live. Staff in ICU frankly fantastic. Saved her life, did everything necessary and presented a bill which although not cheap, was commented on as being more than reasonable by her medics at home ( the sam bas-tards who should have spotted the problem before she got on the plane !!! ).

However, a couple of days into her stay, my Dad calls me to the hospital ( as I had warned him to do, if this sort of thing happened ) as one of the chains ( down from BK, could smell the blood ) senior cardiologists wanted to speak.

In comes short, rolexed to the eyeballs, US accented Thai.

Hi my names @#%%^&.

I think we'll open up your mother do XYZ ( charge the odd half a mill ) and see what happens.

Hi said I.

Do you think in her current condition open heart surgury is a good idea ? Don't you think the general in itself is a danger ?

Thai/Yank-------- Well I can see your point, but we could have a go======

Me----- And as you are aware, she has no insurance. So is this procedure necessary now with all the dangers involved, or would it be better carried out when she is stonger , back in the Uk ?

Thai/Yank------- Hey you may be right.........................nice meeting you, bye.

Father...........Good job you were here son. I would have fell for that.

How many more poor old folk have they taken to the cleaners ?

Edited February 6, 2007 by suiging

[Mobi]

Thanks for the story suiging.

It is yet another that I will add to my annals of unethical, and highly dangerous practises carried out by that money grabbing lot at BP.

I have tried to expalin time and time again, that it is not just the fact that their charges are sky high by Thai standards, it is the unnecessary, dangerous, and possibly life threatening procedures that they recommend, which makes the place a potential deathtrap to all who go there.

Of course, faced with an extreme medical emergency, one has little choice, and I accept that the doctors are competent, and the facilities are first class. But whenever possible, get a second opinion before agreeing to any major procedures, and also whenever possible, get the patient out of there and to a Bangkok hospital as soon as it is safe to do so.

[ProThaiExpat]

I'm not debating the validity of the dispute of what the bill should be for the above mentioned hospital stays. It is just funny as hel_l to compare them with what you'd pay in the states.

I just had a motorcycle accident on the mountain roads near Doi Inthanon. Fractured scull, cranial hematoma, broken nose, fractured clavicle, five broken ribs. The locals shipped me toute de suite (40 miles or so) to Chiang Mai Ram. Four days (unconscious) in the ICU, three more in standard room. Cranial op with blood drainage, multiple neural CT scans, the whole nine yards, rafts of pills, etc. Pretty much Western level, ended up chatting with my doc when I finally came back around, UMinn, worked at the freaking Mayo clinic for a few years. Just hysterical.

Total bill: 85k THB Chatted up my sister who's an RN at Cambridge City Hospital, has worked at Mass General and Brigham and Women's, her estimate of price range for a similar range of treatment depending on hospital in Boston area, broad range: 35k to 90k (that would be in dollars).

Facinatinating stuff to dwell on. I am 24 hours post discharge Ram Hospital after 10 days of care for a torsion fracture of my femur. Surgeon charged 17k for internal fixation of femur, plate was billed at 11k, op room 3500, and medical supplies near 40 K. Every glove, gauze etc. was billed. They did go in a second time due to prolonged bleeding/oozing at surgery site. Surgeons bill for second surgery was 2k but op room, 3500 for anesthesiologist x2, private room rate 1k per day.

Total bill 136K with discounts.

My take on this is that some traumatic injuries are very dramatic and life threatening but may involve less active care in a hospital. If more than half your stay is in an unconscious state and they are just monitoring you, perhaps the amount of billable treatment is less.

While I was unhappy with some of the billing practices shown, ie 53 baht for one paracetamol, overall compared to western rates, I got off at about 30% of it would have cost me in the western world.

Had I not been a prolonged "oozer", I may have been out in 7 days, but the costs really were only marginally higher for the daily care, once the two surgeries were billed. Thus the length of time in the hospital may not be an issue as room costs, but what they treat you with during those extra days and medicines administrered drive the bill up a lot.

I was given daily injections to hinder bleeding, which cost 400 baht per injection. In surgery injections were billed at 2000k.

I have put my estimate of my care at close to 20K USD , which is in sinc with quoted posters estimated U.S. equivalent.

The 12k baht a month quoted to me for health insurance in Thailand, from the only companies who whould insure me due to age, saved since I have been in Thailand is 720 K baht, so I am well ahead of the game at this point.

