Should a hospital still charge a patient a Nursing Charge when you reject getting your blood pressure, temperature and weight checked? Then you only went to have a consultation with the doctor?

Contrary to what expat lore says, the charge in question is not a fee for having your vital signs taken. It is a charge for use of the hospital facility. The consultation fee goes direct to the doctor, who in a private hospital is a private contractor, not a hospital employee. The hospital adds a charge for  use of its facility. Everything from electricity, waiting room, building maintenance and repairs, , housekeeping,  appointment scheduling, medical record keeping etc etc etc as well vital sign check. It is a flat charge not individually adjusted. 

 

In Thai the word for hospital is "house of nurses" often shortened to the word for nurse. So "nurse charge" = hospital charge. 

 

So yes. they have every right to still charge it. 

 

 

1 hour ago, bbi1 said:

Should a hospital still charge a patient a Nursing Charge when you reject getting your blood pressure, temperature and weight checked? Then you only went to have a consultation with the doctor?

The doctor needs to know what your vital signs are before making any sort of diagnosis. So yes, you will have to get them done, and if you are so short of money that you don't want to pay for the basics, I doubt you have enough to live in LOS.

PS, they need to know if you have a fever, so you don't infect everyone you come in contact with.

 

While back I went to medical center for prescription renewal, they asked me if I had any respiratory symptoms. I made the mistake of saying I had hay fever and had to sit outside to get a swab poked up my nose to check if I had covid. I'll never admit to having hay fever again.

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

In Thai the word for hospital is "house of nurses" often shortened to the word for nurse. So "nurse charge" = hospital charge. 

Exactly. 
 

• โรง (rong) - This means "building" or "place" and is often used as a prefix for institutions or establishments.
• พยาบาล (phayaban) - This means "nursing" or "care," derived from the verb พยาบาล (phayaban), which means "to nurse" or "to take care of."

 

If the charges says "nursing charge" its a mis-translation on the part of whomever made the translation.  It's "hospital charge." 

However, if there is Thai script next to the "Nursing Charge", post it. We can see what it actually says.

If you go to a clinic they don't add a nurse charge, seems more honest than the usual hospital bill padding

7 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

If you go to a clinic they don't add a nurse charge, seems more honest than the usual hospital bill padding

Come on.. silly comparison..refer to what @Sheryl said above and rephrase.

14 minutes ago, couchpotato said:

Come on.. silly comparison..refer to what @Sheryl said above and rephrase.

Not really, depend what you go for, if the clinic can handle it the charges are much lower than a hospital. We all know hospitals bill padding, usually unnecessary meds not discussed 

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

PS, they need to know if you have a fever, so you don't infect everyone you come in contact with.

 

Indeed, a fundamental message which I thought had been drilled into all of us when the pandemic was in full swing 5 years ago. I seriously wonder whether the OP's memory may now have now slipped in that regard, which would clearly be a matter of concern, I think.

 

7 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Not really, depend what you go for, if the clinic can handle it the charges are much lower than a hospital. We all know hospitals bill padding, usually unnecessary meds not discussed 

Do all (private) hospitals have dual pricing, one cheaper price for Thais and one more expensive price for foreigners?

6 hours ago, bbi1 said:

Do all (private) hospitals have dual pricing, one cheaper price for Thais and one more expensive price for foreigners?

That's one for @Sheryl

7 hours ago, bbi1 said:

Do all (private) hospitals have dual pricing, one cheaper price for Thais and one more expensive price for foreigners?

Phayathai Sriracha do not.

I was once in the waiting area at KhonKaenRam where I was the onl;y non-Thai.

I asked one of the nurses (who knew me from repeated visits) how many of the Thai people here have private insurance?

Her answer: All of them.

18 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Contrary to what expat lore says, the charge in question is not a fee for having your vital signs taken. It is a charge for use of the hospital facility. The consultation fee goes direct to the doctor, who in a private hospital is a private contractor, not a hospital employee. The hospital adds a charge for  use of its facility. Everything from electricity, waiting room, building maintenance and repairs, , housekeeping,  appointment scheduling, medical record keeping etc etc etc as well vital sign check. It is a flat charge not individually adjusted. 

 

In Thai the word for hospital is "house of nurses" often shortened to the word for nurse. So "nurse charge" = hospital charge. 

 

So yes. they have every right to still charge it. 

