The pharmacist will see you now: Has Thailand found cure for hospital overcrowding?

[bignok]

15 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Diets cannot fix BP problems, neither can they fix lower lung infections, pneumonia or long term Covid.

Diet can lower bp, so can meditation, sleep and exercise.

 

Diet can also help with flus, covid.

 

No idea where you get these absurd pro drug claims from.

[Taboo2]

One of main reasons why I retired here is that I can go down the the Pharmacy and get medicines for my illness without seeing a doctor.  Also, if I must, the doctors here in Patts tell me to go to the pharmacy to fill the prescription, because it is cheaper than using the Pharmacy in the hospital.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Wan ranks among 47 million Thais who are covered by the universal healthcare scheme, under which citizens receive most medical services for free. The main providers of these services are state hospitals, which operate under the Public Health Ministry.

A forward thinking government and health service would set-up state run local clinics that could deal with these issues, reducing the burden of people having to go to a hospital.

They could also deal with the "I've got a runny nose and cough" every time it rains patient.

Why people go to a hospital for that is beyond me.

[Taboo2]

4 minutes ago, bignok said:

Diet can lower bp, so can meditation, sleep and exercise.

 

Diet can also help with flus, covid.

 

No idea where you get these absurd pro drug claims from.

Yes, proper diet and fasting will help lower your blood pressure and of course meditation and stress reduction exercises.

[Bangkok Barry]

7 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

The answer is partly in the tremendous complicated and incompetent bureaucracy. Identify yourself upon arrival at the hospital and get a barcoded wristband which creates/accesses medical history as well as what is needed this time round. At the end, see the cashier, get the (overpriced) medicine if applicable and on departure your wristband is cut off and destroyed. 
If you see all those endless photocopies (don't forget to use blue ink for verification signature) and tons of files being driven around from A to D, back to C and onto F just to end with B (where it actually should have ended two hours ago) ......... 

Register when you arrive, collect your medical records, check blood pressure (use a number of machines as, as mentioned above, they all give a different answer so what's the point? Check weight. Wait. See a nurse who asks if you have any problems like dizziness. Wait. Be called forward to queue to see the doctor. Wait. See the doctor for three minutes to say there's nothing wrong. Take medical records to another desk with the list of drugs prescribed. Wait. Be called forward after they've listed the info into a computer. Go to the dispensary. Wait.

 

Why the doctor can't just send the list of prescribed drugs directly to the dispensary, i have no idea. All the info about me and drugs prescribed are on the doctor's computer, so why does it have to be entered again? I swear that if Thailand introduced a time and motion study then at least half the people would lose their job. Maybe that's why they don't. Maybe they will, as labour becomes more expensive.

[Bangkok Barry]

6 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

A forward thinking government and health service would set-up state run local clinics that could deal with these issues, reducing the burden of people having to go to a hospital.

They could also deal with the "I've got a runny nose and cough" every time it rains patient.

Why people go to a hospital for that is beyond me.

The very small towns, little more than villages, near me have private clinics, often only open in the evening and usually employing hospital doctors who can earn extra. They are very well utilised. My wife has an allergy, maybe hay fever or to our dogs, and she attends one for that.

[Burma Bill]

5 hours ago, bignok said:

Why take drugs for things diet can fix?

Yes indeed. Diet control would have helped reduce the lady's high cholesterol. Very important for me being a Type 2 insulin dependent diabetic.

[billd766]

44 minutes ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Uhhhh, build more hospitals? ????

Building more hospitals would be the easy part.

 

The hard part will be finding enough doctors and nurses to staff them.

 

To staff a 100 bed hospital 24/7/365 plus all the various different departments, IMHO you would need around 15 to 20 doctors and perhaps 100 or more nurses. The departments would include reception and patients records, emergency room, X-Ray, pharmacy, cashier, physical therapy, dental, porters, etc. That is without any equipment or meds being supplied.

 

This is simply a guess on my part and there may well be more nurses and practitioners required.

 

It takes about 6 years to train a doctor.

 

Nursing training varies between 1 and 6 years.

 

https://www.nurse.cmu.ac.th/web/bachelor.aspx#:~:text=The Bachelor of Nursing Science,career as a registered nurse.

 

The Bachelor of Nursing Science (BNS) program at the Faculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University is a full-time four-year professional program that prepares a student for a career as a registered nurse.

 

https://www.rama.mahidol.ac.th/nursing/en/Academic/SSC

 

Hold a Bachelor Degree in Nursing or equivalent - Have a valid Nursing License - Have at least two years of field experience (duration may vary across .

 

https://www.stic.ac.th/undergraduate-program/practical-nursing

 

Being only a one-year short course, it will prepare you for all the challenges of patient care. Practical nursing is all about administering necessary ...

