Why are Thai public hospitals so crowded?

[MaeJoMTB]

55 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

But I expect there is major problem in translating medical info to the masses, as well as the masses not being very technical in their own assessments.

I get the doctors to write it down for me, English or Thai. Then I can decide if they have the right diagnosis and/or the right treatment.

About 50% of the time they are totally wrong in one or the other, or have chosen to option to make them most money.

[JLCrab]

49 minutes ago, MaeJoMTB said:

I get the doctors to write it down for me, English or Thai. Then I can decide if they have the right diagnosis and/or the right treatment.

About 50% of the time they are totally wrong in one or the other, or have chosen to option to make them most money.

So does that mean you are wrong 50% of the time or are you right 100% of the time?

[Sheryl]

Showing up at 9 AM you are lucky to have been seen that day at all.

Usually need to show up around 7 am. They will start handing our queue numbers around 8.

Ans exoect any trip to a government hospital to rake at least half a day. Full day not unusual.

They are crowded because what is supposed to be the first level of care (health centers) have such linited capacities that no one bothers going there. Everyone goes straight to the hospital.

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[MaeJoMTB]

7 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

So does that mean you are wrong 50% of the time or are you right 100% of the time?

I'm right 100% of the time, when I consult a doctor, I'm looking for ideas and equipment, I can take it from there.

We need to cut your gall bladder out ........ 6 years later, I still have it, and it works just fine, problem identified correctly, cure suggested excessive.

We need to remove your son's appendix ........ 2 years later he still has it, complete misdiagnosis, he had constipation (identified correctly in second hospital).

[JLCrab]

3 minutes ago, MaeJoMTB said:

I'm right 100% of the time <snip>

That's what I figured.

[Brunolem]

3 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

It is just that Thailand has an aversion to making appointments and prefers the rush seating approach.

 

the number one problem I have is that the doctors do not ask many questions so they often don't even know about other conditions and complications. And two, they don't tell people what is wrong with them. Most of the time when people get back and we ask what did they doctor say, they say, he just gave me this medicine. But I expect there is major problem in translating medical info to the masses, as well as the masses not being very technical in their own assessments.

 

These are good points.

 

Thais don't like to make appointments because they have a very particular relationship with the notion of time.

 

For some things, they can wait forever (hospitals, post office, land office and other administrations), without ever checking the time, or asking when their turn will come.

When it comes to the annual public money handlings, in farmers areas, they might wait for days outside the bank.

So, with people showing such patience, why bother making appointments...

 

On the other hand, in other circumstances, they can't wait even 5 minutes, they want to be taken care of right away!

My wife used to be a hairdresser...if she was busy with a customer, the next one would simply go to another place, any place, including the local butcher, as long as someone would start cutting the hair immediately!

 

Doctors not asking questions is related to the loss of face issue.

Thais hate asking or answering questions!

Questions are for those who don't know...and those who don't know lose face, no matter what!

I have seen doctors making astounding diagnosis without the benefit of even a superficial examination of the patient, not to mention a cross-questioning with the patient...and then prescribe the "appropriate" medicine which, curiously, proved ineffectual...at best...

[White Christmas13]

On ‎1‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 3:54 PM, Lamkyong said:

whole thing at a cost of...zero!

I had a cardio version done at Royal Perth Hospital no waiting at all only by appointment

the cleanest hospital I have seen in my whole life and the cost zero 

[MyFriend You]

10 hours ago, BsBs said:

 

When it's not a life emergency (or even...) ambulances bring you to the hospital that pay them the most, of course private. So anybody with a brain who is not in coma must tell that he wants to go to a public hospital.

 

 

 

 

Thanx  -  I'll make sure to tell him the next time he has an accident and he is not unconcious to tell the ambulance to take him to a public hospital...........

[MyFriend You]

4 hours ago, Brunolem said:

These are good points.

 

Thais don't like to make appointments because they have a very particular relationship with the notion of time.

 

For some things, they can wait forever (hospitals, post office, land office and other administrations), without ever checking the time, or asking when their turn will come.

When it comes to the annual public money handlings, in farmers areas, they might wait for days outside the bank.

So, with people showing such patience, why bother making appointments...

 

On the other hand, in other circumstances, they can't wait even 5 minutes, they want to be taken care of right away!

My wife used to be a hairdresser...if she was busy with a customer, the next one would simply go to another place, any place, including the local butcher, as long as someone would start cutting the hair immediately!

 

Doctors not asking questions is related to the loss of face issue.

Thais hate asking or answering questions!

Questions are for those who don't know...and those who don't know lose face, no matter what!

I have seen doctors making astounding diagnosis without the benefit of even a superficial examination of the patient, not to mention a cross-questioning with the patient...and then prescribe the "appropriate" medicine which, curiously, proved ineffectual...at best...