Had I fallen off the ladder at my daughters home three months ago in Australia and suffered the same injury, my insurance reserve fund would be gone for sure. In conclusion, in the west insurance is a must, in Thailand its "up to you".

[keenok]

I'm not debating the validity of the dispute of what the bill should be for the above mentioned hospital stays. It is just funny as hel_l to compare them with what you'd pay in the states.

I just had a motorcycle accident on the mountain roads near Doi Inthanon. Fractured scull, cranial hematoma, broken nose, fractured clavicle, five broken ribs. The locals shipped me toute de suite (40 miles or so) to Chiang Mai Ram. Four days (unconscious) in the ICU, three more in standard room. Cranial op with blood drainage, multiple neural CT scans, the whole nine yards, rafts of pills, etc. Pretty much Western level, ended up chatting with my doc when I finally came back around, UMinn, worked at the freaking Mayo clinic for a few years. Just hysterical.

Total bill: 85k THB Chatted up my sister who's an RN at Cambridge City Hospital, has worked at Mass General and Brigham and Women's, her estimate of price range for a similar range of treatment depending on hospital in Boston area, broad range: 35k to 90k (that would be in dollars).

Facinatinating stuff to dwell on. I am 24 hours post discharge Ram Hospital after 10 days of care for a torsion fracture of my femur. Surgeon charged 17k for internal fixation of femur, plate was billed at 11k, op room 3500, and medical supplies near 40 K. Every glove, gauze etc. was billed. They did go in a second time due to prolonged bleeding/oozing at surgery site. Surgeons bill for second surgery was 2k but op room, 3500 for anesthesiologist x2, private room rate 1k per day.

Total bill 136K with discounts.

My take on this is that some traumatic injuries are very dramatic and life threatening but may involve less active care in a hospital. If more than half your stay is in an unconscious state and they are just monitoring you, perhaps the amount of billable treatment is less.

While I was unhappy with some of the billing practices shown, ie 53 baht for one paracetamol, overall compared to western rates, I got off at about 30% of it would have cost me in the western world.

Had I not been a prolonged "oozer", I may have been out in 7 days, but the costs really were only marginally higher for the daily care, once the two surgeries were billed. Thus the length of time in the hospital may not be an issue as room costs, but what they treat you with during those extra days and medicines administrered drive the bill up a lot.

I was given daily injections to hinder bleeding, which cost 400 baht per injection. In surgery injections were billed at 2000k.

I have put my estimate of my care at close to 20K USD , which is in sinc with quoted posters estimated U.S. equivalent.

The 12k baht a month quoted to me for health insurance in Thailand, from the only companies who whould insure me due to age, saved since I have been in Thailand is 720 K baht, so I am well ahead of the game at this point.

Had I fallen off the ladder at my daughters home three months ago in Australia and suffered the same injury, my insurance reserve fund would be gone for sure. In conclusion, in the west insurance is a must, in Thailand its "up to you".

i think that should read " in AMERICA is a must, in Thailand its "up to you". which by the way i completely agree with.there is nothing wrong with carrying your own risk.

[Tammi]

While I was unhappy with some of the billing practices shown, ie 53 baht for one paracetamol, overall compared to western rates, I got off at about 30% of it would have cost me in the western world.

Your paracetemol must have been gold plated at Ram Hospital. I paid 4 baht for one at Bumrungrad last week on an in-patient bill.

Anybody know what PBH charges for a paracetemol?

[Tammi]

I agree with others about BPH they are rip offs, soi 4 international is getting nearly as bad.

we now take our daughter to satahip ,once you register and get your card its a bit quicker,but be prepared to wait,and eveyone stops for lunch,get there early,main section closes at 5pm,emergancy open all the time naturaly.

daughter was there for 4 days 9.000 .one night in BPH 22,000 same prob,never again if i can help it.

cat

would you be able to give some general directions to Satahip Hospital? How far is it from Pattaya?

Just for you would I go hunting for this:

Yesterday, looked at the Eastern Seaboard General Map (not to scale) provided by the Pattaya International Ladies’ Club (PILC) and found that The Queen Sirikit Royal Thai Navy Hospital is clearly marked.

