I thought healthcare in Thailand was supposed to be cheap?

[Sheryl]

13 hours ago, Startmeup said:

One melanoma and two pre melanoma can't remember the technical term all needed to be removed with urgency. $350 each. $180 for skin check and three biopsies. 

 

 

The problem in Thailand is:

 

1 - accuracy of initial diagnosis/ recognition that a lesion might be a melanoma

 

2 - completeness of removal and reliability of path report re margins

 

Both require experience that is almost completely lacking here.

[Sheryl]

13 hours ago, Startmeup said:

 

 

Ive asked many local clinics to do this. They all say need to go to hospital. Has this been your experience? 
 

 

Most outpatient medical care in Thailand is done in OPD departments of hospitals.

 

Stand alone derm clinics are usually oriented to cosmetic procedures (and further, to ones popular with Thais) and won't have liquid nitrogen

 

There is one clinic i Bangkok where you can get cryo done by a British GP

 

https://www.medconsultasia.com/

 

Best to make appointment by email or Line, don't try through website does not work well.

 

[KhunLA]

22 hours ago, KhunLA said:

That was a few years ago, might be 500 baht now .. ????

 

https://www.google.co.th/maps/place/Dr.+Somchai+Skin+Clinic/@17.4032795,102.7906209,3a,75y,295.98h,95.36t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1shwf8q3mbNgIuUqhg3zmXgA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3Dhwf8q3mbNgIuUqhg3zmXgA%26cb_client%3Dsearch.revgeo_and_fetch.gps%26w%3D96%26h%3D64%26yaw%3D218.00638%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192!4m15!1m8!3m7!1s0x3123bb9daaf86e17:0xc7c2925a6c37e461!2sAmphoe+Rd,+Tambon+Nong+O,+Amphoe+Nong+Wua+So,+Chang+Wat+Udon+Thani+41220!3b1!8m2!3d17.1632764!4d102.5733009!16s%2Fg%2F1hm5xxzmd!3m5!1s0x31239d75d7c79815:0x75f9371106e6c0b9!8m2!3d17.4033385!4d102.7904978!16s%2Fg%2F1hc55rtwm

This dermatologist does use Liquid Nitrogen ... and anyone happens to be in the need or in the area/passing thru.  A little dab will do you, for those small spots.

 

IF not having access to a clinic with LN, then go buy some Swensen's take away ice cream, as they will usually pack it in dry ice.  Self administer (with tweezers) some dry ice to a small skin growth, till very uncomfortable (burnng ????), and that will do the same thing.   

 

I've done that a few times with success.   You got like 7 layers of skin, so freezing/burning a few won't hurt you, permanently, or scar you.  You won't be able to hold it there that long to hurt yourself, unless into a bit of S&M.

[superal]

14 hours ago, Startmeup said:

Blood test example of what I have priced recently. Both private orders.

All those who say Im mad, show me where it can be done cheaper, Id love to be proven wrong. Same goes for Dexa scan. This is what im up against any time im looking for a blood test that is any ways out of the ordinary. Not to mention the one month waiting time for these results in Bangkok.

BKK 16,750 baht

Aus 11,000 baht

 

I had a cholesterol fasting blood test at my local gov; hospital and it gave results within 2 hours and the fee was 450 baht . Very good as the UK  NHS will take 1 week . So although I have criticised the Thai gov; hospitals on falang prices in the past , occaisionally they are a good deal 

[Startmeup]

2 hours ago, superal said:

I had a cholesterol fasting blood test at my local gov; hospital and it gave results within 2 hours and the fee was 450 baht . Very good as the UK  NHS will take 1 week . So although I have criticised the Thai gov; hospitals on falang prices in the past , occaisionally they are a good deal 

This is the most basic of blood markers, there is nowhere that does blood tests for health that wouldn't do this test. The problem is finding somebody who can interpret them properly.

 

This is going off topic but What most people dont know is what the reference ranges relate to. Came across this a few times but recently again.

 

Most people - oh great im in the reference range

 

Most people who know about health - Ok im in the reference range today but what was the reference range 30/40/50 years ago when people were actually healthy.