[billd766]

1 hour ago, Sydebolle said:

The answer is partly in the tremendous complicated and incompetent bureaucracy. Identify yourself upon arrival at the hospital and get a barcoded wristband which creates/accesses medical history as well as what is needed this time round. At the end, see the cashier, get the (overpriced) medicine if applicable and on departure your wristband is cut off and destroyed. 
If you see all those endless photocopies (don't forget to use blue ink for verification signature) and tons of files being driven around from A to D, back to C and onto F just to end with B (where it actually should have ended two hours ago) ......... 

In my time visiting state hospitals, yes you need to register. I simply hand my hospital registration card, appointment card, and explain the reason for my visit.

 

NO barcoded wristband is issued. If you are only going for under priced (not over priced) meds who would you prefer to see A doctor who pulls up you history on his computer, or a pharmacist who has no idea who you are or what your medical history is? After speaking to a doctor, he can change your meds if need be, a pharmacist cannot.

 

There are no photocopies that I have to sign at all.

 

My file goes from the registration to the desk which allocates the doctors and is then taken into the doctor when I go in, expanded if needed, then collected and returned to the registry when I am finished.

 

I have no idea which state hospital you use but it certainly is not the one I use. If I wish I can visit ANY state hospital in any province and pay the same price.

[billd766]

1 hour ago, bignok said:

Diet can lower bp, so can meditation, sleep and exercise.

 

Diet can also help with flus, covid.

 

No idea where you get these absurd pro drug claims from.

And are you a fully qualified medical doctor as I have no idea where you get your anti drug claims from?

 

Given the choice, which I have, of visiting a qualified doctor or a faceless unqualified person on an internet forum, who does not back up his claims, who should I listen to?

 

I will give you a clue.

 

It won't be you.

[sandyf]

2 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Hospitals should be for serious cases, not bloodpressure, new medications, or what ever. therefor go to the clinic.

Your hospital must be run a bit differently to mine.

Where I go the outpatients dept is very much like a GP practice in the UK, and by appointment, if you walk in you have to wait until the appointments are complete.

Just like a GP the doctors in outpatients just do prescriptions and assessment. If you need further treatment you are referred to someone further up the food chain.

When the pandemic came about the hospital added me into Mor Phrom, at the front of the queue when the vaccine rollout started.

Don't knock the benefits.

[Ralf001]

I visit my GP last Sunday of every month.

I think half of Thailand is at the hospital, what should a quick visit to the hospital takes at minimum 5 hrs.

[sandyf]

4 minutes ago, billd766 said:

And are you a fully qualified medical doctor as I have no idea where you get your anti drug claims from?

 

Given the choice, which I have, of visiting a qualified doctor or a faceless unqualified person on an internet forum, who does not back up his claims, who should I listen to?

 

I will give you a clue.

 

It won't be you.

Well said Bill.

Lifestyle changes are good advice for the more youthful,  but at our age a bit more attention can quite literally be the difference between life and death.

[Ralf001]

2 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

 Hospitals should be for serious cases, not  new medications, .

My monthly meds cost Bt.5600 at my local pharmacy.

At Hospital they are free.

[sandyf]

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Why the doctor can't just send the list of prescribed drugs directly to the dispensary,

They can and do, my hospital changed about 4/5 years ago. maybe yours is at the back of the rollout.

[ikke1959]

32 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Your hospital must be run a bit differently to mine.

Where I go the outpatients dept is very much like a GP practice in the UK, and by appointment, if you walk in you have to wait until the appointments are complete.

Just like a GP the doctors in outpatients just do prescriptions and assessment. If you need further treatment you are referred to someone further up the food chain.

When the pandemic came about the hospital added me into Mor Phrom, at the front of the queue when the vaccine rollout started.

Don't knock the benefits.

I have n appointment too, but only to get medication not for further examination or so... And that for a specialist.. This doctor could spend his time better than only see me and ssubscribe the same tablets every 3 months

 

[flexomike]

25 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

My monthly meds cost Bt.5600 at my local pharmacy.

At Hospital they are free.

obviously you are on Thai SS program

[chilli42]

4 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

^ Also in Canada

Yes, if you are lucky enough even to have a Dr who will see you.

[Ralf001]

11 minutes ago, flexomike said:

obviously you are on Thai SS program

Have both private insurance and SS.

Private covers my meds, not sure if SS would.

[ChipButty]

we have two good friends and both are pharmacist they are usually my first port of call i pulled a mussel in the middle of my back a few weeks ago, I don't know the name of the tablets she gave me but they knocked me out for the night, 

[digger70]

7 hours ago, bignok said:

Why take drugs for things diet can fix?

