Vachira Phuket Hospital to start charging ‘after-hours’ service fee

[snoop1130]

Vachira Phuket Hospital to start charging ‘after-hours’ service fee

By Waranya Prompinpiras

 

Vachira Phuket Hospital will start charging non-emergency patients B100 each for after-hours treatment from May 1. Photo: The Phuket News / file

 

PHUKET:-- Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town, which serves as the main government hospital on the island, will start charging non-emergency patients B100 each for after-hours treatment starting May 1.

 

Vachira Jampatong, a public relations officer at the hospital, told The Phuket News today (Apr 9) that the new fee is being introduced in accordance with a change in policy issued by the Ministry of Health in Bangkok.

 

“It is an order from the Ministry of Public Health, which has ordered all hospitals in the country to charge fees for non-emergency patients who come for treatment after normal clinic operating hours,” she said.

Full Story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/vachira-phuket-hospital-to-start-charging-after-hours-service-fee-71030.php#OxXPdB3tF68liSyR.97

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2019-04-09

[stevenl]

Sensible.

[LivinginKata]

But resident Thais in Phuket should only pay 30 Baht ....

[Lingba]

Now the question is..what is deemed as an "Emergency"....just don't get hurt or sick after hours....

Look ..100 baht isn't a big deal...for most people ...its the principle,,,are they that hard up?...are the doctors any better after hours?...does the staff have to work any differently after hours???...do we get better service after hours?

[stevenl]

34 minutes ago, Lingba said:

Now the question is..what is deemed as an "Emergency"....just don't get hurt or sick after hours....

Look ..100 baht isn't a big deal...for most people ...its the principle,,,are they that hard up?...are the doctors any better after hours?...does the staff have to work any differently after hours???...do we get better service after hours?

This hospital gets swamped day and night with emergencies and all kinds of small illnesses and injuries. So yes, there is a very good reason to try and get the people in during standard operating hours.

[cracker1]

I could feel OK about these charges if staff were being paid "overtime" rates but I suspect that will not be the case ?

I am not sure what their reasoning is for the higher charges.

When I visited my local public hospital on Monday morning, crowd control was chaotic, and I would have thought a discounted rate to encourage after hours visits would be a better idea ? Staff are probably working now three shifts per day with more required between 8.00 am and 4.00 pm.  

[Old Croc]

3 hours ago, Lingba said:

Now the question is..what is deemed as an "Emergency"....just don't get hurt or sick after hours....

Look ..100 baht isn't a big deal...for most people ...its the principle,,,are they that hard up?...are the doctors any better after hours?...does the staff have to work any differently after hours???...do we get better service after hours?

Simple economics.

Costs a lot more to provide full service for people with  minor ailments 24 hours a day.

Obviously hospitals have to be open continuously, but to keep full staffing levels all night to cater for people with a cold or head ache is not sustainable.

 

If 100 baht for hospital treatment is a problem for any expat on this forum, it may be time to head home to their safety net in home country.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 10, 2019 by Old Croc

[LivinginKata]

7 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

<snip>

If 100 baht for hospital treatment is a problem for any expat on this forum, it may be time to head home to their safety net in home country.

 

 

AFAIK this 100 baht is only for Thai residents. Foreigners pay 'private' rates at Vachira.

[Old Croc]

1 minute ago, LivinginKata said:

 

AFAIK this 100 baht is only for Thai residents. Foreigners pay 'private' rates at Vachira.

Agreed, I was wondering why it was even an issue needing to be discussed on this forum.  Then again, why did I bother to reply? (twice!)

[atyclb]

the extra fee is to discourage non emergency "convenience" and "self entitled" patients from tying up emergency services. 

Edited April 10, 2019 by atyclb

[Reigntax]

On 4/10/2019 at 9:41 AM, stevenl said:

This hospital gets swamped day and night with emergencies and all kinds of small illnesses and injuries. So yes, there is a very good reason to try and get the people in during standard operating hours.

Aren't normal operating hours of a hospital 24/7?

 

What the hell do they exist for other than treat people 24/7?

 

Should the police now start charging a service fee to report a crime outside "standard operating hours"?

 

Spent too long in Lala land where nonsense starts to make sense?

[stevenl]

4 hours ago, Reigntax said:

Aren't normal operating hours of a hospital 24/7?

 

What the hell do they exist for other than treat people 24/7?

 

Should the police now start charging a service fee to report a crime outside "standard operating hours"?

 

Spent too long in Lala land where nonsense starts to make sense?

Yes, 24/7 for emergencies. But for a sprained ankle from 8 till 6 is fine.