Top 5 reasons why Aussies choose medical tourism in Thailand

[webfact]

Top 5 reasons why Aussies choose medical tourism in Thailand

By The Thaiger

 

 

“With more than 15,000 Aussies travelling to Thailand each year for medical tourism, the country is a burgeoning market for cosmetic procedures. There are numerous Thai doctors who already have more than a 90% Australian client base. The landscape is certainly changing when it comes to price, surgical quality, convenience and post-recuperation.”

 

Darren Lyons from medical information site MyMediTravel has seen an influx of Australian medical patients flocking to Thai destinations; from Bangkok to Phuket. And the facts don’t lie. 

 

Australians are now spending in excess of US$300 million on a variety of diverse treatments from rhinoplasty and facelifts to breast augmentation and even cardiology. Due to an ageing population and long waiting lists, many Aussies are turning to Thailand to help them achieve their healthcare goals. So, what are the five main reasons Australians are heading all the way up to South East Asia for their medical and cosmetic requirements?

 

1. Exclusive Hospitals

Groundbreaking technology across Thai hospitals and clinics are a real attraction for medical tourists. Heavy investment into Bumungrad International Hospital and Bangkok Hospital Bangkok in the capital makes them two of the largest private medical facilities in the country which has seen an influx of Aussie patients. 

 

The latter utilizes Specialist Beam Surgery to treat cancer patients whilst open heart surgery is becoming popular thanks to Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass or OPCAB. Meanwhile, an entire sports injury rehab wing exists where a host of Australian sports stars from soccer, Aussie Rules and boxing have been successfully treated. There is even an on-site shopping center and a McDonalds!

 

Across the 60-plus JCI-accredited hospitals, hotel style amenities also attract Aussie patients looking for state-of-the-art medical services. Since 2013, Bumungrad Hospital has treated more than a staggering one million patients including more than 10,000 from Australia. 

 

Catering to international patients’ needs, hospital wards have transformed into plush buildings filled with luxury amenities. These feature dedicated check-in, complimentary lounges, travel agents for arranging visa extensions and boutique style rooms. Accommodation comes complete with separate living room, en-suite, kitchen and WIFI providing the opportunity for family and visitors to stay.

 

2. Healthcare Standards

Adhering to US international standards of care, Australians have realised the potential for quality healthcare in Thailand. The patient to nurse ratio is also another key factor with Australian patients receiving one nurse per eight patients compared to Thailand where it is one nurse per four patients. 

 

3. Accessibility 

Travel has never been easier and more cost-effective for Australians benefitting from direct routes to the region. Thai Airways provide non-stop flights daily to Bangkok from major cities including Sydney and Melbourne. There’s also direct flights into Phuket from the east coast cities (with JetStar). Once in Thailand, international patients can select a range of affordable internal airlines offering flights to stunning beach resorts and tropical locations such as Koh Samui and Phuket. 

 

4. Value

Enticing prices on treatment sees Australian patients save around 30%-40% across a wealth of procedures with identical medical care and drugs. With increasing competition to keep prices low, this fiercely-competitive market is a haven for patients. For example, a facelift in Australia costs around A$10,000 whilst facelifts in Thailand are priced around A$4,200.

 

5. Global Destination

Thailand has recently established itself as a global medical tourism destination turning over more than US$5 billion in the last five years alone. Australian patients are seeing the advantage of combining top-notch, price-busting cosmetic treatment with an unforgettable vacation that has seen half a million plus patients visit the region already.

 

Source: https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/tourism/top-5-reasons-why-aussies-choose-medical-tourism-in-thailand

 

 

-- © Copyright The Thaiger 2019-09-18

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[keith101]

Weren't these hospitals in the news recently for overcharging up to 300% over normal prices and Bumungrad tried to charge 25,000 for an MRI on my shoulder last year to which I said no because it was more than half my Age Pension .

[the guest]

What they don't tell you if something goes wrong, say with an operation. What measures are there to protect the patient? In the west, all in the medical profession are held responsible for their actions, I doubt this applies in Thailand !

[wisperone]

This is nothing more than a paid advertisement disguised as shoddy journalism. Shame.

[Aussie Jo]

What a load of (paid) <deleted>! Aussies are (were) ONLY coming for cosmetic surgery HOWEVER with the increase in the baht AND the greediness of Thai hospitals charging foreigners high prices they can kiss this trade goodbye!

