Phuket Hospitals

[chiang mai]

Having recently moved to Phuket I've needed to visit a hospital and have had less than satisfactory experiences at Bangkok Phuket and International. I'm curious to know what other readers experiences are here in Phuket.

At Bangkok Phuket I saw an osteopath regarding what I believed to be Bursitus. He seemed a little taken aback that I had determined my own diagnosis albeit I have had bursitus previously and am painfully aware of the symptoms and treatment. His answer was to diagnose Adhesive Capsulitus which is a not dissimilar ailment and promptly prescribed NSAIDS (non steroid anti-inflammatories). Later at home I checked out the prescribed medication on the web, only to find that people with any form of cardiac problems are strongly advised not to use them since they increase the risk of heart attack by up to 24%. I had told the doctor that I have blocked arteries and take Plavix and Aspent but the link between the products seemed to have escaped him.

I went back to Bangkok Phuket and requested a second doctor who agreed about NSAIDS and recommended physical therapy. I subsequently signed up for seven days of heat treatment and ultra-sound and paid for the course in advance. At the end of the seventh visit, just as I was considering signing up for a further seven days, they slapped me with a bill for an additional 1,000 baht stating that they had used additional equipment in the course of the therapy. I regarded that as sharp practice and decided to try elsewhere.

I took my better half to the International Hospital so that I could check out their physio section but also to have a twice yearly blood test to monitor my cholesterol and liver functions. At the same time I thought it a good idea that my better half have her first proper health check and this coincidently included as a part of it the same tests that I would take. My wife's exam included all manner of tests and her bill came to 2,200 baht whilst mine for the blood test alone came to 2,400. That fact aside the doctor seemed unable to understand the test results and claimed I was in fine shape whilst two of the tests were clearly out of range and issues exist. My final stop at International was in the physio dept. where a somewhat effeminate young therapist instantly diagnosed my shoulder problem as tendonitus and was totally dismissive of any possible alternatives. He was however eager to sign me up for a course of physio at a price below any other hospital in Phuket!

I am not warmed by these events and wonder if I have simply been unlucky or whether my experiences are representative of the standards of health care at Phuket hospitals. I did have a very positive experience at Bangkok Phuket some years ago but wonder if things have now genuinely changed for the worse. I can tolerate being over charged and targeted for higher prices because I am a farang but I cannot tolerate a lack of medical ability and skill.

[donna]

i have had positive and negative experiences at hospitals in thailand.

regarding hospitals in phuket specifically, i have not had great experiences at bkk phuket. i went in there with 'womens' issues and they tried to rush me into theatre straight away as 'it could be cancer'.

another doctor in the obgyn department told me i was menopausal at 41 and seemed to think it was a very normal thing (it is NOT). he did not see why i was so upset by this news!

i have also been to mission hospital where the doctor was very nice, but when it comes to surgical or diagnostics they are not really up on it. they do not have equipment to perform laparoscopic surgery, and their ultrasound machines are not up to date. they ARE functional but not the latest models, thats all.

a friend of mine here, who is an american doctor, has no faith in thai doctors at all. his words are 'they put on a white coat, cheap shoes and a silly little pair of glasses with a stupid haircut and think they are god'. he also said that nobody believes he is a doctor because he 'has tattoos and a bad haircut'. so they do feel the need to fall into a particular stereotype.

oh, sorry, i just realised i went way off topic then.

[chiang mai]

i have had positive and negative experiences at hospitals in thailand.

regarding hospitals in phuket specifically, i have not had great experiences at bkk phuket. i went in there with 'womens' issues and they tried to rush me into theatre straight away as 'it could be cancer'.

another doctor in the obgyn department told me i was menopausal at 41 and seemed to think it was a very normal thing (it is NOT). he did not see why i was so upset by this news!

i have also been to mission hospital where the doctor was very nice, but when it comes to surgical or diagnostics they are not really up on it. they do not have equipment to perform laparoscopic surgery, and their ultrasound machines are not up to date. they ARE functional but not the latest models, thats all.

a friend of mine here, who is an american doctor, has no faith in thai doctors at all. his words are 'they put on a white coat, cheap shoes and a silly little pair of glasses with a stupid haircut and think they are god'. he also said that nobody believes he is a doctor because he 'has tattoos and a bad haircut'. so they do feel the need to fall into a particular stereotype.

oh, sorry, i just realised i went way off topic then.

