Lab For Blood Work

[ricklev]

I regularly get some standard and routine blood tests. In Bangkok I usually just go directly to a lab where it is about half the price of a hospital. It seems fairly common and accepted to do this.

A pharmacist here in Chiang Mai suggested a place across the moat from Chiang Mai Ram. Any experiences with them or other suggestions?

Thanks!

[FolkGuitar]

I regularly get some standard and routine blood tests. In Bangkok I usually just go directly to a lab where it is about half the price of a hospital. It seems fairly common and accepted to do this.

A pharmacist here in Chiang Mai suggested a place across the moat from Chiang Mai Ram. Any experiences with them or other suggestions?

Thanks!

I just had a full physical on Monday, top to bottom, at Chiangmai Ram. I hadn't had one in about 10 years and figured I ought to. No CAT scan or EEG but just about everything else. First time I've ever had blood drawn that didn't hurt! (OK, I'm a wuss. I admit it. But the pain of needles probably kept me from becoming a junkie back in the day.... )

Total cost for all the testing (x-rays, blood work, EKG, ABI, tumor markers (AFP, CEA, PSA,) specimens tested.... everything I could think of without getting invasive or not needed (I figured I could pass on the pap smear and mammogram this time.) Hand held from start to finish, took about 2 1/2 hours, and no pain except the blood pressure cuff. ( I told you I'm a wuss!) Oh yeah... the dam_n proctologist had a finger like a beer can....

Total costl; 4600 bhat. Even got a 465 baht discount! It was worth it just for the air conditioning alone! Turns out that I'm too short for my weight.

I know a lot of folks don't like Chiang Mai Ram and believe them to be a ripoff. To date, I've never had a problem with any bills from them nor from service or results I received. Why not stop in, go to the 4th floor Health Services desk, and ask them what they charge for the tests you want performed? They certainly did well by me. They have all the tests listed on a computer program, and you choose the ones you want.

[Ta22]

i know a Pte LAb in Chiangmai who do all the Blood work for Hospital and clinic in Chiangmai

is located on the Superhighway and is kinda hard to find .

if you really need it badly -

PM me and i will see if i can get someone to bring you there .

[earlofwindermere]

The private blood lab on the superhiway is just after the Jotun sign inbetween Mae Jo Road and Doi Saket Road (as you are heading out of the city). It's cheap and fast but I have found them to sporadic (ie they are open but they can't do the test today - machine broken).

Theppanya (Formerly called Chiang Mai Ram 2) on Mae Jo Road is good. We have done a lot of blood lab work there. It's cheaper than Ram 1 and you can get the entire process complete it 10 minutes. I'm not sure about everyone else but it seems like the waiting time at Ram 1 is very long lately.

If you are looking for a physical, I know several people who have gone to Sri Pat (Suan Dok, Special Medical Services, Maharaj, CMU Hospital or whatever other name it goes by). I have heard positive feedback other than for test results that require a week or two. A relative of mine was told that she would be emailed the test results. She ended up having to call several times before they were sent. Other than this, she was very happy with both the price and service.

[PeaceBlondie]

Coincidentally, an American lady told me today she and her husband had just gone to Chiang Mai Ram for the complete physical. FolkGuitar already mentioned that he paid 4600 baht for his. I get mine done at Sripat for about 2,500, but my katoey cardiologist doesn't give me the proctology exam! Results same day, including analysis of EKG and xray. Sripat has a brochure of about 10 levels of physical exams, on up close to the Ram in price. Brochure in Thai available at front desk, main floor of Sripat. Likewise, they guide you around the building.

[ricklev]

Thanks for the lab suggestions. Just what I was looking for!

[Dustoff]

For simple and basic checks, almost any clinic/lab is fine.

I do a yearly thing and prefer to establish a record of previous tests and have a doctor who is sharp enough to notice subtle changes that could be meaningful.

