Family Doctors<> G>P's

[Alphim]

Hi,

In South Africa, UK also, we have access to a family/GP doctor, they keep all your medical records over the years.

I go to see mine every 6 months, he will give me regular chronic medicine prescriptions, hypertension, is there anything similar in Thailand, it seems that most doctors are hospital based and you see who is available?

 

Thank you

[Lacessit]

Apparently GP's don't exist in Thailand, they are all specialists attached to hospitals, and run private clinics when they are not at the hospitals.

 

The only doctor I have seen here who was remotely interested in my previous medical history is my urologist.

 

On the bright side, most doctors here will shovel as many pills at you as they can. The downside of that is one needs to check very carefully for interactions and side effects, because I am pretty sure they don't. On at least two occasions, I have been prescribed medications which I discarded, because on investigation I decided the risk was too high.

[KhunLA]

If not wanting to go to the hospital to Q up, look for these signs.  Ask if they can write a script for meds that you want first.  Some can, some can't ...

 

[Sheryl]

Most meds here do not need scripts. Antihypertensives, heart meds, antibiotics -- all sold over the counter at pharmacies.

 

There is no GP system in Thailand . The closest thing to GPs are specialists in internal medicine but in most cases they do not function in the way OP describes. Even if you go to see them repeatedly over time they will focus each time on your current complaint only. And they refer many things to specialists that GPs in western countries could handle.

 

There are a handful of exceptions though including a good American GP in Bangkok. Where are you located?

[Alphim]

On 6/28/2022 at 4:37 PM, Sheryl said:

Most meds here do not need scripts. Antihypertensives, heart meds, antibiotics -- all sold over the counter at pharmacies.

 

There is no GP system in Thailand . The closest thing to GPs are specialists in internal medicine but in most cases they do not function in the way OP describes. Even if you go to see them repeatedly over time they will focus each time on your current complaint only. And they refer many things to specialists that GPs in western countries could handle.

 

There are a handful of exceptions though including a good American GP in Bangkok. Where are you located?

Thanks, I am in Soi 74 Nawamin, Bangkok

[Alphim]

On 6/28/2022 at 2:27 PM, KhunLA said:

If not wanting to go to the hospital to Q up, look for these signs.  Ask if they can write a script for meds that you want first.  Some can, some can't ...

 

Thank you, I'll look out for them.

[Alphim]

On 6/28/2022 at 2:19 PM, Lacessit said:

Apparently GP's don't exist in Thailand, they are all specialists attached to hospitals, and run private clinics when they are not at the hospitals.

 

The only doctor I have seen here who was remotely interested in my previous medical history is my urologist.

 

On the bright side, most doctors here will shovel as many pills at you as they can. The downside of that is one needs to check very carefully for interactions and side effects, because I am pretty sure they don't. On at least two occasions, I have been prescribed medications which I discarded, because on investigation I decided the risk was too high.

Sounds a bit dodgy, thanks for the warning.

[Sheryl]

15 minutes ago, Alphim said:

Thanks, I am in Soi 74 Nawamin, Bangkok

The American GP is Dr. Nick Walter's at Mission Hospital

https://www.mission-hospital.org/en/our-doctors/40-medical-services/internal-medicine-clinic/959-dr-nick-walters.html

 

 

[lopburi3]

11 hours ago, Alphim said:

Sounds a bit dodgy, thanks for the warning.

Nothing dodgy about it - you get treated by those with training on what your problem is without need to go through another layer to get there.  The cost is about the same for basic or specialist visit.  As for attached to hospitals they are provided space and in return have access to full facilities without the costs involved with setting up own nursing staff/medical lab and such.  A more centralized system that works quite well for most patients.  As for GP most specialists will provide that service if asked, and monitor all areas - but for serious treatment they will send you to another specialist if not their field. 

[Alphim]

16 hours ago, Sheryl said:

The American GP is Dr. Nick Walter's at Mission Hospital

https://www.mission-hospital.org/en/our-doctors/40-medical-services/internal-medicine-clinic/959-dr-nick-walters.html

 

 

Thank you very much.

[Alphim]

4 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

Nothing dodgy about it - you get treated by those with training on what your problem is without need to go through another layer to get there.  The cost is about the same for basic or specialist visit.  As for attached to hospitals they are provided space and in return have access to full facilities without the costs involved with setting up own nursing staff/medical lab and such.  A more centralized system that works quite well for most patients.  As for GP most specialists will provide that service if asked, and monitor all areas - but for serious treatment they will send you to another specialist if not their field. 

Aren't you the one that said 'One the bright side they will shovel as many pills as they can, and twice you've been prescribed medication that on investigation you decided the risk was too high? so these 'trained' doctors shovel pills and you investigate, you a doctor also? Whatever, still still sounds dodgy to me. I think you are missing the point, with a family doctor he knows your history, with a drop in doctor he can only see what's what at that time. 

[Alphim]

On 6/28/2022 at 4:37 PM, Sheryl said:

Most meds here do not need scripts. Antihypertensives, heart meds, antibiotics -- all sold over the counter at pharmacies.

 

There is no GP system in Thailand . The closest thing to GPs are specialists in internal medicine but in most cases they do not function in the way OP describes. Even if you go to see them repeatedly over time they will focus each time on your current complaint only. And they refer many things to specialists that GPs in western countries could handle.

 

There are a handful of exceptions though including a good American GP in Bangkok. Where are you located?

I guess it depends on the pharmacist, I asked at 2 pharmacies for Tramazac Co a painkiller both said not allowed.

[lopburi3]

4 minutes ago, Alphim said:

Aren't you the one that said 'One the bright side they will shovel as many pills as they can, and twice you've been prescribed medication that on investigation you decided the risk was too high?

No I am not the one who wrote that.  But would caution that not all are equal in ability, be they doctors or any other profession. 

[lopburi3]

3 minutes ago, Alphim said:

I guess it depends on the pharmacist, I asked at 2 pharmacies for Tramazac Co a painkiller both said not allowed.

And as has been pointed out sale requires a registered pharmacist on duty - most pharmacies do not have.