These are good points (you're words, not mine)

I don;t agree with anything you say, its  all just regurgitated gibberish in my opinion, and everyone has one, like an <deleted>........Been to a few Locals Thai hospitals, and "Farang" clinics, never seen anything like you proposed above.......most of the Dr's are educated  -  maybe you are quoting from where you live  "Nakona NoWhere"???

[Bob12345]

6 hours ago, Brunolem said:

Doctors not asking questions is related to the loss of face issue.

Thais hate asking or answering questions!

Questions are for those who don't know...and those who don't know lose face, no matter what!

I have seen doctors making astounding diagnosis without the benefit of even a superficial examination of the patient, not to mention a cross-questioning with the patient...and then prescribe the "appropriate" medicine which, curiously, proved ineffectual...at best...

Completely disagree. 

Most doctors doing the shift in a public hospital work till noon. They can cross examine 10 patients completely in that time, or rush through 60 an hour for 3-4 hours in a row.

As the subject of this topic is; the waiting room is filled every morning.

 

So you either send away 90% of the people, who will come back tomorrow, and then you have to send away even a higher percentage...

or

you rush through every patient to help them all before your shift ends.

 

 

It has nothing to do with loss of face, it has all to do with tons of patients waiting for a consult and most of them wasting everybody's time (coming to the hospital for having the common cold or not being able to fall asleep in the evening). My wife has worked as a doctor in a government hospital in a small province (to repay her study debts) and she worked through about 30-50 patients an hour. Most of them could be handled within 30 seconds including the greetings, going through the nurses report, and listening to the complaints. Can't sleep? Try again tonight and come back if it persists 3 more days? Sneezing and stuffed nose? Turn your AC off and come back in 3-5 days if it persists? Headache? Take 2 paracet 3 times a day and come back if it persists after 3-5 days? 

[Brunolem]

17 hours ago, TunnelRat69 said:

These are good points (you're words, not mine)

I don;t agree with anything you say, its  all just regurgitated gibberish in my opinion, and everyone has one, like an <deleted>........Been to a few Locals Thai hospitals, and "Farang" clinics, never seen anything like you proposed above.......most of the Dr's are educated  -  maybe you are quoting from where you live  "Nakona NoWhere"???

Well, it is all a matter of perception...and experience...

 

Regarding the issue of time, you not ageeing means that, according to your personal experience, Thais have a similar relation with time as we Westerners have.

Again, this is not what I have witnessed countless...times...I can't imagine Westerners waiting for hours every time they visit whatever public administration, because appointments are not available...

 

Regarding doctors, first I don't know what is a "farang clinic", then you say that "most of the Drs are educated"...sure thing, but "most" is not "all"...so what happens when someone visits a doctor who is not part of "most"?

 

Finally, you use the word "opinion" when I prefer to relate to facts and experience.

Because you have not witnessed what I describe doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

Otherwise, someone living in a remote area could also say that all the talk about the road carnage is gibberish (your word) because they haven't seen anything like this firsthand...

[Brunolem]

15 hours ago, Bob12345 said:

Completely disagree. 

Most doctors doing the shift in a public hospital work till noon. They can cross examine 10 patients completely in that time, or rush through 60 an hour for 3-4 hours in a row.

As the subject of this topic is; the waiting room is filled every morning.

 

So you either send away 90% of the people, who will come back tomorrow, and then you have to send away even a higher percentage...

or

you rush through every patient to help them all before your shift ends.

 

 

It has nothing to do with loss of face, it has all to do with tons of patients waiting for a consult and most of them wasting everybody's time (coming to the hospital for having the common cold or not being able to fall asleep in the evening). My wife has worked as a doctor in a government hospital in a small province (to repay her study debts) and she worked through about 30-50 patients an hour. Most of them could be handled within 30 seconds including the greetings, going through the nurses report, and listening to the complaints. Can't sleep? Try again tonight and come back if it persists 3 more days? Sneezing and stuffed nose? Turn your AC off and come back in 3-5 days if it persists? Headache? Take 2 paracet 3 times a day and come back if it persists after 3-5 days? 

I was probably not clear enough.

Instead of "doctors", I should have written "the doctors who don't ask questions...".

It is not all of them who behave that way, but quite a few do...I have witnessed it...like my wife's uncle being diagnosed in few minutes for asthma, even though he was suffering from chronic bronchitis...the prescribed medicine sent him to (another) hospital!

 

Having said that, I don't think that doctors are trying to cram as many patients as possible in as little time as possible.

Once again, time is not an issue...except in the private sector where time is money!

Not one person in the waiting room is gonna complain if the doctor goes for his lunch break and that means one more hour of waiting (it is the same at the bank, post office and anywhere).

Anyway, I agree with you that a great number of patients can be delt with in a matter of minutes...and this is indeed the case.

[greenchair]

The Thais go to hospital for treatment of the common Cold and everything else in between to a small cut on a finger. 

[rascalman]

Any do you not understand this? Poor!