COVID test prior admission in private hospitals

[Boomer6969]

Below is an email I have just sent to a reputable private hospital located in lower Sukhumvit. I am dead serious about shifting to Siriraj Private, if they are any good in monitoring and treating Barrett Oesophagus and Prostate Cancer. Does anyone have a first hand experience with them? I am interested in items such as: the staff's level of English, bureaucracy and, most importantly, access to the government facilities from the private wing. The other concern I have is that I don't want to be unknowingly be experimented on by medical students.

 

Dear CRM,

 

My CIGNA insurance doesn’t cover COVID 19 test unless the patient presents symptoms to justify such test. They back their policy on the  existing WHO recommendations.

 

Further I would like to point out that I have resided in Thailand without interruption  for over 3 years and hence cannot be considered as an overseas patient, unless the rule of racism was applied.

 

Also, to my knowledge, Thai government hospitals don’t carry out systematic COVID tests at admission, they direct patients presenting symptoms to a dedicated COVID unit.

 

Therefore I am fully in agreement with my Insurer’s policy and I beg you to reconsider the obligation for a domestic patient to be tested or to waive the costs related to your overzealous policy.Otherwise I would have reconsider the trust I have placed in your Hospital for many years.

 

Best regards

[Sheryl]

The private wing of Siriraj will let you be treated directly by senior doctors, that is the whole point.

 

Pretty much all the expertise of Siriraj is accessible through it though for some high tech things you might have to physically go over to the main Siriraj building.

 

English will be limited on the part of the clerical/admin staff and some of the nurses but frankly I find that to be true even at the most expensive "international" hospitals. The doctors will speak English well especially if you choose ones who trained abroad.

 

They have a good team for prostate surgery, and particulalry specialize in robotoc surgery (though can provide other treatments as well). I suggest Prof.  Sittiporn Srinualnad, who is also at Bumrungrad.

 

For Barrett's esophagus I suggest Prof. Thawatchai Akaraviputh.

 

I can't say re rules about COVID testing though.

 

I suspect the rules are for people coming from abroad and you are dealing with clerks who fail to understand thatr you are a long term resident of Thailand.

[bkk6060]

Sorry for your condition.

You are saying that you do not want to get/pay for a Covid test prior to admission?

The government ordered it for any hospital admisssions several weeks ago I think it is a very good idea not sure why you would not want to do this.

[Boomer6969]

On 7/4/2020 at 12:56 PM, Sheryl said:

The private wing of Siriraj will let you be treated directly by senior doctors, that is the whole point.

 

Pretty much all the expertise of Siriraj is accessible through it though for some high tech things you might have to physically go over to the main Siriraj building.

 

English will be limited on the part of the clerical/admin staff and some of the nurses but frankly I find that to be true even at the most expensive "international" hospitals. The doctors will speak English well especially if you choose ones who trained abroad.

 

They have a good team for prostate surgery, and particulalry specialize in robotoc surgery (though can provide other treatments as well). I suggest Prof.  Sittiporn Srinualnad, who is also at Bumrungrad.

 

For Barrett's esophagus I suggest Prof. Thawatchai Akaraviputh.

 

I can't say re rules about COVID testing though.

 

I suspect the rules are for people coming from abroad and you are dealing with clerks who fail to understand thatr you are a long term resident of Thailand.

Was at Bumungrad today for the "preop", and they removed the COVID test from the procedure. The doctor words were: "in mid may, when we made our quotation everyone including myself was scared of COVID, but now the situation is under control"