Are thai doctors competent ?

[thaivisa63]

Hi

I'm interested in your opinion about thai doctors in general. Are they as competent as in the west ? Don't they try hard to overtreat their patients ?
I myself and some of my friends have had bad experiences. Here are examples :

 

1) Recently I woke up with testicular pain in my right nut so I went to the hospital. I read that in this situation the standard procedure is to 1st eliminate serious stuff like testicular torsion and others. But the nurses simply told me to wait 2h (???) for the infection doctor to arrive. So right away they know it's an infection ? Without even looking ?? They only asked me 2 questions : if I felt pain when peeing and if my pee had an unusual color. I replied no to both questions and that's it. Then the infection doctor came and barely touched me. Not that I enjoy being touched in this area by a men I really dont but wasn't he supposed to at the very least do a palpation ? He didn't. He just took a look and comfirmed yes it's an infection without adding anything more before giving me a treatment. All he said was it COULD be from unprotected sex. I never had unprotected sex. Anyway the treatment is ongoing and the pain dropped but is still here...

 

2) A friend of mine had violent throat pain. So bad he couldn't eat anything. He went to the hospital and was told he need throat chirurgical intervention immediately. They were ready to take him to the chirurgical room. My friend begged them to run some more tests. He insisted so much that they accepted. After that they gave him some pills and he started feeling better 1h later... No chirurgical intervention was needed at all.

 

3)About dental health. I keep hearing dental health is world class here.
I did a total of 3 tooth cleaning since I'm in Thailand. All 3 times it was much longer, much more incomfortable than in my home country and even painful. In my home country a tooth cleaning has never been painful. I had my last one 2 weeks ago I still feel pain in my teeth. I took an appointment with a dentist in my home country for when I will be back there in 6 months and I swore to myself I will never go back to a dentist clinic in Thailand unless I have no choice. I don't know what they do differently but they do differently and it's painful.
Also they keep proposing me orthodontic treatment. Last time I was in my home country I asked my dentist and he said no I don't need an orthodontic treatment unless I care about aesthetic. But he said it would be useless because my tongue put pressure on my teeth so if I don't treat this issue first my teeth will always go back to the same position. Just for the fun of it I decided to try 10 orthodontic doctors in Thailand to see how many of them would have the same answer as my hometown dentist. 7 of them proposed me a treatment right away and started discussing payment plans. 3 of them comfirmed what my hometown dentist said, that an orthodontic treatment would be a waste of time and money for me.

 

My confidence in thai doctors competence has dropped so low that everytime i go back home I run check ups and do consultations and when I'm in Thailand unless it's an emergency I avoid going to the hospital.

[Sheryl]

Doctors in Thailand run the full gamut from world class experts in their field to thoroughly incompetent or negligent and everything possible in between.

 

And, news flash, this is also true in most countries. The only exceptions being some very undeveloped places that have no world class docs. There is not a country in the world that doesn't have some bad ones.

 

If you are accustomed back home to being treated through a government health care system, care there is probably safeguarded by pretty comprehensive treatment protocols doctors are are require to adhere to.  There is something similiar in Thai government hospitals but in Thai private hospitals there are no standard protocols and doctors -- who are independent contractors, not hospital employees - are free to do as they see fit. If you happen to have a really good and conscientious doctor there can be advantages to this (standard protocols reflect not only medical evidence but also  cost considerations and other institutional factors so will not always be in an individual  patient's best interests) but if not - it is risky.
 

 

You should never, never just show up at a private hospital and see whatever doctor the staff refer you to. Always research first and carefully select a doctor based on qualifications, most private hospitals have websites that facilitate this. You are also welcome to post here asking for doctor suggestions.

 

If you are not willing  or able to do that then you are better off sticking to Thai government hospitals  where at least there are protocols they have to follow -- but be sure to make it at least a provincial level, preferrably tertiary level, hospital and be prepared for long waits, red tape and language barriers.

 

BTW the treatment you received for your testicular pain was indeed not proper and if it is still present you need to see a good urologist.

[MrPatrickThai]

generally, NO, they are below acceptable standard.

 

I have had them diagnose me with terminal diseases, which din't happen, as was my wife and a few friends.

 

I have known many doctors and many of them just basically bought their stethoscope.

 

It's amazing what $50,000 can do.

