Chiang Mai Ram Bill

[sleepyjohn]

After reading through the other posts on this forum I shall ask my friend, who is in quite a responsible position, if she knows anything about a two tier pricing system. Stay tuned.

I would suggest it's no good complaining here unless the complaint is done properly so it becomes feedback to those with power. It is no good complaining to an underling, not in Thailand, and it's certainly not helpful to be angry. The post about the baby sounds appalling. I hope you complained in that case. If you don't complain......properly but politely.....how will things change?

[cnxmike]

Last year I went to the Chiang Mai Ram , because i had a swollen finger. They suggested to make a cut into the finger. I would have costed me B 4000. Later I went to the Mc Comerick. They did for B 200!!!

B 4000 vs B 200. That's incredible.

[Rabbit]

<br />After reading through the other posts on this forum I shall ask my friend, who is in quite a responsible position, if she knows anything about a two tier pricing system. Stay tuned.<br />I would suggest it's no good complaining here unless the complaint is done properly so it becomes feedback to those with power. It is no good complaining to an underling, not in Thailand, and it's certainly not helpful to be angry. The post about the baby sounds appalling. I hope you complained in that case. If you don't complain......properly but politely.....how will things change?<br /><br />

<br /><br /><br />

Sleepyjohn, I assume you are talking about the post about the birth of my son?

Of course we made a complaint about our expereince. We received 1 phone call from some desk jockey assuring us they would look into the situation. My wife fully explained everything that happened and the things we were not happy about with service provided at the Cm ram.

I did not put my experience in the forum to complain, I simply put it here to make others aware of the poor service as I would not like anyone regardless of who they are experience poor services with something so important in our lives as health care.

[PeaceBlondie]

Can someone please tell me if i went to the right place today?

I went to (i think) Suan Dok. It is inside grounds with a lot of medical buildings. The building i went to was around 2 buildings down from the main gate entrance on the left hand side. It had a lot of blue/grey glass on the outside, some steps leading up and a huge lobby area. A lot of songtaew were waiting around outside. I saw no signs in English, all in Thai, so i dont know if it was the correct place, can only assume it is. I was given a natural coloured slip of paper to fill out with new patient info and a piece of pink paper written in thai that i had to write my name on and sign along with it. As i had turned up in the afternoon the receptionist told me to come back early tomorrow morning as there was 300 people waiting to be seen upstairs! Wow!

So erm..well sorry for the brief discription..not sure what else to say, but ..is this the correct building?

I doubt that it is the building I referred to in my prior post, which is a white 15 story building right next to Suthep Road, facing the moat. It is not two buildings down from a main entrance; your description sounds more like where the regular Thai patients come, especially if there would be 300 people waiting. The special clinic on the 13th floor of Sripat can hold maybe half that many. If you're going back early tomorrow, give it a go and see what happens. But I don't think you're in the special clinic, especially if you don't get to floor 13. However, that sounds like the place I was referred to, for the surgeon who did operate on me after all, so you might get good service. But it might be too brief, and your doctor might be used to almost all Thai patients. If it's Sripat, you should be seen within 40 minutes of your appointment, and the charge should be 250 to 350 baht for the appointment. On the regular Thai side, I wasn't charged for appointments, just when they removed my bandages.

[eek]

Thanks PB, i had a feeling it didnt match up. Tbh I think i will pass on going tomorrow morning. Not because i dont feel i will get good service, but because i found it a bit overwhelming. I know im in Thailand, and although i do try, my level of Thai is basic and it was difficult to communicate. When it comes to my health and symptoms i need to feel im understood well.

[PeaceBlondie]

Thanks PB, i had a feeling it didnt match up. Tbh I think i will pass on going tomorrow morning. Not because i dont feel i will get good service, but because i found it a bit overwhelming. I know im in Thailand, and although i do try, my level of Thai is basic and it was difficult to communicate. When it comes to my health and symptoms i need to feel im understood well.

I don't blame you. I only went to the mass clinic with my northern Thai partner to interpet and to lead me through the maze. At Sripat I've never needed a helper or interpreter, although he sometimes goes with me anyway. Try the clinic on the first floor (reception) close to the road, at the first entrance coming from Suan Dok gate (right turn into the complex if approaching from the town center; then it's immediately on the left side). I've had a couple dozen appointments in the last 4.3 years and never spoke Thai. Even nurses' helpers know how to say 'blood pressure' and your name. I've never met a doctor at that hospital who couldn't explain it in English.

[sleepyjohn]

Well I asked my friend and she said it's sure the prices are the same across the board at the Ram. Thais also get bills for neung san sometimes and also occasionally complain. She says they only use brand name imported medicines and that may be more expensive.

She said the best place to complain is via the website and it goes through due process. Apparently there's a staff newspaper that sometimes has complaints in it.

[tigerbeer]

Well I asked my friend and she said it's sure the prices are the same across the board at the Ram. Thais also get bills for neung san sometimes and also occasionally complain. She says they only use brand name imported medicines and that may be more expensive.

She said the best place to complain is via the website and it goes through due process. Apparently there's a staff newspaper that sometimes has complaints in it.

Sleepyjohn, tell your friend that i also buy brand name medications outside of cm ram for at least 50% to 100% cheaper. Shame on CM Ram.