Directions: Assume that highway #3 runs north-south between Chonburi and Sattahip. At Sattahip it makes a 90 degree turn to the left to go east to Rayong. Also assume that main road 331 runs north-south parallel to highway # 3 but inland by about 15 kilometers. Going from Pattaya to the south on highway #3 you will go approx 30 km and then come to the junction of main road 332 on the inland or eastern side of highway #3. Make this turn to the left onto main road 332. Continue east on 332 until you come to the junction with 331 where you make a right turn so that you are now going south on 331. Continue on 331 to the south until 331 crosses highway #3 to the east of Sattahip. At this 4 way signalized crossing the SE quarter is bounded by the perimeter of Queen Sirikit Royal Thai Navy Hospital. The SE corner is landscaped and there is a beautiful full length portrait of the Queen. There are entrance gates to the hospital off both highway #3 and 331. This is a signalized junction and it is safer to go straight across highway #3 and make the turn into the hospital off 331.

The above is the way Thai drivers have always taken me when going to Utapao airport. Why I don’t know. Maybe it’s quicker, maybe it’s safer.

If I were driving myself to the hospital I would stay on highway # 3 until I came to the junction with main road 331 where I would make a right and the hospital entrance is on the left.

Today, went to see the hospital but forgot to take the maps. The driver took the “long winded” route and knew exactly where to go. Journey took 40 minutes. We drove in the main entrance to the hospital passing ponds on each side. Car park area is very large. There are 3 obvious doors to the hospital: The one on the left is Administration, the centre one is to the wards, and the one on the right is Outpatients.

Admin and Outpatients are closed on Saturdays and Sundays. The doors were locked.

Emergency is further to the right than Outpatients and is set back from the main façade. Outside there were many wheelchairs and stretchers and an ambulance. We went in and found ourselves in a large room fitted out with seating, and I think I saw an ATM. The triage desk is almost immediately inside the room on the right and also on the right is the door into the Emergency Room (ER) for ambulatory patients; straight ahead is Pharmacy; cashiers are on the left.

I went into the ER and a nurse very quickly came to ask how she could help me. I explained my mission was to see the hospital and find out a few things as I live in Pattaya and had heard that Queen Sirikit Hospital is very good. I was asked to take a seat inside the ER and the head nurse would come to see me. The head nurse was a very pleasant gentleman speaking excellent English.

I found out that the hospital will send an ambulance to Pattaya and can be summoned by phoning 038 245 929. I asked if the person answering the hospital phone would speak English and he said there’s always someone around who can.

The sign above ER door gives phone # 038 245 777 and this # is also on ambulance(s).

Maybe 038 245 929 is best # to phone?

We then went to find the wards. All the signs are in Thai but a few have English subtitles. The first ward we came to was orthopedics on the ground floor. There is no Reception so I went to the cashiers and explained my mission and was taken to the nurses’ station and again was helped by a nurse speaking excellent English.

I was taken to see an ordinary private room fitted with a wind up bed, not an electrically controlled one. There was a small TV, a fridge, a fold down plastic covered sofa, an en-suite bathroom, and a balcony with a laundry tub on one wall and a frame to dry clothes on. Everything looked a bit battered. The price per night is 1,200 baht. Food is extra. Thai food is 150 baht and European 300 baht per day.

The nurse explained that if the patient does not have friend or family to stay with him 24/24 then patient cannot have a private room; he will be admitted to an open ward. I agree wholeheartedly. I have always said private rooms are dangerous places to be when sick and alone.

Nurse said that there are VIP private rooms on the top floor that are same layout as the ordinary private but look better. I did not go to see as I didn’t want to push my welcome. VIP room is 1,500 baht.

[dumspero]

From the posts, this may not be the current situation at BPH, but a few years ago my wife had an emergency appendectomy at BPH. Smallest such scar I've ever seen (yes, her appendix is really gone). Four nights for her, two for me (I flew over to join her), plus all charges, including my room serivce bill with, well let's just say a substantial amount of Singha for me (worried about airborne infections, so took alcohol in liberal doses)-- total cost about 18,000 then or about $450 US at the rate then. Sounds like things have changed!

[Phil Conners]

dumspero, yes things have changed dramatcially the last 2-3 years in BP with regard to prices, they have gone up-up-up!

tammi, thanks for the extensive report on The Queen Sirikit Royal Thai Navy Hospital. What surprised me most was how polite they are and how well they speak English compared to practically any hospital in the Pattaya area, private or public. You are right about seeing an ATM, I think there are a few in fact.