Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital (aka Maharaj Or Suan Dok)

[fridgemagnet]

the only directions I can find are by Earlofwindemere, who suggests asking for the correct building when you get there.

I use the Maraj hospital, and had a poor experience, due to my not asking to see a consultant urologist- I saw the consultant surgeon on duty, he operated, and now I'm stuck with the result.

Do canvass extensively regarding surgeons, the results can be permanent. This forum should be good for this, but what about libel in Thailand -no doctor is going to be pleased with a poor review.

Having said all of this, I still think it is the best place to go, even if it is cheaper than the Ram.

[fridgemagnet]

Hmmm

on reading through the posts yet again, it seems likley that the Sri Pat is a.k.a. the Special Medical Services Centre.

[PeaceBlondie]

Hmmm

on reading through the posts yet again, it seems likley that the Sri Pat is a.k.a. the Special Medical Services Centre.

Correct. My ID card, enclosed in plastic, is bilingual and clearly says in English Special Medical Service Center. They advertise in magazines - maybe CityLife - and in the Expat Newsletter.

[AJ2]

Hello.

Does anyone know if it is possible for a retired expat to use the public section of Maharaj Hospital? Not floor 13, the private section.

Thank you.

[elektrified]

Hello.

Does anyone know if it is possible for a retired expat to use the public section of Maharaj Hospital? Not floor 13, the private section.

Thank you.

Public section meaning not having to pay for medical treatment? I doubt it very much since my Thai friends all go to the 13th floor and pay for their medical treatment.

[PeaceBlondie]

I doubt it, but am not sure. When I went to Sripat for an ortho consult, I was referred to the Wednesday morning ortho clinic in the main section of the hospital. My Thai partner accompanied me, and we had to basically re-register downstairs in the general area of the main hospital. Then we waited many hours to get a free consultation. We also went there for post-op followups. There was no charge until one of the dressing changes of the surgical wound had a complication. However, my surgery was done under the Sripat scheme, and I paid in full for that. While we were at the big Wedn. morning consult, with hundreds of Thai nationals, we met an old coworker who is a govt. officer. She was there for her cancer follow-up (such officers normally use Sripat).

[Bill97]

Hello.

Does anyone know if it is possible for a retired expat to use the public section of Maharaj Hospital? Not floor 13, the private section.

Thank you.

It was a couple of years ago but you had to pay their normally small fees.

[uptoyoumyfriend]

I got treatment at the regular section at sun doc(maharai) hospital in may.it was no problem you just fill in a form and wait with everybody else.i had to wait longer and when it was finally my turn the doctor got up and went away.after some more waiting it turned out that they made sure they got somebody who was not too shy to speak english since my thai is only good to order beer and food.i had a consultation and subsequently x rays ,more consultations and some medication.everything was cheap,around 600bt.the service was great ,i talked to a real specialist .the med's were good too.if you can sit in a crowd ,it's doable,just bring a book.

previously i had some outpatient experience at ram which was also very good and reasonably priced.

x rays,diagnosis and doctors advice for around 1000.- cm ram has great service.no waiting around there.

when i admitted myself with what turned out to be dengue fever at ram they did a great job and the room was very posh.two full days with all the treatment and tests rang up at 20 000 bt.a little more than i expected from my outpatient experience there -that's why i tried out sun doc to find cheaper alternatives for the future.

[jingjoke]

BUPA, which I continue to use after a decade, lists the Special Medical Service Center under the hospitals it covers, but no longer lists Ram I - no reason given. I have had excellent service at both hospitals. At Ram, 5 years ago, treatment for an injured back due to a 2 meter fall: nothing but praise for RAM staff and BUPA. Until recently, I had suffered for 2 years from a rash on the front of my lower legs what I had mistakenly thought was caused by road dust (including most probably the dried feces of the thousands of dogs in town) kicked up by my motorcycle. Went to most hospitals and clinics in the are and was treated with antibacterial pastes and pills that failed to work or did so for a week or two. Finally after 2 years I went to the dermatologist at the Special Medical Service Center where he diagnosed the rash as eczema, prescribed an ointment, and within three weeks the inflammation disappeared. Sorry, do not have the presciption at hand so am unable to recall the specialist's name. He, like many doctors, are there only twice a week; I am told that many specialists apparently rotate amongst the various hospitals. The Special Medical Service Center is now my hospital of choice.

[jingjoke]

BUPA, which I continue to use after a decade, lists the Special Medical Service Center under the hospitals it covers, but no longer lists Ram I - no reason given. I have had excellent service at both hospitals. At Ram, 5 years ago, treatment for an injured back due to a 2 meter fall: nothing but praise for RAM staff and BUPA. Until recently, I had suffered for 2 years from a rash on the front of my lower legs what I had mistakenly thought was caused by road dust (including most probably the dried feces of the thousands of dogs in town) kicked up by my motorcycle. Went to most hospitals and clinics in the are and was treated with antibacterial pastes and pills that failed to work or did so for a week or two. Finally after 2 years I went to the dermatologist at the Special Medical Service Center where he diagnosed the rash as eczema, prescribed an ointment, and within three weeks the inflammation disappeared. Sorry, do not have the presciption at hand so am unable to recall the specialist's name. He, like many doctors, are there only twice a week; I am told that many specialists apparently rotate amongst the various hospitals. The Special Medical Service Center is now my hospital of choice.