 

The reference ranges are simple a snapshot of the health of the population today. Far less healthy with the industrialised modern food pyramid scam diet than 50 years ago. For example liver function testing. 40 years ago the upper end of the reference range for men for ALT was 20. Today in Australia that has increased to around 40. Simply because the population has gotten less healthy the goalpost get moved. Results shouldn't be interpreted in  the context of the population but in the context of optimal health. You won't get this from a normal GP/Doctor etc. 

 

 

2 hours is fast, 1 week is slow. I've been quoted 470 baht in Bangkok for 

Lipid Studies:

          -Cholesterol, HDL/LDL, Non-HDL Cholesterol, Triglycerides, LDL/HDL Ratio, Chol/HDL Ratio  

Edited March 4, 2023 by Startmeup

[spidermike007]

It is quite reasonable. I visit the emergency room here to visit a specialist, and with x-rays I am out the door for 2000 baht, at a private hospital. In the US? $300-2000.

 

An anecdote on this subject. A good friend of mine got in a bad motorcycle accident some time ago. He almost lost his leg. He got his first of 11 operations at Bangkok Hospital Samui. It costs him over a million baht. They wanted to do a second procedure. They quoted him 1,400,000 baht. He decided to transfer to Bangkok. He was quoted 460,000 baht for the same procedure, at a top private hospital there. The surgeon told him that he worked at a public hospital too, and could do the same operation there, for alot less money. He told him he would get him a quote. In the interim, my friend called a good friend of his, in San Diego, who is an orthopedic surgeon. Since my friend is a retired chiropractor, he knew all the terminology, and explained what he needed, and asked for the best price. His friend called him back the next day, and quoted him $960,000, with cash discounts! The local surgeon here got back to him, and told him he could do it for 46,000 baht. He transferred, and they did all the rest of his procedures. So, 1,400,000 at Bangkok Hospital, 460,000 at Vejthani Hospital, and 46,000 at the public hospital, with an excellent surgeon. VS. 31,000,000 baht in the US. Again, no complaints from this peanut gallery.

 

[TheAppletons]

I recommend Bangkok R.I.A. group for blood work - they have a lab in CM and I took the "General Public" package that includes:

 

Complete blood count testing (CBC)

Fasting blood sugar (FBS)

Hemoglobin A1C screening

Cholesterol, Triglyceride, HDL, LDL screening

Liver screening (SGOT, SGPT, Alk.phospatase, Total Protein, Albumin, Bilirubin, Globulin)

Kidney screening (BUN, Creatinine)

Uric acid testing

Urine analysis

Hepatitis B virus screening (HBs Ag, HBs Ab, HBc Ab)

(And I added a pancreatic enzymes test for a small extra fee.)

 

Results emailed within 36 hours; the cost was under 3,000 thb.  (They have more comprehensive packages as well.)  The website lists their Bangkok location.

 

https://www.brianet.com/en/map-and-contact/

[cnmltd]

On 3/2/2023 at 7:06 PM, stoner said:

got a root canal done last week. fantastic work almost totally painless she was like a ninja with that needle.

 

no more than say 2 hours in the chair and 2100 baht later my tooth was fixed. 

 

back home you are looking at 20000b up for the same work. 

 

 

Who was that with?

[stoner]

37 minutes ago, cnmltd said:

Who was that with?

some lady down the street from me. my wife found it. i could take a pic of the office for you if you want the info. 

[fusion58]

Try pricing any of those procedures in the U.S., i.e., a place where lobbyists and healthcare profiteers own politicians and basically write their own legislation.

[Startmeup]

2 hours ago, TheAppletons said:

I recommend Bangkok R.I.A. group for blood work - they have a lab in CM and I took the "General Public" package that includes:

 

Complete blood count testing (CBC)

Fasting blood sugar (FBS)

Hemoglobin A1C screening

Cholesterol, Triglyceride, HDL, LDL screening

Liver screening (SGOT, SGPT, Alk.phospatase, Total Protein, Albumin, Bilirubin, Globulin)

Kidney screening (BUN, Creatinine)

Uric acid testing

Urine analysis

Hepatitis B virus screening (HBs Ag, HBs Ab, HBc Ab)

(And I added a pancreatic enzymes test for a small extra fee.)