[Vacuum]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

“With more than 15,000 Aussies travelling to Thailand each year for medical tourism, the country is a burgeoning market for cosmetic procedures.

I wouldn't call "cosmetic procedures" as medical treatment.

[samjaidee]

US$300,000,000 / 15,000 = US$20,000 average spend.

Even if there are 20,000 Aussies coming for treatment that would still be an average spend of US$15,000.

 

US$15,000 = AUS$22,000 approx.

US$20,000 = AUS$29,000 approx.

That seems to be a very high average spend when your consider that a facelift is only AUS$4,200 in Thailand.

Maybe somebody has been playing with the figures.

[JimHuaHin]

As we say in Australia - <deleted>.

 

This is merely an advertisement.

[tifino]

1 minute ago, JimHuaHin said:

As we say in Australia - <deleted>.

 

This is merely an advertisement.

 

 "Crikey!!!"

[HeyHeyHey]

3 hours ago, the guest said:

What they don't tell you if something goes wrong, say with an operation. What measures are there to protect the patient? In the west, all in the medical profession are held responsible for their actions, I doubt this applies in Thailand !

You can go to central / eastern Europe and get the procedures even for half price in Thailand.

 

With doctors and nurses who have excellent education, and system with all the safety nets.

[atyclb]

add reason #6: because they dont know about india and vietnam(excellent dental care 1/3 thai price.

[PoorSucker]

6. Medical marjuana. 

[PhonThong]

3 hours ago, the guest said:

What they don't tell you if something goes wrong, say with an operation. What measures are there to protect the patient? In the west, all in the medical profession are held responsible for their actions, I doubt this applies in Thailand !

One of the reasons cost are lower in Thailand. Doctors are not paying such high premiums on malpractice insurance.  

[dundas]

Maybe there's value for Australians if the procedure is not covered by the Australian health system. But for anything else, there's quite a lot of risk and compared to the Australia price, it's not cheap at all. In 2012 I had a minor (non-cosmetic) procedure done in RAM Hospital in Chiang Mai after the surgeon convinced me that I was at risk of becoming 'a medical emergency.' It cost around THB60,000 including an overnight stay, but would have been performed at no charge in Australia.

In 2013 I also had a dental implant and crown procedure in Chiang Mai – cost at the time worked out to around $A3,000, although with the current exchange rate it would be a lot more than that. I wasn't satisfied with the treatment: the dental assistants stayed in the room when they took x-rays (and to me that spoke volumes about their hygiene procedures), the dentist  kept trying to up-sell and make the procedure more complicated and more expensive (eg bone grafts) than it needed to be, and to this day I don't know if I was given the top-grade implant I paid for or just any old locally made one. In fairness, it's six years later and that implant has given me no trouble.

A couple of years ago I had a similar implant procedure done in Australia by a dentist who specialises in implants and who considers Thailand as his competition.  Unlike the Thai dentist, he guarantees his work (if the implant fails within a specified time frame, either do the job again at no charge or give me my money back). So far, no problem.  I'm now about to get a third implant from the same Australian dentist: cost for the whole procedure (extraction of the old tooth/3D x-ray/implant/crown) is around $A3,300, but my health insurance coverage of around ~$2,200 will leave me paying a total bill of about $1100.

If I wanted a cosmetic procedure that isn't covered under the Australian health system I might still consider Thailand, but for the most part I now see very little benefit in coming to Thailand for medical or dental treatment. 

[DrTuner]

If I've understood correctly India is cheaper and as good. 

[metisdead]

An inflammatory post has been reported and removed. 

[White Christmas13]

6 hours ago, the guest said:

What they don't tell you if something goes wrong, say with an operation. What measures are there to protect the patient? In the west, all in the medical profession are held responsible for their actions, I doubt this applies in Thailand !

yes a large number returning to Australia have to have an second operation

to repair the mistakes made by Thai doctors just watch Aussie TV

[geoff65]

7 hours ago, the guest said:

What they don't tell you if something goes wrong, say with an operation. What measures are there to protect the patient? In the west, all in the medical profession are held responsible for their actions, I doubt this applies in Thailand !

Thats a very simple answer, these morons come home and its us, the tax payers who foot their medical costs to have the stuff ups reparied. 