Hmmm, that was not what I was hoping to hear but thanks for it anyway. Just for the record, my experience of doctors in Chiang Mai is extremely positive and they are very cost effective - although that's a long haul just to see a doctor. But I guess I would do that without hesitation if it involved significant health issues.

Edited August 27, 2007 by chiang mai

[seonai]

I was in Wachira government hospital for a month with TB and I felt my doctor was pretty good although he didn't explain the seriousness of my complications clearly. But overall my treatment was good, better than I got at Phuket International. If you want to speak to someone ask for Peter at Phuket International, he's the foreign adviser there and would be honest with you

[donna]

im not saying that there are not any good doctors in phuket. i am sure there are. but the best way to find them is to go on recommendation.

[Solosiam]

My experiences at Bangkok Phuket have been great.

The wife gave birth there two years ago and the whole experience was very good.

I also had to go for a very personal reason earlier this year and found them to have knowledgable and courteous staff that time as well.

However farangs are generally charged more than Thais.

Personally I like the system, I can go at anytime I want to the hospital and get seen within say 20 minutes, be out within the hour and the cost is not much more than just a few prescription tablets from the UK.

[LivinLOS]

Had horrific experiences.. after >6 months of miss diagnosis and 850k spent my wife still died totally unnecessarily.. I should have been more insistant and flown her back to Europe at the start like I wanted to.

Bangkok is a great one for bill padding and running tests they dont need and delaying the test that they suspect it probably is.. exhaust all options (and billing) first.. Tho with insurance I would have to say its still probably the leader of a pretty dim field. Thing is most people walk in, see a marble floor and large rooms, and think its a great place.

[fiddlehead]

I had an operation back in Feb in the International Hospital.

I was impressed with the place and most all that worked there. The doctor was great and explained everything along the way (even took pictures of my insides to show me what she did after i woke up), The nurses were all very professional and smiling even when i threw up all over my room.

The only problem i had that time was with the guy who pushed the gurney through the halls, i was in intense pain and he bumped into a lot of things it seemed.

I also had a not so good experience a few months later when i took my 1 1/2 year old son in as he had the flu or something.

They immediately admitted him and kept telling me he had to stay until 3 days later, i said i thought he was fine and really wanted to take him home.

At one point, the doctor asked me why i didn't bring him to that hospital to have all of his innoculations as i was a farang and had big money. I told him i didn't have big money and that's when i started realizing that the "big money" was the reason they were trying to keep my son in there as long as possible. Later, i had a doctor from the US visit me here in thailand and told him the whole story and he agreed that they would probably have NOT admitted my son for those symptons in the US

So, i think it depends on the doctor. There are good and bad everywhere.

My Mother, who is 84 was having problems in the states with her bowels and after 4 or 6 tests, which really drained her and cost about $1500 each, I asked the doctor if he didn't think it was some of the 23 different medications she was taking that could be causing the problems and shouldn't someone be keeping an eye on the different combinations and their side effects?

He assured me that someone was (she was seeing 4 different doctors but hadn't seen her family doctor in over 2 months at the time) and that he wouldn't be able to tell until after he ran all of his tests. He never did figure out what the problem was (after over $6,000 in bills) but we finally got her off all but 3 of the meds and the problem went away.

Like i said: Good and bad doctors are everywhere.

[Wellington]

I had an operation back in Feb in the International Hospital.

I was impressed with the place and most all that worked there. The doctor was great and explained everything along the way (even took pictures of my insides to show me what she did after i woke up), The nurses were all very professional and smiling even when i threw up all over my room.

The only problem i had that time was with the guy who pushed the gurney through the halls, i was in intense pain and he bumped into a lot of things it seemed.

I also had a not so good experience a few months later when i took my 1 1/2 year old son in as he had the flu or something.

They immediately admitted him and kept telling me he had to stay until 3 days later, i said i thought he was fine and really wanted to take him home.

At one point, the doctor asked me why i didn't bring him to that hospital to have all of his innoculations as i was a farang and had big money. I told him i didn't have big money and that's when i started realizing that the "big money" was the reason they were trying to keep my son in there as long as possible. Later, i had a doctor from the US visit me here in thailand and told him the whole story and he agreed that they would probably have NOT admitted my son for those symptons in the US

So, i think it depends on the doctor. There are good and bad everywhere.

