Local Government Hospitals

[prakhonchai nick]

I recently visited my local (unnamed) hospital 99% sure I was suffering from Dengue Fever. But after a blood test, I was told that I had a sexually transmitted disease (STD) and given a bag of appropriate antibiotics.

So driving home. I now had, in addition to all my original symptoms, the added problem of explaining to the wife how I might have caught an STD.

3/4 hours later with a marked deterioration in my condition, I was taken to Buriram Private hospital, where I was correctly diagnosed not just with dengue fever, but Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever.

Home now after 3 nights in hospital I am left to wonder at the sheer imcompetence of the government hospital doctors. They didn't even have to think for themselves -I told them my diagnosis.

Any members out there have similar experiences to share?

[RueFang]

The government hospitals in my experience have all been hideous..terrible service, inability to diagnose and treat, not to mention the cleanliness factor. I had an infection for nearly 9 months and through visiting 5 different doctors at both the local hospital and clinics no one could cure it with many different types of drugs. It wasn't til I went back to Australia for a short holiday and got the correct diagnosis and treatment that it cleared up in 4 days. I'm in a rural area so I don't have a lot of options around here...lucky it wasn't life threatening! Lucky you got a second opinion and are healthy again now.

[bergen]

I think we've been down this road before.

If you have a serious medical problem, it's worth the money, distance and what ever else, to visit the nearest or best private hospital.

I went to my nearest gov hospital with a leg wound. I told the nurse it was infected, that the infection had gone inside, and she needed to give me antibiotic tablets.

She said no problem, cleaned the wound with some antiseptic and put on new bandage, and told me to clean every day.

The day after I drove to Rajavej Ubon Ratchathani (private) hospital, where a doctor looked at my leg and said: you stop cleaning - and keep dry.

Then he prescribed 3 different pills for me, and after to days my leg was almost back to normal.

[Thaddeus]

Our local government hospital ........ I wouldn't take one of my dogs there.

[ThaiLawOnline]

A friend of mine had a terrible motorcycle accident few months ago. His father, a doctor from Germany came. They visited the best hospitals in Korat, private and public. He told me that the service at the "private hospital" was OK. They are few things that would have been different in Germany, like physio, but it was OK. He was afraid in the public hospital that he saw about infections... They don't use as much precautions as in private hospitals. But often, the same doctors can work in both institutons!

I had a small problem in Chantaburi (motorcycle accident) 4 years ago and went to a PUBLIC hospital. Felt unconscious and was not able to walk by myself after coming back to reality. Thai people took me there.

I had many stitches on the arm, legs, they cleaned my wounds, gave me antibiotics and pain killers, injection for tetanos (not sure of spelling in English) and the cost was about 230 baht!!! All included. I stayed 3-4 hours at this public hospital. Nothing to say again their service.

Friends of mine are teachers and have health insurances. Be careful because only some hospitals will be reimbursed, and sometimes, you have to be there for at least ONE night.

[jay-uk]

I had a similar experience to Bergen but after flying to Ubon for a holiday leg pains increasingly getting worse after the flight casued me to visit the Rajavej hospital. They x-rayed my leg and said I had an infection as there was swelling behind the knee joint. I had my doubts but started taking the antibiotics and ani-infamatorys they prescribed and found after 3 days my leg was back to normal. They diagnosed this all with a very compentent doctor and x-ray within 30+ mins totalling 2,000 baht. I was very impressed and found the private hospital to be very well organsised. On our last trip my father-in-law was cleaning out our fish pool, slipped and cut his head. He blacked for a few seconds but we decided to take him again to the Rajavej and they cleaned his wound x-rayed him and gave a letter saying he had no head trauma or damage warranting a stay in the hospital. I had a feeling they would keep him in and the dollar signs were rolling like a slot machine in my mind. I would be lying if i said i was not panicking a little as I thought this is gonna' be expensive if he has seriously hurt himself. However, they charged 4,000 baht and he was out in an hour or so. Now this in itself is expensive but compared to what may have happened or if they had chose to keep him in for a few days there would have been little i could have done morrally to object. Thankfully they gave a clean bill of health and clean bill or invoice for the treatment. It was sobering though on the drive home about whether or not you should have health cover in a country like Thailand. Most take chances without cover but if I were living there full time I think i'd have to have it for piece of mind.