Your definitely wrong, Diet and exercise CAN help But Not FIX it.

[Ralf001]

2 minutes ago, digger70 said:

Your definitely wrong, Diet and exercise CAN help But Not FIX it.

I went to hospital for 3 months, lost a lot of weight and also got off the booze and ciggies (why do hospitals not let you drink and smoke ?).

 

Had hypertension when I went into hospital.... been out now and my BP is steady at 130/70..... No more meds.

Edited July 8, 2023 by Ralf001

[digger70]

1 minute ago, Ralf001 said:

I went to hospital for 3 months, lost a lot of weight and also got off the booze and ciggies (why do hospitals not let you drink and smoke ?).

 

Had hypertension when I went into hospital.... been out now and my BP is steady at 130/70..... No more meds.

That's great good luck with staying that way. Mine's up and down a bit with meds but floating 120/55 and 150/65 Pretty  good for me.   

[thailand49]

Are they addressing the wrong problem to overcrowding? 

Go at 7 am wait see Doctor at 13:30 = 6.5 hours,  waited until 3:00 for medicine = 1 hour.

Just last week wasn't there a story Doctors were overworked leaving. 

????





 

 

[zzaa09]

5 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Too many Thais I know go to the hospital for basically nothing.  A simple cold or headache go to emergency.  

I believe one will find that this conditioned practice has become terribly commonplace the world over - especially within the framework of the more developed medical/healthcare systems. 

 

People run off to emergency rooms, doctor's offices, clinics unnecessarily......almost always for such trivial and non-essential reasons - putting a load on already overworked, strained and understaffed systems [everywhere]. 

 

Adding to the hardships of all, the abundance - and the unnecessary prescriptions thereof - of pharmaceuticals is made easy.....yet, preventive care or alternative treatments are never explored......especially within the realms of modern Western allopathic practices. 

[vivananahuahin]

8 hours ago, Pink Mist said:

Not sure diet can fix heart issues, COPD, and many others. Medications are needed to continue with quality of life.

If heart diseases ask your doctor to EECP therapy without any medications, it cost a lot but efficient.

[rice555]

8 hours ago, jacko45k said:

And will the pharmacist also insist on BP and weight measurements be taken and expensively  charged for?

The Gov. hospital in Korat you step on the scale that does height/weight, then you

sit at the BP machine and you get a printed slip with the #'s.

[billd766]

1 hour ago, Ralf001 said:

I went to hospital for 3 months, lost a lot of weight and also got off the booze and ciggies (why do hospitals not let you drink and smoke ?).

 

Had hypertension when I went into hospital.... been out now and my BP is steady at 130/70..... No more meds.

My BP this month has been

 

Date    Sys    Dia    Pulse
                      
1           111    65    88

2          115    62    87          
3          109    62    81          
4          114    67    99          
5          108    62    87         
6          109    64    77        
7          110    71    88        
8          112    63    82

 

This is the middle value of 5 checks I take every day before breakfast. Much lower than yours. but within the acceptable limits of my Microlife BP tester.
 

[Stevemercer]

They could implement many of the measures used during Covid:

• Allow repeat medications to be mailed out.
• Increase the duration between standard check-ups (assuming the patient is stable) (e.g. from 3 months to 6 months) and dispense medications accordingly (e.g. 6 months worth)
• Allow nurses to prescribe medicines (signed off by the doctor) for obvious/routine/seasonal ailments.

[billd766]

56 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

I believe one will find that this conditioned practice has become terribly commonplace the world over - especially within the framework of the more developed medical/healthcare systems. 

 

People run off to emergency rooms, doctor's offices, clinics unnecessarily......almost always for such trivial and non-essential reasons - putting a load on already overworked, strained and understaffed systems [everywhere]. 

 

Adding to the hardships of all, the abundance - and the unnecessary prescriptions thereof - of pharmaceuticals is made easy.....yet, preventive care or alternative treatments are never explored......especially within the realms of modern Western allopathic practices. 

I go to my local hospital 13 km away every couple of months to top up my meds as the doctor asks me to.

 

I also go for an appointment at the Naresuan teaching hospital in Phitsanulok 150 km away, where they have more doctors and their teachers and more equipment.

 

They also have a larger catchment area and more experience.

 

They diagnosed my breathing problems as a lower lung infection, which could be either pneumonia or long term Covid (the symptoms are similar).

 

I looked up on Dr Google and downloaded some UK NHS breathing exercises which I think help as well.

 

I do them 3 or 4 times a day for about 5 minutes a time.

Edited July 8, 2023 by billd766
added extra text