Need recommendation for cardiologist and internist

[Angie Z]

Hi All,

 

I need some recommendations for good doctors for my dad. He has several pre-existing conditions including high blood pressure and some heart problems. Back in his home country, he would see a cardiologist twice a year and an internist every 3-4 months as a regular check up.

 

Any referrals would be so greatly appreciated. If you have any further info on estimated ranges of costs, that would also be so very helpful.

 

Thank you so much for your time.

[scubascuba3]

Do need to mention his location

[Sheryl]

Yes, please specify where in Thailand, and also what the other medical problems are (as might be fine with just cardiologist).

 

And what exactly is his cardiac history?

[Angie Z]

Sorry I feel so silly, completely slipped my mind! We are in Bangkok, near the Chidlom BTS station.

 

He had a triple bypass a few years ago after having a heart attack. The cause of the heart attack was internal stomach bleeding that was undiscovered for a few days. While recovering from the surgery, he contracted multiple infections in the ICU, and had heart failure and kidney failure, which was when he started being treated by the internist overseas.

 

He does not currently have heart failure and he has no kidney problems now but he does have arrhythmia, and they closely monitor the heart failure symptoms. He has had high blood pressure for a long time, it resulted in a stroke 20 something years ago but he recovered with no long term issues from that.

 

Thank you!

 

 

[bear9]

This link was posted on the forum a few days ago by Sheryl https://www.vejthani.com/packages-and-programs/cardiac-screening-package/

 

Could be a good option for you.

 

The package looks good although they seem to be difficult to contact as i emailed them but no reply.

Edited September 25 by bear9

[Angie Z]

16 hours ago, bear9 said:

This link was posted on the forum a few days ago by Sheryl https://www.vejthani.com/packages-and-programs/cardiac-screening-package/

 

Could be a good option for you.

 

The package looks good although they seem to be difficult to contact as i emailed them but no reply.

 

Thank you for linking this info. My dad does have a specific set of regular lab tests ordered by his doctors from before, so I will take a look and compare them with what's in this package. So this would be an option for labs, any idea if the cardiologists there are good?

 

Thank you.

 

 

[bear9]

6 hours ago, Angie Z said:

 

Thank you for linking this info. My dad does have a specific set of regular lab tests ordered by his doctors from before, so I will take a look and compare them with what's in this package. So this would be an option for labs, any idea if the cardiologists there are good?

 

Thank you.

 

 

No I’ve no knowledge on quality of cardiologists at this hospital just saw someone else post about the program on this forum.

[cheskakim]

Hey there! I totally get where you're coming from. Finding the right doctors can be a hassle, especially for someone with a history like your dad's. When my mom needed similar care, I found that local health forums or community groups on Facebook were super helpful for recommendations.

For cardiologists, look for clinics that focus on older adults—they tend to be more attuned to those specific needs. Also, don't hesitate to call around and ask about costs; some offices might offer payment plans or even sliding scale options based on income.

[Sheryl]

@Angie Z

Is your father settling permanently in Thailand or just neefing some tests/follow up while visiting hete? 

[Angie Z]

17 hours ago, cheskakim said:

Hey there! I totally get where you're coming from. Finding the right doctors can be a hassle, especially for someone with a history like your dad's. When my mom needed similar care, I found that local health forums or community groups on Facebook were super helpful for recommendations.

For cardiologists, look for clinics that focus on older adults—they tend to be more attuned to those specific needs. Also, don't hesitate to call around and ask about costs; some offices might offer payment plans or even sliding scale options based on income.

Yeah it's definitely been quite stressful because I want to make sure he gets good care here. Thanks for the kind words and the advice. 🙂 

[Angie Z]

5 hours ago, Sheryl said:

@Angie Z

Is your father settling permanently in Thailand or just neefing some tests/follow up while visiting hete? 

 

He is moving here permanently. The internist back home agreed to still have virtual appointments with him so he will have continuation of care, but I definitely want to find him someone here too.

[Sheryl]

59 minutes ago, Angie Z said:

 

He is moving here permanently. The internist back home agreed to still have virtual appointments with him so he will have continuation of care, but I definitely want to find him someone here too.

In that event and given the complexity of your father's history and rather limited capacities of internists here (as opposed to specialists of which there are some excellent ones) I suggest the following  American doctor (one of the few western doctors licensed to practise in Thailand) for his genersl medical management

 

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

 

For cardiology suggest

 

https://www.bumrungrad.com/en/doctors/visuit-vivekaphirat

[Angie Z]

On 9/27/2024 at 8:33 PM, Sheryl said:

In that event and given the complexity of your father's history and rather limited capacities of internists here (as opposed to specialists of which there are some excellent ones) I suggest the following  American doctor (one of the few western doctors licensed to practise in Thailand) for his genersl medical management

 

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

 

For cardiology suggest

 

https://www.bumrungrad.com/en/doctors/visuit-vivekaphirat

 

Sorry for the late response, I just saw your recommendations. Thank you so so much for the info, I appreciate it so much! 🙏🙏🙏 

[orang37]

Hey, I totally get where you're coming from. My dad's been dealing with high blood pressure and heart issues too, so finding the right doctor was a big deal for us. We ended up going with a cardiologist who worked closely with his internist, which made everything easier since they were always on the same page. If you're in a bigger city, you should be able to find a practice that has both. As for cost, with insurance, my dad's visits were about $100–$150 each, but without insurance, it could easily go over $300. Definitely check if they offer payment plans if needed. 

[Angie Z]

On 10/4/2024 at 1:30 AM, orang37 said:

Hey, I totally get where you're coming from. My dad's been dealing with high blood pressure and heart issues too, so finding the right doctor was a big deal for us. We ended up going with a cardiologist who worked closely with his internist, which made everything easier since they were always on the same page. If you're in a bigger city, you should be able to find a practice that has both. As for cost, with insurance, my dad's visits were about $100–$150 each, but without insurance, it could easily go over $300. Definitely check if they offer payment plans if needed. 

 

Thank you so much for sharing. It's definitely a lot of responsibility and very stressful trying to find the best for our parents! I've heard a mix of different advice about insurance - a lot of people are saying it's not even worth the bother so it's good to hear that it can make a difference. My dad is 80 and we were also told that it's impossible to find him something at that age. Do you have any experience to share in terms of insurance or any companies that you can recommend?

 

 

[Sheryl]

5 hours ago, Angie Z said:

 

Thank you so much for sharing. It's definitely a lot of responsibility and very stressful trying to find the best for our parents! I've heard a mix of different advice about insurance - a lot of people are saying it's not even worth the bother so it's good to hear that it can make a difference. My dad is 80 and we were also told that it's impossible to find him something at that age. Do you have any experience to share in terms of insurance or any companies that you can recommend?

 

 

It is possible to get health insurance at 80 if the person is otherwise healthy with no pre-existing conditions.

 

With your father's medical history he would not be able to get insurance. 

[Angie Z]

14 hours ago, Sheryl said:

It is possible to get health insurance at 80 if the person is otherwise healthy with no pre-existing conditions.

 

With your father's medical history he would not be able to get insurance. 

 

I see, that makes sense. Thank you