 

[colinneil]

8 hours ago, MrPatrickThai said:

generally, NO, they are below acceptable standard.

 

I have had them diagnose me with terminal diseases, which din't happen, as was my wife and a few friends.

 

I have known many doctors and many of them just basically bought their stethoscope.

 

It's amazing what $50,000 can do.

 

Your post is a load of nonsense, you have no idea what you are talking about.

I am alive due to the skills of Thai doctors.

In a very serious accident taken to government hospital, given hours to live.

Operated on by government hospital surgeons, have 4 titanium rods/40 screws holding me together.

No doctor anywhere in the world could have done better.

 

[1FinickyOne]

Thai doctors are many people... you really can't judge one by the abilities of another... even good doctors can have a bad day - - and some have better diagnostic abilities than others... 

 

as to dentists, I love mine - excellent cleaning and doesn't take long... 20 minutes... in USA I always felt they took an hour to justify high fees... 

[simoh1490]

I agree very much with what Sheryl has written above.....I have tried very hard to be positive about the medical profession in Thailand and to give them the benefit of the doubt but sometimes it's very hard to maintain. I know first hand of family doctors and others who are simply not equipped to manage much more than run of the mill ailments and there seems to be far more of them in this category than a westerner might expect. The fact is that being a doctor here carries a high level of prestige and their actions are rarely challenged by the native population, the doctor knows best is the rule of the day and that's ingrained into the culture.

 

the problem is then compounded by the glut of private hospitals and clinics which can make being a doctor a lucrative profession hence it's self-perpetuating. I was recently in the UK where I saw a GP for the first time in sixteen years and I was blown away by the thoroughness and professionalism of that meeting, I think as long term expats we often forget what the standard is and should be and often we come to accept the local standards as a substitute and eventually that becomes OK. 

 

All the above said, there are some very good and capable doctors in Thailand, lots of them, finding them however is often quite difficult and therein lies the problem - the second part of that is knowing when you've found a good one versus when you haven't, that's even more difficult.

[marcusarelus]

27 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Your post is a load of nonsense, you have no idea what you are talking about.

I am alive due to the skills of Thai doctors.

In a very serious accident taken to government hospital, given hours to live.

Operated on by government hospital surgeons, have 4 titanium rods/40 screws holding me together.

No doctor anywhere in the world could have done better.

 

Agree.  My Thai doctor just got back from the UK where he spent a month in meetings and training and being trained in his specialty.  Outside of his god complex he's a great doctor.  Saved my life once and sees me 4 times a year for follow up.  Minor problems same as any doctor check what he prescribes, 

Edited October 27, 2018 by marcusarelus

[Lungstib]

This is Thailand, still mostly referred to as a 3rd world country. For whatever reasons you come here it is unlikely that medical facilities are top of your list. Comparing Thai with European or North American treatment is a bit unfair. Try comparing it with Pakistan, Albanian, Honduran or Malian and you will feel better about whats on offer here. Like Colin Neil, I had emergency treatment after a m'bike accident ( nowhere near as serious) and still have a leg to walk about on which would not be the case in many 3rd world countries, they would have amputated. You now have the right idea, questioning, looking around, asking others for recommendations but if excellent medical facilities tops your list of essential requirements of life you are in the wrong place.

[marcusarelus]

1 minute ago, Lungstib said:

This is Thailand, still mostly referred to as a 3rd world country. For whatever reasons you come here it is unlikely that medical facilities are top of your list. Comparing Thai with European or North American treatment is a bit unfair. Try comparing it with Pakistan, Albanian, Honduran or Malian and you will feel better about whats on offer here. Like Colin Neil, I had emergency treatment after a m'bike accident ( nowhere near as serious) and still have a leg to walk about on which would not be the case in many 3rd world countries, they would have amputated. You now have the right idea, questioning, looking around, asking others for recommendations but if excellent medical facilities tops your list of essential requirements of life you are in the wrong place.

I don't think the top (farang) medical facilities are considered 3rd world?  It looks better than many in America to me.  Cleaner, staffed better and more willing and able to care for you with some exceptions about meds.

[JimmyTheMook]

A medical degree in Thailand is not recognized in countries like Taiwan i.e. they wont employ them.

 

Route learning is the norm so critical thinking and diagnosing what may be wrong with you is a crap shoot.

 

And yes plenty of rich Hi-So snots had their parents money and influence get them medical degrees - when in no other sane world such antics would happen.