[bergen]

Our local government hospital ........ I wouldn't take one of my dogs there.

I could'nt agree more...........I take them to the vet

[Thaddeus]

Our local government hospital ........ I wouldn't take one of my dogs there.

I could'nt agree more...........I take them to the vet

C'mon Berg, you knew what I meant ..... don't make me sing the carrot song again

Bottom line. The local hospitals are useless, they can't even set broken bones properly (I can sight a couple of cases of that, not me thankfully, and that's mainly what they get) when it comes to diagnosis of anything that isn't blood pouring out of a wound they haven't got a clue.

30 Baht, Doctor no have, have tomorrow (maybe)

[citizen33]

Our local government hospital ........ I wouldn't take one of my dogs there.

I could'nt agree more...........I take them to the vet

C'mon Berg, you knew what I meant ..... don't make me sing the carrot song again

Bottom line. The local hospitals are useless, they can't even set broken bones properly (I can sight a couple of cases of that, not me thankfully, and that's mainly what they get) when it comes to diagnosis of anything that isn't blood pouring out of a wound they haven't got a clue.

30 Baht, Doctor no have, have tomorrow (maybe)

Guys, everybody is entitled to their views, but I really think that you are way off beam when you repeat this simplistic mantra that says: public hospital = bad; private hospital = good. Perhaps some basic research would be in order such as:

- learning the difference between a provincial and community MoPH hospital and what you might expect in each;

- looking at the outcomes achieved in some of the smaller private hospitals in Isaan;

- keeping sufficiently up to date that you know that the 30 baht co-payment was phased out last year;

- finally realising that far and away the best hospital in Isaan is the public university hospital in Khon Kaen.

I thought the earlier thread on hernia repair had things about right.

Just another view, of course....

[onnut]

for my health or my wife and child I would rather spend more and go to a top hospital in Bangkok. I have had to use them a few times and have been well looked after, they can be very expensive but you only get one life and body so well worth it.

I think if I were up country and needed medical attention I would try to get back to Bangkok as soon as possible.

So, No, I dont trust them.

[bergen]

Our local government hospital ........ I wouldn't take one of my dogs there.

I could'nt agree more...........I take them to the vet

C'mon Berg, you knew what I meant ..... don't make me sing the carrot song again

Bottom line. The local hospitals are useless, they can't even set broken bones properly (I can sight a couple of cases of that, not me thankfully, and that's mainly what they get) when it comes to diagnosis of anything that isn't blood pouring out of a wound they haven't got a clue.

30 Baht, Doctor no have, have tomorrow (maybe)

Guys, everybody is entitled to their views, but I really think that you are way off beam when you repeat this simplistic mantra that says: public hospital = bad; private hospital = good. Perhaps some basic research would be in order such as:

- learning the difference between a provincial and community MoPH hospital and what you might expect in each;

- looking at the outcomes achieved in some of the smaller private hospitals in Isaan;

- keeping sufficiently up to date that you know that the 30 baht co-payment was phased out last year;

- finally realising that far and away the best hospital in Isaan is the public university hospital in Khon Kaen.

I thought the earlier thread on hernia repair had things about right.

Just another view, of course....

I have heard that the university hospital in Khon Kaen is recommended, so are some of the army hospitals.

However it does'nt change the fact that most local government hospitals in Isaan are far less equiped than the private ones. And no I'm not talking about the small private offices manned by doctors working part time, when off duty from the government hospital

Btw I plan to get myself a health insurance before this year ends ...........that is if I qualify

[Macx]

A good friend of mine went for a dental cleaning and checkup at the gov hospital where he had gov insurance. The dentist did the cleaning and said he had no dental problem.

A month later, he had some pain in his teeth while eating. I recommended my local private dentist to him. He went the next day and the dentist told him he had 9 tooth-decays (two possible extractions and 4 fairly deep decays).

[golfer]

The girlfriend has been quite sick, with fever and aches etc., for the past few days.