My Mother, who is 84 was having problems in the states with her bowels and after 4 or 6 tests, which really drained her and cost about $1500 each, I asked the doctor if he didn't think it was some of the 23 different medications she was taking that could be causing the problems and shouldn't someone be keeping an eye on the different combinations and their side effects?

He assured me that someone was (she was seeing 4 different doctors but hadn't seen her family doctor in over 2 months at the time) and that he wouldn't be able to tell until after he ran all of his tests. He never did figure out what the problem was (after over $6,000 in bills) but we finally got her off all but 3 of the meds and the problem went away.

Like i said: Good and bad doctors are everywhere.

I have already,last October,posted my experience when I was operated on at The SIRIRAJ in Bangkok after being sent north by the Phuket International. I had a hernia and abdominal aneurism seen to,, very well.

But later, in April this year ,I suffered a dissecting aortic aneurism which was agony and life threatening.

I will not go into all the detail, but the ambulance took me to Bangkok International who drugged me up and sent me on .

Next stop Bangkok Phuket where after some stabilizing(5 hours or so) they sent me on to their sister Hospital in Hat Yai where an operation was supposed to have been organised.

After four more days of nothing much they decided they could not operate and sent me the long drive to Bangkok where I had a stent fitted. They had been told I was not expected to arrive alive.

After 5 days of messing I was indeed lucky ;

I should have been sent to Bangkok at once,

But they saw a chance of big money, and it was too good to miss;

my wife suffered far more than I , She was with me every minute, and so were my sons. Thank God.

[markg]

I had absolutely first class treatment at Phuket International a couple of years ago for a hernia.

They gave me a quote, (it is a business after all) and the final bill was actually UNDER the quote.

It was for a hernia operation.

I had the same thing done in the UK some years before and i have to say that the Thai job was better, neater, cheaper and had a quicker recovery time - though of course some of these could have been for surgical reasons.

On the other hand, a few years ago when there was a Dengue scare on, my wife had felt ill for a few days so i took her to Bangkok Phuket.

ER room nurse "Whats wrong with you?"

My wife "i have flu like symptoms"

ER room nurse "how are you going to pay your bill?"

My wife "i have insurance"

ER Room nurse (taking hold of insurance card) "She has insurance, she has insurance..............."

They put her in a private room, plugged an IV into her and 'checked' on her every few hours.

She felt better the next day so we checked out.

The bill was 8,000 baht (you pay first and claim back later). I was very very shocked at the size of the bill. I asked for a full breakdown.

Red faces all round, managers and supervisors called.

I insisted

Eventually they managed to get me the full breakdown, itemised.

I asked for the blood test results which they had charged us for.

They couldnt find them but wouldnt refund that part of the bill either.

They charged my wife for EVERY bit of plastic tubing, thermometer, everything except the air that she breathed.

[chiang mai]

Things do not sound too promising at Bangkok Phuket and to add to all of this I have just discovered their policy of employing attractive people only.

My better half is learning to play the kim, a Chinese musical instrument that resembles a flat violin and played like a xylophone. Her teacher is an extraordinarily talented young woman who teaches music at one of the Phuket schools and also moonlights as a music teacher for a chain of music stores. She tells the story of how she was recommended to staff at Bangkok Phuket who was looking for someone to play the kim in the hospital lobby for a few hours each day. The lady in question is a super person, very talented but unfortunately a little overweight overweight, quite short and not the least bit model like. It seems she went for an interview at Bangkok Phuket and was told within the first thirty seconds that she was not suitable because they wanted someone who was beautiful. I mean really.

My new physio at the International Hospital also worked for BP until three years ago when there was a purge of anyone not meeting the hospitals standards for appearance. Being somewhat rake like and quite effeminate he was in the first batch to lose their jobs. Have to say however he seems to be a very capable therapist.

So there we have it, if you want marble floors, pleasant decor, good service and beautiful people, BP is the place to go.