 

Results emailed within 36 hours; the cost was under 3,000 thb.  (They have more comprehensive packages as well.)  The website lists their Bangkok location.

 

https://www.brianet.com/en/map-and-contact/

I still have my email quote from them from May last year. They were more expensive than Bangkok Lab for what I wanted. Approx 2-3000 more expensive.

They quoted me 15000 baht for what costs 6000 baht in Australia.

 

Definitely one of the most competitive I have found in Bangkok though, worth checking with them.

Edited March 4, 2023 by Startmeup

[GinBoy2]

The myth of cheap quality medical care in Thailand is rapidly imploding.

 

Yes if push comes to shove you get treatment in the local Nakorn Backofbeyond government hospital it might be cheap, but cross your fingers you'll come out alive.

 

If you're talking about any Western style hospital care, you'd probably be better off at home

 

As for dentistry, I had two crowns which failed after 20 years replaced by a top ranked dentist in Thonglor,

Both failed within 24 months. My US dentist who replaced them wasn't exactly complementary on the quality of the work I had received!

Edited March 4, 2023 by GinBoy2

[internationalism]

29 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

The myth of cheap quality medical care in Thailand is rapidly imploding.

 

Yes if push comes to shove you get treatment in the local Nakorn Backofbeyond government hospital it might be cheap, but cross your fingers you'll come out alive.

 

If you're talking about any Western style hospital care, you'd probably be better off at home

 

As for dentistry, I had two crowns which failed after 20 years replaced by a top ranked dentist in Thonglor,

Both failed within 24 months. My US dentist who replaced them wasn't exactly complementary on the quality of the work I had received!

move to a large city with choice of many governmental hospitals. I have 3 within 10km radius, including 2 university ones.

You can register with as many hospitals as you wish and chose which treatment you do at each of them.

4 nights stay 14k - 6k for tests/treatments/doctors and 8k for a bed/food/nursing on  a common ward

[jerrymahoney]

5 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

The myth of cheap quality medical care in Thailand is rapidly imploding.

 

Yes if push comes to shove you get treatment in the local Nakorn Backofbeyond government hospital it might be cheap, but cross your fingers you'll come out alive.

 

If you're talking about any Western style hospital care, you'd probably be better off at home

South Dakota near bottom of hospital system quality rankings
-- May 11, 2022 

 

(The Center Square) – South Dakota is among the worst states in the nation for hospital safety, according to a new report.

 

The Leapfrog Group ranked South Dakota 45th after analyzing nearly 3,000 acute-care hospitals across the U.S. for patient safety. 

 

Only 10% of the hospitals it investigated in South Dakota received an "A" grade. 

 

https://www.thecentersquare.com/south_dakota/article_ce1211ae-d168-11ec-9b84-23090bca6ff2.html

 

 

 

 

[NextG]

On 3/2/2023 at 6:37 PM, IvorBiggun2 said:

I think dentist here are crooks. 

Stupid people pay stupid prices. 
My dentist here is world class, conscientious and very generous. Her work was inspected and praised by dentists in the U.K. 

 

[Denim]

Just now, NextG said:

Stupid people pay stupid prices. 
My dentist here is world class, conscientious and very generous. Her work was inspected and praised by dentists in the U.K. 

 

My dentist too , Doctor Hemawan at Paolo Kasetsart. Took my mother there when she was over. Still says the best dentist she ever had .

[NextG]

8 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

The myth of cheap quality medical care in Thailand is rapidly imploding.

 

Yes if push comes to shove you get treatment in the local Nakorn Backofbeyond government hospital it might be cheap, but cross your fingers you'll come out alive.

 

If you're talking about any Western style hospital care, you'd probably be better off at home

 

As for dentistry, I had two crowns which failed after 20 years replaced by a top ranked dentist in Thonglor,

Both failed within 24 months. My US dentist who replaced them wasn't exactly complementary on the quality of the work I had received!