I have for years used Dr. Padungkiat Sethakul, MD, Internal Medicine/Cardiology at CM Ram. Very good English, attentive, open to suggestions/requests and his fee is almost embarrassingly low. While Ram's price may be a bit higher for the tests, the key is who interprets the results, taking into consideration your personal history and uniqueness!

Be well...

[ebc13]

I regularly get some standard and routine blood tests. In Bangkok I usually just go directly to a lab where it is about half the price of a hospital. It seems fairly common and accepted to do this.

A pharmacist here in Chiang Mai suggested a place across the moat from Chiang Mai Ram. Any experiences with them or other suggestions?

Thanks!

PTE lab worked great...got my wife's INR done there, it took about two hours and 200 baht....

I have the opposite problem - I am in Bangkok and can't figure out where to go to a blood lab - can you let me know?

(the last hospital charged us 700 baht for the test!)

Thanks!

[Mapguy]

For simple and basic checks, almost any clinic/lab is fine.

I do a yearly thing and prefer to establish a record of previous tests and have a doctor who is sharp enough to notice subtle changes that could be meaningful.

I have for years used Dr. Padungkiat Sethakul, MD, Internal Medicine/Cardiology at CM Ram. Very good English, attentive, open to suggestions/requests and his fee is almost embarrassingly low. While Ram's price may be a bit higher for the tests, the key is who interprets the results, taking into consideration your personal history and uniqueness!

Be well...

I think this is very, very smart. Shopping for price is not the best idea when it comes to health. Settling upon an internist (who is really a diagnostician) is an important step to good health! (Never mind the poster's other quirks !!)

If you go to Chiang Mai Ram, there are really three levels of care. (1) You can go into the lab (Look left of the checkout counters) and order your own tests without analysis; (2) You can go up to the 4th floor for the "comprehensive," but the comprehensive is sold on the basis of (Nurse requested!) "How many tests do you want;" not what you really might need. Furthermore, the main physician on that service, while nominally qualified, is not the best sort of fellow to visit. He does everything nominally. He is simply a guy to go get a health check for a driver's license! But, (3), if you go to a clinic practitioner (and there are some very good ones at Ram) you will get a reasoned intelligent approach to an annual exam that begins with an interview and (maybe) a quick physical exam before the lab tests. That is sensible. I started a thread on Chiang Mai Ram Hospital a long time ago. Please visit it. Please add to it.

Regarding Sriphat, or Maharaj, or Suan Doc --- whatever you call the hospital --- you will also get different levels of care (from good practitioners). Where farang want to go, as a general rule, is to the Special Medical Service Center (Sriphat Building). But start with an internist. I started a thread on Suan Doc, Maharaj, SMSC. Please add your experience to it.

Now, for an oddment: Because of cultural reticence, any testicular or rectal examination will not --- generally --- be done unless the patient requests it. It is an important diagnostic procedure, but because of the cultural hangup among many Thai internists, it will not be done unless they are asked. I know of one Thai specialist who is really distressed about this because he knows that ultrasound and other lab exams are not always the whole story. Males! Deal with it! Females! I have no comparable information. I think it would be welcome here --- on the appropriate thread for the appropriate hospital.

By the way, there are other hospitals in Chiang Mai, but no one has really bothered to establish a thread about them. The health services picture is not as simple as it seems in Chiang Mai (or in any place anywhere!). I do not mean to demean any hospital here. I simply can not comment on them all, even enough to start a thread.

I hope this is useful.

Edited September 17, 2008 by Mapguy

[uptoyoumyfriend]

I regularly get some standard and routine blood tests. In Bangkok I usually just go directly to a lab where it is about half the price of a hospital. It seems fairly common and accepted to do this.

A pharmacist here in Chiang Mai suggested a place across the moat from Chiang Mai Ram. Any experiences with them or other suggestions?

Thanks!

the probably quickest and cheapest place is loi kro clinic.the doctor is great,and the lab in house.

highly recommended and often tried.

[idrankwhat]

I go to Lanna hospital, it's quick, clean, cheap and new in the labs.