[Chantal]

Sorry to hear that some of you have had bad experiences with the Bangkok Phuket Hospital. I was very fortunate with my experience there. They cured me completely within 2 months (everyday for an hour of treatment) from suffering the Bells Palsy. The staff were fantastic!!

[keestha]

A woman staying at my resort in Khao Lak had a serious motorcycle accident (Oh, tourists and rented motorbikes.....driving a car I learned to watch out for them even more than for the underaged Thai kids riding motorbikes).

After a brief stay in the government hospital in the district capital Takua Pa, off she went by ambulance to the Bangkok Phuket hospital. They diagnosed her pelvis was broken in 4 places. She was told that she had to go to Bangkok for the operation, in the Bangkok hospital.

I was highly surprised she was transported not by plane, but by ambulance from Phuket to Bangkok. Not exactly comfortable. But maybe it is just technically impossible to transport somebody who has to lie down on a normal flight.

Edited August 30, 2007 by keestha

[chiang mai]

A woman staying at my resort in Khao Lak had a serious motorcycle accident (Oh, tourists and rented motorbikes.....driving a car I learned to watch out for them even more than for the underaged Thai kids riding motorbikes).

After a brief stay in the government hospital in the district capital Takua Pa, off she went by ambulance to the Bangkok Phuket hospital. They diagnosed her pelvis was broken in 4 places. She was told that she had to go to Bangkok for the operation, in the Bangkok hospital.

I was highly surprised she was transported not by plane, but by ambulance from Phuket to Bangkok. Not exactly comfortable. But maybe it is just technically impossible to transport somebody who has to lie down on a normal flight.

Ouch! But you are absolutely correct about farang tourists on motorbikes. As far as transportation by plane is concerned for a stretcher case: I have seen two such cases and it is easily doable although it requires the purchase of several tickets/seats and maybe that was the limiting factor.

[khall64au]

A woman staying at my resort in Khao Lak had a serious motorcycle accident (Oh, tourists and rented motorbikes.....driving a car I learned to watch out for them even more than for the underaged Thai kids riding motorbikes).

After a brief stay in the government hospital in the district capital Takua Pa, off she went by ambulance to the Bangkok Phuket hospital. They diagnosed her pelvis was broken in 4 places. She was told that she had to go to Bangkok for the operation, in the Bangkok hospital.

I was highly surprised she was transported not by plane, but by ambulance from Phuket to Bangkok. Not exactly comfortable. But maybe it is just technically impossible to transport somebody who has to lie down on a normal flight.

Ouch! But you are absolutely correct about farang tourists on motorbikes. As far as transportation by plane is concerned for a stretcher case: I have seen two such cases and it is easily doable although it requires the purchase of several tickets/seats and maybe that was the limiting factor.

Yes, tourists on motorbikes ... another topic all together. I have a friend who has lived here for many years - who collided with a vehicle whilst riding his motorbike. The driver reversed onto the road - admittedly without looking behind - and my friend ended up with a broken pelvis (among other injuries). He was treated at a Phuket private hospital with a bill of 500, 000 baht. The bill consisted of several hundred thousand baht for the external, surgical apparatus that held his pelvis together. On removal, he was expected to 'donate' the equipment back to the hospital. With further 'enquiries' he was given a small discount and told that the equipment would be donated to the local government hospital. Who knows where the apparatus ended up?

I have my own personal story of the 'other' major private hospital on Phuket - not to mention how my father was treated when he was here visiting a few years back.... Some patrons have good experiences and thank goodness for that!

[Felt 35]

So there we have it, if you want marble floors, pleasant decor, good service and beautiful people, BP is the place to go.

The hospital had a major make up last year in the 100 million bath range but following friends working at the place, very little of that budget, if any was used on staff training and on new and updated equipment.

I have once had a MRI there and the equipment is mildly said antic compare to what is available in neighbouring countries and Europe.

There is several stories in the local resident community about patient’s misdiagnosed at the place, which and unless emergency, I would really think twice before I underwent a major surgery at the place.

However and as said the service is excellent and as we all know that is also, at least psychologically, a plus for any patient.

[jimlad]

Anyone have any idea if they actually employ western Nurses/Doctors in Phuket Hospitals?

[khall64au]

So there we have it, if you want marble floors, pleasant decor, good service and beautiful people, BP is the place to go.