 

No they dont have every right to charge it, I had 2 appointments over 2 days, the Nurses wanted to take Blood Pressure  everyday, and I refused it on the Second day, and was not charged, (for a service I had not received)..but there was the hospital charge of 250b for each day

rrrr

19 hours ago, bbi1 said:

Should a hospital still charge a patient a Nursing Charge when you reject getting your blood pressure, temperature and weight checked? Then you only went to have a consultation with the doctor?

No they should not,..........  I refuse many times, but I am charged for the service  ( I did'nt receive), .. when I get to the cashier I point out to the cashier  that I did not receive the Blood Pressure etc. readings,  she then  deletes that cost...

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

That's one for @Sheryl

Yes they do.   I had an Annual  appointment with a Doctor, my Thai Wife asked me if she could  see the Doctor too, when we came to the Cashier  the prices were different, mine of course was higher than my Wife's, when i asked why, they told me its Hospital Policy to charge foreigners more.. ..Two months ago i wrote to this particular  (International) Hospital asking if this  "Hospital policy"   was correct,  I also wrote to all International Hospitals in Pattaya asking the same question, and if  so , Why......My  question to all  Hospitals remain unanswered

1 hour ago, Ralf001 said:

Phayathai Sriracha do not.

Good to know, that's where Gavin Waddell is the contact

Gotta give the OP credit for thinking outside the box.

10 hours ago, bbi1 said:

Do all (private) hospitals have dual pricing, one cheaper price for Thais and one more expensive price for foreigners?

Some but not all. 

On 3/25/2025 at 9:02 AM, scubascuba3 said:

Good to know, that's where Gavin Waddell is the contact

That was another hospital that did'nt answer my question, so i presumed they do charge more

On 3/25/2025 at 10:06 AM, Sheryl said:

Some but not all. 

I'd like to know the  (international)  ones who dont charge extra?

On 3/24/2025 at 2:39 PM, thaibeachlovers said:

The doctor needs to know what your vital signs are before making any sort of diagnosis. So yes, you will have to get them done, and if you are so short of money that you don't want to pay for the basics, I doubt you have enough to live in LOS.

Ever heard of white coat Syndrome,?  some peoples Blood Pressure rises just because they are attending a Hospital, my Heart Consultant takes no notice of the Blood Pressure readings taken  by the Nurse, he laughs when i tell him it was very much higher 15 minutes ago,  and now it has returned to normal, so no,  you do not have to get them done prior to seeing a Doctor..better the money in your own pocket, not in the pocket of the Hospital

57 minutes ago, actonion said:

I'd like to know the  (international)  ones who dont charge extra?

Bumrungrad does not. Same high charge for all. 

 

Not sure but I think other Bangkok bases BDMS hospitals may not. But their provincial affiliates do. 

On 3/25/2025 at 7:36 AM, jerrymahoney said:

I was once in the waiting area at KhonKaenRam where I was the onl;y non-Thai.

I asked one of the nurses (who knew me from repeated visits) how many of the Thai people here have private insurance?

Her answer: All of them.

Recently went with Thai wife for her promotional breast cancer and thin prep screening at Khon Kaen Bangkok Hospital. I did see one farang being wheeled about. As you say, everyone else was Thai. Our Thai lady neighbour was in the same queue as us, apparently she was having a full body check. I had assumed that everyone would have been paying cash for screening not (yet) available under Thai National Health Service. From what you were told it sounds as if they may well have had private healthcare plans also providing treatment!

As I remember it the Thai folks were mostly involved with education positions.

On 3/25/2025 at 8:41 AM, actonion said:

No they should not,..........  I refuse many times, but I am charged for the service  ( I did'nt receive), .. when I get to the cashier I point out to the cashier  that I did not receive the Blood Pressure etc. readings,  she then  deletes that cost...

 

Hopefully now you've read what the charge is actually for, you'll pay in future!

 

2 hours ago, jerrymahoney said:

As I remember it the Thai folks were mostly involved with education positions.

Might the indurance referred to have actually been SS?

why would you be so stupid or arrogant as to refuse baseline health readings when going to the doctor? 

I once went to a dentist in Bangkok and they wanted to test my blood pressure. They said it was high and refused to treat me so I bought a blood pressure monitor and monitored myself, day and night over a 30 day period.

 

The average reading was 120/80.

 

It's a ridiculous requirement that can cause unnecessary issues as blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day - and is one of the main reasons I try to avoid all Thai medical facilities when on holiday if possible.

 

Don.

On 3/25/2025 at 9:02 AM, scubascuba3 said:

Good to know, that's where Gavin Waddell is the contact

 

Correct.