[asean]

10 hours ago, keith101 said:

Weren't these hospitals in the news recently for overcharging up to 300% over normal prices and Bumungrad tried to charge 25,000 for an MRI on my shoulder last year to which I said no because it was more than half my Age Pension .

For next time may i recommend prachachuen imaging. They're open from 6am to midnight and they got me in on the same day (due to cancellation) full english speaking service and the consulting radiology report was second to none. Hips and lower spine 8,000 baht. I have no share or interest in the business its just that i was so impressed with the service that i swore to myself to spread the word. While there i also saw ambulances bringing patients from local hospitals for imaging.

[White Christmas13]

2 hours ago, geoff65 said:

Thats a very simple answer, these morons come home and its us, the tax payers who foot their medical costs to have the stuff ups reparied. 

I agree to some part but the tax payers do not foot the bill for that

[Toadie]

After being recently back in Aus for awhile I can say there is a growing need for cosmetic surgey...

 

I was recently at a doctors there and a male staff had labelled on his shirt, "cosmetic injector". Tell me I'm the only one that finds that funny.

 

If I stick this in you, you'll smile better....

[atyclb]

14 hours ago, DrTuner said:

If I've understood correctly India is cheaper and as good. 

 

india has quite a good standard in medical education and facilities ofcourse some are limited by budget (public hospitals) they use the british system of medical education. i have known many excellent indian doctors in usa. their grads are known to do very well on usa medical training entry exams.

 

google  "apollo hospitals"

[owenm]

I saw a specialist in BKK about an inguinal hernia issue that I needed to have treated. He quoted me 120-140k Thb plus hospital costs for open surgery. Because I'd previously had a hernia on same side, 15-20 yrs ago, he suggested going for laparoscopic keyhole surgery instead, which he didn't do, but offered to refer me to another specialist /surgeon. The additional cost was approx. 30k Bht. The total cost for keyhole including 3 nights hospital admission around 200k Bht or AUD 10k..

 

I had Bupa private health insurance before I left Australia 4 yrs ago, which I had deferred for 2yrs, paid one month's premium, and had deferred for another 2yrs.. Deferring your cover keeps you on the same cover as you previously had. No waiting period. Just pay one month's premium and you're covered again immediately..

 

I arranged for a consultation with a Melb specialist via email from Thailand.. Appointment made for the following week, and surgery booked for 5 days later.. He noted at consultation that I required a bilateral inguinal hernia (both groin hernias) as well as an umbilical (belly) hernia, (which I'd since a baby)..

 

The BKK specialist didn't check any further than the side I had a huge golf ball protruding from.. My Melb specialist had a No Gap with my Bupa cover, the private hospital was also a No Gap. Total cost for my annual excess and anaesthesist out of pocket was AUD 800 or 16k Thb.. Total stay 2 nights in hospital.. 

 

More than 10 times more expensive in BKK to have one hernia repaired compared to having three done in Australia.. If i had it done on the public Medicare would have been free, but a wait of 12-18 mths.

 

Not many Aussies know about temporary deferred or cancelled Private Health cover they can retain if living abroad.. You need to show proof of one way travel to outside of Australia, which gives a continuous 2yr "hold" on your home private health cover.. Then can repeat again for another 2 yrs.. While I'm here, also sorted out 2 free prescription glasses from Specsavers, again No Gap .. 

 

And after the surgery, with a painful body for more than a few days, I'm happy I had the procedure in Oz.. 

Would have been more trying in Thailand I think.. 

[oztraveller]

1 hour ago, owenm said:

I arranged for a consultation with a Melb specialist via email from Thailand.

 

Not many Aussies know about temporary deferred or cancelled Private Health cover they can retain if living abroad.. You need to show proof of one way travel to outside of Australia, which gives a continuous 2yr "hold" on your home private health cover.. Then can repeat again for another 2 yrs.. While I'm here, also sorted out 2 free prescription glasses from Specsavers, again No Gap .. 

 

Did you need a referral for the specialist in Australia or already a patient of that specialist? What level of cover are you on to get no gap on Specsavers?

 

I defer/suspend my Bupa when i am in Thailand. I would suspend not cancel the cover though as you would have a waiting time for benefits when you start again on return to Australia. It just takes a call to Bupa to suspend the cover and they email back when it is time to pay the monthly fee to start the cover again if returning to Australia.

Edited September 19, 2019 by oztraveller