The hospital had a major make up last year in the 100 million bath range but following friends working at the place, very little of that budget, if any was used on staff training and on new and updated equipment.

I have once had a MRI there and the equipment is mildly said antic compare to what is available in neighbouring countries and Europe.

There is several stories in the local resident community about patient’s misdiagnosed at the place, which and unless emergency, I would really think twice before I underwent a major surgery at the place.

However and as said the service is excellent and as we all know that is also, at least psychologically, a plus for any patient.

Thanks for the interpretaTions! Do we agree agree it is better 'to go home' for relevant diagnosis? Or can we rely on a Phuket hospital for 'medical service'?

[chiang mai]

A friend in the medical profession in the West believes hospitals such as Bangkok/Phuket and the like are very good at the execution of treatment but less capable at diagnosis, especially when it involves non-standard diseases/conditions. Ultimately your success or otherwise at Bangkok/Phuket will depend on the doctor you are assigned and patients don't have a lot of control over that choice. That is why I like Bumrungrad because patients have a chance to review the credentials and schooling backgrounds of physicians and make a choice. I've had a minor op at BP for a routine condition and was completely satisfied with all aspects of the treatment despite the fact that I had very little choice at the time. In situations where I have had a choice I have looked elsewhere for a better price. For conditions involving complexity, assuming I had the time and ability, I would go to Bumrungrad or the Chiang Mai teaching hospitals.

[chiang mai]

By way of wrap up on this subject, I've now been for physio to both Bangkok Phuket hospital and the International hospital, the treatment being required for "frozen shoulder". Whilst I wasn't confident that the physio at BP was appropriate I was absolutely certain is was inappropriate at the International Hospital - I can't recall ever in my life having to go through so much pain. I finally found a Chiropractor in Phuket Town who was trained in the US and speaks perfect English - one of his areas of specialty is Bursitis, Tendonitis and Capsulitis, all contributors or direct causes of frozen shoulder. When I recounted the events of therapy at the two hospitals he simply shook his head in dismay and reminded me of some very basic facts about human anatomy. 1) the spine need to be in alignment, if it is not it will effect parts of your body. 2) when you stretch muscles and tendons during physio you also stretch nerves because they run through the muscle tissue. 3) pain is the body's way of telling you to stop whatever is causing the pain.

I am pleased to report that the Chiropractor is successfully tackling the problem by realigning my top most vertabre which seems to have decided to wander off at a near twenty degree angle to the horizontal and that in itself has provided me with substantial benefits. If anyone needs a really good Chiro and/or is considering physio at either of the two hospitals, please feel free to PM me for details of an excellent alternative.

[fiddlehead]

"Pain is just weakness leaving the body" my friend Lone Wolf

[chiang mai]

Anyone have any idea if they actually employ western Nurses/Doctors in Phuket Hospitals?

Nice try but no they do not. The teaching hospitals in the north churn out large numbers of both nurses and doctors hence there is a ready supply in country. To give you an idea, Bumrungrad in BKK employs 700 nurses and 945 doctors, according to their website.

[Macx]

Had two operations and a few MRIs at BP. Not particularly impressed with the doctors or the way the went about things. Had an ER tech/doc clean a wound and they ended up pushing the infection deeper into the flesh and right up against the bone. To top that off, they gave me the wrong antibiotic so I had to go outside of the hospital to buy some more. And finally, they charged literally 10times more than a good private Thai hospital (I had similar procedure done at another place). And they also charge you a processing fee of 100bhat every time you show up at the cashier window.

Beautiful reception hall, nice smiling staff, but not too sure about the rest.

[SurferBob]

By way of wrap up on this subject, I've now been for physio to both Bangkok Phuket hospital and the International hospital, the treatment being required for "frozen shoulder". Whilst I wasn't confident that the physio at BP was appropriate I was absolutely certain is was inappropriate at the International Hospital - I can't recall ever in my life having to go through so much pain. I finally found a Chiropractor in Phuket Town who was trained in the US and speaks perfect English - one of his areas of specialty is Bursitis, Tendonitis and Capsulitis, all contributors or direct causes of frozen shoulder. When I recounted the events of therapy at the two hospitals he simply shook his head in dismay and reminded me of some very basic facts about human anatomy. 1) the spine need to be in alignment, if it is not it will effect parts of your body. 2) when you stretch muscles and tendons during physio you also stretch nerves because they run through the muscle tissue. 3) pain is the body's way of telling you to stop whatever is causing the pain.