Two days ago, she (also) went to the hospital in Prakhon Chai. And was given some "pills". That was about the extent of the visit...very shabby and cursory exam, at best.

Well, she said that after taking the "pills", she felt worse than before.

Today, she went to a private hospital in Surin, where a competent examination was done and blood tests were made. Don't know the exact diagnosis (language), but she was given an injection in the "derrier", a bag full of med's and sent home to rest.

I HATE that miserable dump, they call a "hospital" in PC!

Edited June 19, 2008 by golfer

[Thaddeus]

I was told this one last night, happened a couple of weeks ago, brother of one of the ex-pat wives went to the local place here with severe pains in the stomach, he was given some pills (guessing at something like imodium) and sent home.

After a couple of days he is still in agony and now is feverish, the family take him back to the hospital and they are still no wiser as to what it is, so they rush him to the bigger hospital in Buriram, but all the Docs have gone (well, there was nobody competent there) He dies in the middle of the night....... burst appendix.

My Father died aged 57 of a brain tumour, he may have been saved if the local GP hadn't been faffing him off for months by saying he was over-worked and the headaches were caused by stress, it happens even in the UK, but with nothing like the same regularity as it does here.

[blue eyes]

The girlfriend has been quite sick, with fever and aches etc., for the past few days.

Two days ago, she (also) went to the hospital in Prakhon Chai. And was given some "pills". That was about the extent of the visit...very shabby and cursory exam, at best.

Well, she said that after taking the "pills", she felt worse than before.

Today, she went to a private hospital in Surin, where a competent examination was done and blood tests were made. Don't know the exact diagnosis (language), but she was given an injection in the "derrier", a bag full of med's and sent home to rest.

I HATE that miserable dump, they call a "hospital" in PC!

Sounds like an STD to me.You should get yourself checked out now.

[golfer]

Sounds like an STD to me.You should get yourself checked out now.

5555555 YEAH.

The of course, say nothing.

Who will break the silence first? 555555

[marshbags]

The Udonthani Gov. Hospital is manned by the same specialists / doctors that cover the private ones, Aek Udon, Wattana ect. and there are also several specialists travelling from K.Kaen and all do their best from feedback i get.

My wife who cannot get private insurance for her illness recieves the best advice and treatment available and has nothing but praise for them.

Going on 4 years now, we pay for specialist equiptment such as that used for EKG,s, Ultrasound ect. as this is considered outside the budget provided by the authorities and who consequently control their spending limits.

Several staff live in our M. Ban area and are dedicated to their job.

Sadly the work load as you would expect makes things very difficult and this is an important factor to take into account when passing judgement.

As mentioned already, several local clinics are counter productive and keep the patients under their control for as long as possible, also some of the so called doctors / owners are unquailified in the first place.

Money being their god and saviour who DNGAF about life or respect it.

The usual method of giving the patient a bag of tablets that resemble a bag of dolly mixtures, to fool them into thinking they are being well looked after and getting value for money, comes into play.

IMHO of course.

marshbags

Edited June 20, 2008 by marshbags

[bergen]

The Udonthani Gov. Hospital is manned by the same specialists / doctors that cover the private ones, Aek Udon, Wattana ect. and there are also several specialists travelling from K.Kaen and all do their best from feedback i get.

My wife who cannot get private insurance for her illness recieves the best advice and treatment available and has nothing but praise for them.

Going on 4 years now, we pay for specialist equiptment such as that used for EKG,s, Ultrasound ect. as this is considered outside the budget provided by the authorities and who consequently control their spending limits.

Several staff live in our M. Ban area and are dedicated to their job.

Sadly the work load as you would expect makes things very difficult and this is an important factor to take into account when passing judgement.

As mentioned already, several local clinics are counter productive and keep the patients under their control for as long as possible, also some of the so called doctors / owners are unquailified in the first place.

Money being their god and saviour who DNGAF about life or respect it.

The usual method of giving the patient a bag of tablets that resemble a bag of dolly mixtures, to fool them into thinking they are being well looked after and getting value for money, comes into play.

