By and large medical care at Thailand's private hospitals is pretty good.

But one thing I've observed through the years of visiting doctors in big private hospitals here is that many/most are not very thorough in asking questions about the patient's medical history. They are often quick to arrive at a current diagnosis, write a prescription, and a return appointment again in 2 weeks.

When I say 'not very thorough' - I mean they don't ask you (enough) about your medical past or any other medical issues you may have - which they should do at the beginning of the appointment - this is standard operating procedure in Western countries. Even in a Thai hospital you regularly go to - which has most of your records including the drugs you take - this is often the case. For example, they are quick to write a prescription without checking to see what other meds you are already taking. That can have very bad outcomes if the medicine is contraindicated with something else you are already taking.

Now I insist to know what the doctor is prescribing before I agree to buy it. I check for contraindications sitting in the chair across from him/her.

Still, one doctor at one of the biggest private hospitals outright refused to divulge what she was prescribing. So I paid for it, got home, and realized it was a med for vertigo. First, I don't have vertigo, second, upon a Web search, I found that the drug was struck off the US FDA some years back because it couldn't prove its claim to efficacy.

At another private hospital, I was prescribed a very strong oral antibiotic for an ear infection that is ototoxic (harmful to your ears), and can have very serious side effects (achilles tendon rupture and pulsatile tinnitus). The drug was prescribed by an ENT specialist no less. Another Thai ENT specialist (years ago) gave me a standard audiology test (hearing test), then prescribed two meds. When I got home and looked them up, one was for alzheimers, the other was a 'pep pill' students take before exams. Neither drug has anything to do with mild hearing loss. Of course, I never returned to any of these three.

In conclusion, I now do my own research before seeing the specialist (if I can), and check verified Web sites on drug interactions before leaving the doctor's office. The hospital might appear all new and shiny with lots of up-to-date equipment. But as with doctors anywhere in the world, it boils down to the knowledge and inquisitiveness of the doctor who is dealling with the patient before him/her.

Some of this may come down to misunderstanding how medicine works. Many drugs are used for several different conditions, so a quick internet search often shows only the most common use, not every clinical application.

There’s also the language factor. Many doctors here are not native English speakers, and explaining complex medical decisions in English isn’t always easy. That can lead to shorter explanations than foreign patients expect.

It’s also worth remembering that this isn’t the US or Europe. Medical culture and consultation style are different, so expecting it to operate exactly the same way often leads to frustration and misinterpretation.

Doing some research is sensible, but a Google search doesn’t make any of us pharmacists or physicians.

Pretty sure I was conned.

Bladder infection...70% of which are E.coli. Doctor wrote a prescription for an antibiotic that is basically ineffective against E.coli. That lasted a month. He then changed the prescription to another antibiotic that was known to be ineffective. That lasted a month.

Only then did he say..."oh I think we should culture the urine and see what is causing the infection" ...boom E.coli...treated in 24 hours.

Thai doctors should be consulting with AN posters as the answers are all here from our team of experts if you ask a question. Except when it comes to vaccinations, of course.

👎 /S