[cnxmike]

@tigerbeer

I doubt that you can buy anything 100% cheaper

[tigerbeer]

@tigerbeer

I doubt that you can buy anything 100% cheaper

its called free ! .. ooppss sorry guys. its normally 100% more expensive at CM Ram, slipped the mind that it doesnt work the other way around .. never does

Edited July 18, 2007 by tigerbeer

[BlissfullyIgnorant]

Suan Dokh is the best and fairest hospital in CM

If you value your health...give CMR a very wide berth

x2

[sleepyjohn]

Sleepyjohn, tell your friend that i also buy brand name medications outside of cm ram for at least 50% to 100% cheaper. Shame on CM Ram.

Actually that's exactly what I do, buy outside. I started because Khun Nalin at the Thapei Gate Pharmacy owed me a large refund and I took several scripts from the Ram. Looks like I may as well carry on.

While we're at it, shame on the land of the $5 aspirin from whom the Ram no doubt borrowed the idea (if it is true), the place where you can get ill trying to make the obscene money required if you are ill.

200 baht sure ain't much for a consultation, well under a tenth of the US.

Actually I seem to remember the medical group Ram belongs to makes quite modest profits.

Devil's Advocate.

[richard10365]

Maybe Chiang Mai Ram should be called Chiang Mai Scam. They tried inflating my bill as well. I caught their error and made them give me a refund. I had to go to their accounting department to get my refund, but I did get it.

I think the hospital should be investigated for fraud.

[chuchok]

Actually I seem to remember the medical group Ram belongs to makes quite modest profits.

Devil's Advocate.

And there lies the problem.

friend of mine took his wife to one of the above mentioned hospitals after she had a motorbike accident.They told her that her arm was broken and put her in a "back-slab".After a close inspection of the x-ray, my mate asked the Doctor exactlt where abouts the break was,because the untrained eye could not spot it.Well the arm was not broken at all &lt;deleted&gt;!!

[sleepyjohn]

friend of mine took his wife to one of the above mentioned hospitals after she had a motorbike accident.They told her that her arm was broken and put her in a "back-slab".After a close inspection of the x-ray, my mate asked the Doctor exactlt where abouts the break was,because the untrained eye could not spot it.Well the arm was not broken at all &lt;deleted&gt;!!

You know you can call me old fashioned, but I can't quite believe that a doctor would treat someone as if they had a broken arm to make money, and not even for himself, for a company he works for. Perhaps there was a mistake or some miscommunication or poor translation? Perhaps they were being extra careful?

[altman]

ok. i've been to suan duak, aka maharaj. at the special clinic. you know you're in the right place if it is on the 13th floor and the elevators are slower than... well, they are very slow. faster to walk up and down. healthier too.

i found their service to be very good, except for the consultant that finally looked at my cat scan. i felt that he felt that he couldn't be bothered with a farang. but it may have just been my impression, so i wouldn't mind going back. but i am not sure it is any cheaper than cmr. and it is certainly not as aesthetically appealing.

generally i like cmr, but i do think they are over pricing the meds.

still thinking of trying lanna. any input on lanna?

[chuchok]

friend of mine took his wife to one of the above mentioned hospitals after she had a motorbike accident.They told her that her arm was broken and put her in a "back-slab".After a close inspection of the x-ray, my mate asked the Doctor exactlt where abouts the break was,because the untrained eye could not spot it.Well the arm was not broken at all &lt;deleted&gt;!!

You know you can call me old fashioned, but I can't quite believe that a doctor would treat someone as if they had a broken arm to make money, and not even for himself, for a company he works for. Perhaps there was a mistake or some miscommunication or poor translation? Perhaps they were being extra careful?

100% true i'm afraid.They didn't even want to hand over the xrays.No translation problems at all,because my mate speaks good Thai.Sheepish is the way he used to describe the Doctor.

[likite]

friend of mine took his wife to one of the above mentioned hospitals after she had a motorbike accident.They told her that her arm was broken and put her in a "back-slab".After a close inspection of the x-ray, my mate asked the Doctor exactlt where abouts the break was,because the untrained eye could not spot it.Well the arm was not broken at all &lt;deleted&gt;!!

You know you can call me old fashioned, but I can't quite believe that a doctor would treat someone as if they had a broken arm to make money, and not even for himself, for a company he works for. Perhaps there was a mistake or some miscommunication or poor translation? Perhaps they were being extra careful?

100% true i'm afraid.They didn't even want to hand over the xrays.No translation problems at all,because my mate speaks good Thai.Sheepish is the way he used to describe the Doctor.

Even if they were not out to make money the medical expertise is not up to much.

Lets face it medical treatment here is a business like any other - profit or loss.

[ChiangMaiThai]

Been to Ram at least a dozen times. GF just got done with a three day stay there for minor surgery. Close friend gave birth there. No complaints at all. You know before you go in that it's going to cost more. But always had a good experience except for emergency room care in the middle of the night. They had to wake up the Doctor who didn't seem pleased with having his sleep interrupted. Seems like he should sleep during the day...

GF refused to go to any government hospital. Work associate apparently just went to one of the govt. hospitals here with a stomach ache, had surgery and died. Anyway, there's probably more to the story.

Oh yeah, girlfriend just stayed for 3 nights to get a tonsillectomy. Stayed on the 11th floor at 1300 a night. Total cost 36000. I got the same procedure done a couple years back, but only stayed one night- at Bumrungrad- 75,000 Baht...

Edited July 19, 2007 by ChiangMaiThai

[lebeau69]

Maybe Chiang Mai Ram should be called Chiang Mai Scam. They tried inflating my bill as well. I caught their error and made them give me a refund. I had to go to their accounting department to get my refund, but I did get it.

I think the hospital should be investigated for fraud.