 

That said many of the specialists receive Western training and return and are able to perform  surgeries like placing stents and the such - route learning applies here.

 

My personal experience with many endocrinologists and nephrologists all the way to the what 

many consider the top hospitals like Bumrungrad was a joke and waste of money - so much so that when all the tests results were shown to doctors in USA, they demanded to be redone as they had 0 confidence in the competency of those who administered and wrote the reports.

 

 

 

[Spidey]

10 hours ago, Sheryl said:

You should never, never just show up at a private hospital and see whatever doctor the staff refer you to. Always research first and carefully select a doctor based on qualifications, most private hospitals have websites that facilitate this. You are also welcome to post here asking for doctor suggestions.

 

If you are not willing  or able to do that then you are better off sticking to Thai government hospitals 

Agree with the first part, but IME it's even more important to self diagnose and know the treatment you require before entering the hospital. I do my research on the internet and email (with photos, if necessary)

my daughter and son-in-law (she is a senior nursing sister in A&E in the UK, he is a doctor in A&E) and get a diagnosis/suggested course of treatment from them.

 

As for the second paragraph, completely disagree. My stepdaughter lives in Suphanburi and had an accident on her motorbike. Went to the local government hospital with a double fracture of her wrist. Was allegedly set and had a fibreglass splint strapped to it. The next day she came to visit us in Pattaya with a view to us all going on holiday the next day. She was in a great deal of pain so I unwrapped it and had a look. Immediately obvious to me that it hadn't been set properly as the forearm was at an acute angle to her hand. Immediately took her to Bangkok Pattaya hospital and within an hour, she was in theatre having her wrist reset and wired. Subsequently made a quick and complete recovery. Very expensive but luckily was able to claim all but 5k baht from the motorbike insurance.

 

Doctors in government hospitals are extremely incompetent, wouldn't get a job as a hospital porter in the UK. Doctors in top end private hospitals are far more competent but still not near the standard of doctors in the UK.

 

You get what you pay for, in Thailand, but even then, don't expect too much.

[NanLaew]

Let's see, a critical assessment of the ability of Thai doctors and dentists as adjudged by foreign laymen.

 

As evidenced by swapping medical stories with acquaintances and these curious, repeated check-ups when 'back home', the OP clearly clearly not ready for deep immersion in Thailand.

[faraday]

Yup, there are good ones & bad ones; same as anywhere.

 

The two occasions when my wife & I had quite serious medical issues, the doctors we saw - private & government were great, with a very caring bedside manner.

 

Same goes with Dentists, same with Physiotherapists, same with the Nurses.

 

Go & see a Urologist as Sheryl recommends.

 

 

[marcusarelus]

1 hour ago, Spidey said:

Agree with the first part, but IME it's even more important to self diagnose and know the treatment you require before entering the hospital. I do my research on the internet and email (with photos, if necessary)

my daughter and son-in-law (she is a senior nursing sister in A&E in the UK, he is a doctor in A&E) and get a diagnosis/suggested course of treatment from them.

 

As for the second paragraph, completely disagree. My stepdaughter lives in Suphanburi and had an accident on her motorbike. Went to the local government hospital with a double fracture of her wrist. Was allegedly set and had a fibreglass splint strapped to it. The next day she came to visit us in Pattaya with a view to us all going on holiday the next day. She was in a great deal of pain so I unwrapped it and had a look. Immediately obvious to me that it hadn't been set properly as the forearm was at an acute angle to her hand. Immediately took her to Bangkok Pattaya hospital and within an hour, she was in theatre having her wrist reset and wired. Subsequently made a quick and complete recovery. Very expensive but luckily was able to claim all but 5k baht from the motorbike insurance.

 

Doctors in government hospitals are extremely incompetent, wouldn't get a job as a hospital porter in the UK. Doctors in top end private hospitals are far more competent but still not near the standard of doctors in the UK.

 

You get what you pay for, in Thailand, but even then, don't expect too much.

Painting with too broad a brush.  Maybe you don't know about the doctors working at government hospitals as part of the education deal? They work at both government hospitals and the Bangkok expensive med chain.  The only difference being the bill to you as the doctor is the same at both hospitals. 