I did my research and chose to have my work done outside Bangkok… 
Was quoted 65,000 to 80,000 plus extras in Bangkok. Paid 40,000 all in at a private hospital outside Bangkok. 

[Ralf001]

5 minutes ago, NextG said:

I did my research and chose to have my work done outside Bangkok… 
Was quoted 65,000 to 80,000 plus extras in Bangkok. Paid 40,000 all in at a private hospital outside Bangkok. 

great saving.

 

does this hospital outside of bangkok have a location/name ?

[NextG]

3 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

great saving.

 

does this hospital outside of bangkok have a location/name ?

Yes. Phyathai Sri Racha. Though Ms Suwangatte moved on to private practice in Bang Saen. 
Along with the experience of others here; the best dentist/maxillofacial surgeon ever for me and I don’t go anywhere else. I even travel to Thailand specifically to see her. 

[brianthainess]

I paid 1,500 baht for a blood test at government hospital. 

[Felton Jarvis]

Thailand is cheaper compared to the United States.  That does not mean that you can't run up a bill that you will have difficulty paying.  I wish we ALL had access to a system like the UK's NHS.

[Ralf001]

41 minutes ago, NextG said:

Yes. Phyathai Sri Racha. Though Ms Suwangatte moved on to private practice in Bang Saen. 
Along with the experience of others here; the best dentist/maxillofacial surgeon ever for me and I don’t go anywhere else. I even travel to Thailand specifically to see her. 

good hospital.

 

thats my registered hospital for social security.

[The Old Bull]

On 3/2/2023 at 6:49 PM, userabcd said:

Not true at all. They have an abundance of dentists and some of the best dental care in the world.

The price of a screw in tooth has more than tripled over the past few years. I guess they figure that if they charge a few dollars less than the USA the customers will pour in. However if they really want customers they should be charging less than eastern Europe.

[superal]

1 hour ago, Felton Jarvis said:

Thailand is cheaper compared to the United States.  That does not mean that you can't run up a bill that you will have difficulty paying.  I wish we ALL had access to a system like the UK's NHS.

Sorry to tell you that the UKs NHS is in trouble with some patients waiting 2,3 or 4 years for non-urgent operations . Serious shortage of nurses & doctors and trying to get an appointment with your local doctor is a joke . Call them on the phone and you may be number 20 in a queue and finally get an appointment in 2 weeks time or a phone call consultation from the doctor with a 3 minute time limit . NHS say they are 100,000 nurses short . Could be the end in sight for the mismanaged NHS .

[scubascuba3]

3 hours ago, brianthainess said:

I paid 1,500 baht for a blood test at government hospital. 

Sounds expensive depending on the tests

[thaibeachlovers]

On 3/3/2023 at 12:37 AM, IvorBiggun2 said:

I think dentist here are crooks. 

Not as crooked as ones in London. I had all my dentistry done in Thailand as waaaaaay cheaper than the UK.

[crouchpeter]

On 3/3/2023 at 6:32 AM, Adumbration said:

More than a decade and a half ago I needed signficant dental work done in Australia.  I went to the dentist and got a written quote.  When the girl gave it to me I laughed in her face.  It was just over 18,000 dollars AUD.  I flew to Bangkok and had the work done at Prom Jai dental in Thong Lor.  The cost was just over 2,000 AUD all up.  And they keep asking me if I wanted a letter to claim if on insurance.

Extensive dental work and its high cost is regarded by dentists as the penalty patients pay for a lifetime of poor oral hygiene, laziness, and not having regular check-ups.

[lopburi3]

6 minutes ago, crouchpeter said:

Extensive dental work and its high cost is regarded by dentists as the penalty patients pay for a lifetime of poor oral hygiene, laziness, and not having regular check-ups.

That would make them egotistical hypocrites as grandfather and 2 uncles were dentists - and they also had dental issues.   

[scorecard]

Just for clarity... you quote many prices in Australia. Are these prices totally outside of OZ Medicare coverage, i.e. totally private doctor and path., scans etc costs?

[crouchpeter]

16 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

That would make them egotistical hypocrites as grandfather and 2 uncles were dentists - and they also had dental issues.   

Do you understand the word "extensive"?