IMHO of course.

marshbags

If they give you pills in more than 5 different colours..........they consider you to be a VIP

(which in some cases of course could mean a very ill person)

[abdulrahman]

The Udonthani Gov. Hospital is manned by the same specialists / doctors that cover the private ones, Aek Udon, Wattana ect. and there are also several specialists travelling from K.Kaen and all do their best from feedback i get.

My wife who cannot get private insurance for her illness recieves the best advice and treatment available and has nothing but praise for them.

Going on 4 years now, we pay for specialist equiptment such as that used for EKG,s, Ultrasound ect. as this is considered outside the budget provided by the authorities and who consequently control their spending limits.

Several staff live in our M. Ban area and are dedicated to their job.

Sadly the work load as you would expect makes things very difficult and this is an important factor to take into account when passing judgement.

As mentioned already, several local clinics are counter productive and keep the patients under their control for as long as possible, also some of the so called doctors / owners are unquailified in the first place.

Money being their god and saviour who DNGAF about life or respect it.

The usual method of giving the patient a bag of tablets that resemble a bag of dolly mixtures, to fool them into thinking they are being well looked after and getting value for money, comes into play.

IMHO of course.

marshbags

Right,marshbags,most of the doctors and nurses in the Gov.Hospital try to do they'r job as best they can;most are overworked.

In the private Hospitals,money is the 1st consideration!

Ah,pay for the bunt tablets,if you must,and throw them in the bin1

[Thaddeus]

If they give you pills in more than 5 different colours..........they consider you to be a VIP

(which in some cases of course could mean a very ill person)

Seconded...... if you are going to be ill, try to do it mid-week, when the queues have subsided a little bit..... or you can just go to the 7-11 and buy a tube of Smarties..... the result will be much the same.

[marshbags]

If they give you pills in more than 5 different colours..........they consider you to be a VIP

(which in some cases of course could mean a very ill person)

Seconded...... if you are going to be ill, try to do it mid-week, when the queues have subsided a little bit..... or you can just go to the 7-11 and buy a tube of Smarties..... the result will be much the same.

Even when the assortment do not work, they never think that the doctor ??? might be incompetent.

They go back again get another assortment, pay mega baht ( by their standards ) and go home yet again confident the doctor knows best

Sadly their immune system is Fuffed up on the resistance factor, when they eventually go to the hospital.

Amazing Thailand

marshbags

[bergen]

I know a farang in Ubon who had a serious car accident last year.

He spent several months in hospital, but is now trying to recover at home.

Met him recently at the hospital, when I had a dentist appointment, and he had a monthly check.

He told me..............the doctors prescribed 30 pills (different colours) a day ................

and for this he paid 12000,- Baht every month

Edited June 25, 2008 by bergen

[marshbags]

I know a farang in Ubon who had a serious car accident last year.

He spent several months in hospital, but is now trying to recover at home.

Met him recently at the hospital, when I had a dentist appointment, and he had a monthly check.

He told me..............the doctors prescribed 30 pills (different colours) a day ................

and for this he paid 12000,- Baht every month

One local told me his wife used her 30 baht card and still finished up paying over 3,000 baht for medications, which at the time he said where having a useless effect on her.

Sadly she succumbed to her illness and he,s now returned to his land of abode to try and come to terms with it all.

marshbags

[ozzy111]

No Not At All!!!

My wife had our first child in Pak Chong public hospital on her "families advice" and it was a nightmare. Her water broke at about 1pm so we went to the hospital and checked in, soon after we settled into a room with at least 20 other women her contractions started to really kick in it was time to go to the deliverly room. BUT the nurse said that it was'nt posible because there was nobody to deliver the baby and proceded to give my wife a "special injection" to delay the birth. I don't know what it was but the contrations reduced slightly

and we waited and waited for about 2 hours and by this time my wife was in real pain, whenever my wife mentioned the pain to a nurses they were abusive and would just sling her a couple of pain killers and walk off. Another hour went by and in the end the baby had decied enough was enough and stared to show right there in the holding room, the nurses srambled around and rushed her off to the delivery room where a "doctor" from another department delivered the baby.

The baby was fine and so was my wife although very trumatized , I have never used a public hospital in Thailand again after that.