[Sheryl]

5 hours ago, Spidey said:

Agree with the first part, but IME it's even more important to self diagnose and know the treatment you require before entering the hospital. I do my research on the internet and email (with photos, if necessary)

my daughter and son-in-law (she is a senior nursing sister in A&E in the UK, he is a doctor in A&E) and get a diagnosis/suggested course of treatment from them.

 

As for the second paragraph, completely disagree. My stepdaughter lives in Suphanburi and had an accident on her motorbike. Went to the local government hospital with a double fracture of her wrist. Was allegedly set and had a fibreglass splint strapped to it. The next day she came to visit us in Pattaya with a view to us all going on holiday the next day. She was in a great deal of pain so I unwrapped it and had a look. Immediately obvious to me that it hadn't been set properly as the forearm was at an acute angle to her hand. Immediately took her to Bangkok Pattaya hospital and within an hour, she was in theatre having her wrist reset and wired. Subsequently made a quick and complete recovery. Very expensive but luckily was able to claim all but 5k baht from the motorbike insurance.

 

Doctors in government hospitals are extremely incompetent, wouldn't get a job as a hospital porter in the UK. Doctors in top end private hospitals are far more competent but still not near the standard of doctors in the UK.

 

You get what you pay for, in Thailand, but even then, don't expect too much.

The best doctors in Thailand are in teaching positions in government hospitals - but tertiary ones. I suspect when you say "local" hospital that it was not a tertiary level facility.

 

See  https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/615461-the-thai-public-health-system/

[NCC1701A]

22 hours ago, thaivisa63 said:

I'm interested in your opinion about thai doctors in general.

have you ever been to Bumrumgrad Hospital in Bangkok?

 

go to their website where you will see that many if not all of their doctors are educated in the USA.

Bumrumgrad Hospital is the only hospital in the world outside the USA that is certified to USA standards.

Everyone speaks perfect English.

 

So if you have a problem that you think is serious, then go to their website and make an appointment.     

and do yourself a favor, pick a woman doctor because they will listen to you, empathize and communicate better than a male Thai doctor.  

 

And one way you will know you are in the right place is because some of the richest people in this part of the world are walking into the lobby for treatment.

Edited October 27, 2018 by NCC1701A

[colinneil]

5 hours ago, Spidey said:

 

 

Doctors in government hospitals are extremely incompetent, wouldn't get a job as a hospital porter in the UK. Doctors in top end private hospitals are far more competent but still not near the standard of doctors in the UK.

 

You get what you pay for, in Thailand, but even then, don't expect too much.

 

Totally disagree with you about doctors in government hospitals.

Serious accident..... 4TH/5TH VERTEBRAE shattered, broken femur, hip, pelvis, punctured lung, torn diaphram, plus several deep cuts.

Taken to government hospital in Khonkaen, in a coma, on life support, put back together by very skilful surgeons, 4 titanium rods 40 screws holding me together, 6 operations, that was 5 years ago still going strong.

No doctor/ surgeon anywhere in the world could have done better.

[simoh1490]

24 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

have you ever been to Bumrumgrad Hospital in Bangkok?

 

go to their website where you will see that many if not all of their doctors are educated in the USA.

Bumrumgrad Hospital is the only hospital in the world outside the USA that is certified to USA standards.

Everyone speaks perfect English.

 

So if you have a problem that you think is serious, then go to their website and make an appointment.     

and do yourself a favor, pick a woman doctor because they will listen to you, empathize and communicate better than a male Thai doctor.  

 

And one way you will know you are in the right place is because some of the richest people in this part of the world are walking into the lobby for treatment.

"Bumrumgrad Hospital is the only hospital in the world outside the USA that is certified to USA standards".

 

nonesence.

[NCC1701A]

1 minute ago, simoh1490 said:

"Bumrumgrad Hospital is the only hospital in the world outside the USA that is certified to USA standards".

 

nonesence.

sorry i misspoke. this is what I am referring to.

 

[scubascuba3]

The best doctors in Thailand are in teaching positions in government hospitals - but tertiary ones. I suspect when you say "local" hospital that it was not a tertiary level facility.
 
See  https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/615461-the-thai-public-health-system/

Have you got a list of these recommended "tertiary" ones? Whatever that means, link doesn't open for me using tapatalk

[Neeranam]

7 hours ago, JimmyTheMook said:

And yes plenty of rich Hi-So snots had their parents money and influence get them medical degrees - when in no other sane world such antics would happen.