I am pleased to report that the Chiropractor is successfully tackling the problem by realigning my top most vertabre which seems to have decided to wander off at a near twenty degree angle to the horizontal and that in itself has provided me with substantial benefits. If anyone needs a really good Chiro and/or is considering physio at either of the two hospitals, please feel free to PM me for details of an excellent alternative.

Great info in this thread so thanks all. I'm currently suffering with a back problem and just stumbled accross this thread whilst search for a Chiropractor in Phuket. I've sent you a PM 'chiang mai'.

Cheers...

//Bob

[Singha Gold]

I have been suffering from a herniated disk in my back since July. This isn't the first time this has happened to me and on previous occassions (Always in the UK) I have responded best to Physiotherapy.

I started out going to BKK/Phuket and they charged me 18,000 for the first visit. Diagnoses, which I knew already, an Xray and 6000 baht worth of drugs that I didn't want and had already said I didn't want. I just winced and agreed to sign up to a course of physio starting the next day. I went for a week and they put me in a small cubicle with looped music and a hot pad. Never once did they try manipulation, massage or stretching. After 7 days (At a 1000 a pop) of sitting on the hot pad I gave up.

I tried a chiropractor here on the island but didn't respond too well to that treatment either.

After several months of agony my father suggested Phuket International. I thought the doctor was OK during the consultation, although he did seem a little keen to try and diagnose me with some skeletal disorder (Because of my height). I had the standard XRay although it showed nothing and was prescribed anti inflamitories once again. The only difference so far was a 1500 bht bill as opposed to the 18,000 one. I was told to report to the physio department the next morning. The first 3 sessions of physio I found helped a lot and I was getting quite limber again.

I went in the fourth time and complained during the treatment that I was in pain. Afterwards I got up and staggered to leave and was told that maybe I needed to rest with a hot pack. That was when it all went wrong. They had managed to severely herniate not just the lumber disk, but one in the mid region as well. My body went into muscle spasms and I couldn't breath properly. They couldn't get me out of there and up to the emergency quick enough. They got me on a morphine drip and calmed me down and the ER doctor was very quick to get the original doctor back in to see me.

They gave me a full CAT scan, actually found the problem this time and I was admitted for four days. Apart from an incident with a large air bubble in my IV line I found them all to be very good. I went every day for two sessions of physio (which I was a bit nervous about) and by the time I left I was better than I had been since July.

I would agree with the previous posters. They are aren't very good when it comes to diagnoses, and are all too quick to just prescribe a blanket of drugs, hoping that will fix the problem. I found, once they had actually seen the issue on the CAT scan, they provided very adequate care and were quick to sort the problem out. My whole stay there came to 25,000 which I was very happy with being a farang.

[Super Hans]

They gave me a full CAT scan, actually found the problem this time and I was admitted for four days. Apart from an incident with a large air bubble in my IV line I found them all to be very good. I went every day for two sessions of physio (which I was a bit nervous about) and by the time I left I was better than I had been since July.

I had air bubbles in my IV line too - I seem to remember shitting it about them until they mysteriously disappeared. Or I fell asleep. I don't really remember, but am pretty sure I didn't die.

I recommend anyone with a bad back to see a soi kepsap girl called Ied. She ought to be on the NHS.

[MisterMan]

I have a few friends who have gone for various reasons such as eye problems and female problems and were prescribed anti depsressants with NO discussion. Neither one of my friends was interested in taking them.

I wonder how many people take them without being monitored?

What is with the lack of discussion when prescibing drugs?

[donna]

a doctor who told me i was menopausal 'with no chance of ever having children' (thanks for that doc) wanted to put me straight onto HRT with no discussion whatsoever. he even started writing out the prescription! i walked out and never went back.

[MisterMan]

a doctor who told me i was menopausal 'with no chance of ever having children' (thanks for that doc) wanted to put me straight onto HRT with no discussion whatsoever. he even started writing out the prescription! i walked out and never went back.

What is HRT?

Was this at BP or PI?

[Maestro]

What is HRT?

Hormone replacement therapy.

--

Maestro