So true.

 

Thai doctors are not good.

 

Once I went to see the top psychiatrist at a university hospital to ask if he are interested in starting an AA meeting. 

He asked me how long I had been sober and told me I could drink again if I controlled it.

 

I saw another one in Rama 4 hospital with an alcoholic friend.

He gave my friend diazepam. When I told the head doctor that it was addictive and not given to alkies in the UK for longer than 2 weeks, he said it want addictive, or only as little. 

 

 

[Neeranam]

1 hour ago, colinneil said:

Totally disagree with you about doctors in government hospitals.

Serious accident..... 4TH/5TH VERTEBRAE shattered, broken femur, hip, pelvis, punctured lung, torn diaphram, plus several deep cuts.

Taken to government hospital in Khonkaen, in a coma, on life support, put back together by very skilful surgeons, 4 titanium rods 40 screws holding me together, 6 operations, that was 5 years ago still going strong.

No doctor/ surgeon anywhere in the world could have done better.

I have lived in Khon Kaen for a long time and that hospital is the one I have to use with my health insurance from work. I never go there now, despite it being free.

Saying that that hospital has the best surgeons in the world is very misleading as well as being totally wrong.

[Neeranam]

1 hour ago, NCC1701A said:

And one way you will know you are in the right place is because some of the richest people in this part of the world are walking into the lobby for treatment.

No, these people from rich countries are going there to save money.

Bamrungrad is run just to make money. 

[Sheryl]

39 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

The best doctors in Thailand are in teaching positions in government hospitals - but tertiary ones. I suspect when you say "local" hospital that it was not a tertiary level facility.
 
See  https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/615461-the-thai-public-health-system/

Have you got a list of these recommended "tertiary" ones? Whatever that means, link doesn't open for me using tapatalk

the link works fine on my  on laptop computer.

 

Tertiary hospitals are regional hospitals, teaching hospitals and specialized hospitals.

 

Under "type" on the list here

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_hospitals_in_Thailand

 

[simoh1490]

35 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

sorry i misspoke. this is what I am referring to.

 

I could tell you first hand stories that would make your hair curl but I'm conscious of the libel laws. So instead I'll tell you some stories about another hospital, a totally different one that bears no relationship whatsoever to the one you're talking about, not in any way! 

 

I had a painful neck so I went to see the orthopaedic guy, without leaving his side of the desk he asked me if I used a computer and when I replied yes he diagnosed overuse......THB 1,500, ker ching!

 

Later, still in search of an answer to a head and neck problem I consulted with an ENT specialist there and the poor man had early Parkinsons, a lovely man who had lived in the US for many years but he was barely capable any longer. that he said, that's your tongue but have a nice day - THB1,500, ker ching!

 

Tired of burning cash and being mistreated I complained and the wagons circled so tightly not even a single ray of light could be seen between them, stories were changed, notes were created and I promptly withdrew, never to return.

 

Later I would go to NUH in SIngapore where a stone in the parotid gland was found, somewhat more than THB 1,500 in total but at least I got the right answer, I mean, what if it had been a cancerous growth instead.

 

[colinneil]

22 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

I have lived in Khon Kaen for a long time and that hospital is the one I have to use with my health insurance from work. I never go there now, despite it being free.

Saying that that hospital has the best surgeons in the world is very misleading as well as being totally wrong.

Who said they have the best surgeons in the world?

Not me, get your facts straight, before trying to ridicule my post.

For your information, i said no doctor in the world could have done better.

 

For some twisted reason you seem to delight in trying to make a fool of me.

Edited October 27, 2018 by colinneil

[Sheryl]

Please keep it civil

 

There isn't a hospital in the world where someone has nto had a bad experience.

 

Also not a hospital in the world that doesn't have some poor quality doctors.

 

Choose the doctor, nto the hospital, and choose carefully.

 

 

[marqus12]

"very competent"...when my kid had a Kawasaki disease I knew one week sooner

than they did after searching the internet

[NCC1701A]

37 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

No, these people from rich countries are going there to save money.

Bamrungrad is run just to make money. 

 I said rich people, not from rich countries. so you have all the money in the world and i am mean money is a complete and total non issue and you have a serious health problem and you go to a bad hospital TO SAVE MONEY?

[JimmyTheMook]

A big factor - there is 0 malpractice insurance in place for doctors in Thailand.