[Tung_Thaid]

I found this topic very interesting and helpful. Which led me to the hospital's web site where you can find the pricing for their CHECK UP packages - and their IN-PATIENT room rates. Rather than post that info here that can get out of date - check the site yourself.

The start page: http://www.cmed.cmu.ac.th/container-eng/

The check ups page: http://www.cmed.cmu.ac.th/container-eng/?p=34

The room rates page: http://www.cmed.cmu.ac.th/container-eng/?p=53

Special Medical Service Centre, Chiang Mai University

110/392 Sriphat Building, Inthawarorot Road, Sriphum,

Muang, Chiang Mai 50200

Telephone 053-946900-1

Ambulance Service - part of the Intensive Care Unit - 053-946623-4

Open daily from 08:00 to 20:00 at 13th Floor Sripat Building

and after 20:00 to 08:00 at 14th Floor.

[asokean]

Hello, thanks for this thread!

Can someone confidently recommend a really good Ear Specialist at Maharaj Hospital, please? From what I gather about Thai medical standards, it's not consistent, and I don't have much confidence in the specialist my dad is currently seeing.

Thank you tremendously.

[Mapguy]

Hello, thanks for this thread!

Can someone confidently recommend a really good Ear Specialist at Maharaj Hospital, please? From what I gather about Thai medical standards, it's not consistent, and I don't have much confidence in the specialist my dad is currently seeing.

Thank you tremendously.

The ability of physicians varies anywhere. After all, someone had to graduate at the top of the class and another at the bottom! I was talking recently to a faculty member at CMU, and he was beginning to worry about in-country training at Thai medical schools. The problem, he believes, is that classes are getting too large too fast and that there is not enough clinical time that teachers can spend with students. His concern is not unlike that of some hospitals in the USA. For example, the University of Texas has recently decided to shut down most of its Galveston hospital (built on what most people would call a large sand bar) which was really clobbered by the recent hurricane. As a result the medical school based there is left "high and dry" (ironically) because the number of patients and the range of conditions have been severely reduced, thus affecting training of medical students because they haven't the same quantity of cases and range of conditions to look at (i.e., enough guinea pigs to poke and prod!).

Anyway....

Consultation is available from just about any medical specialty at Sripat SMSC, but clinics per se do not open every day in every specialty. For example, there are two excellent dermatologists, but they are only there for half-days on Monday and Thursday afternoons now from what I was last told. Basically, what you have to do is call the SMSC and tell them what your problem is. They will help arrange appointments so that you are not always waiting with scores of patients who are dropping in. Start by dialing 053.94.6508. Worried about waiting for care? Want to return to England? Get an appointment in the USA?!

Edited November 17, 2008 by Mapguy

[noise]

I am needing both knees replaced and have been given information leading me to believe this would be the best choice here locally. Have been given the recommendation to see a Dr Sataya...I will meet him next week. In the meantime is there anyone lurking out there who have first hand experience with this particular Dr. OR had total knee replacement here locally with some stories that won't scare the stuff out of me?

My 82 yr old M-I-L had him replace her knee; did good job. Her operation was covered by my F-I-L's retired RTAF military medical benefits, though we paid extra for a private room. Medical wise I would say he did a great job, plus he showed more concern and provided more care and attention to an old lady who refused to do her exercises ("It hurts") than I expected.

He was superficial in his explanations of processes, procedures, and rationale (which was OK for the MIL as she didn't understand even that and didn't even want to know). I had to push a little, as a mere S-I-L whose was slowing down his clinic, to get any details. I would imagine he would be more descriptive with the actual patient that wanted to know details.

My only real complaint was that ,being on the teaching staff, he was teaching or in surgery all day and we could only see him at his clinic at 5 pm or later.

[Asmerom]

Maybe I am wrong about prices at the two places being nearly equal. I seldom have paid 400 baht at Sri Pat to see a specialist like a cardiologist or a neurolgy professor, sometimes 250 including the nurses fee.

So much talk of comparitive cost and no actual figures save this last one.

Here are my figures for last weeks job at Chiang Mai RAM : Problem : Pain in Side. Result : Nothing found : possibly muscular.

Medical supplies : 14

LAB : 1910

An x-ray : 300

ultrasound scan : 1920

Nursing : 50

Consultant : 300

Extras : 50

Grand Total 4544 baht

I thought it was rather a lot. No insurance. But at £82 , could well be a bargain. What do you think?

[PeaceBlondie]

Well, I spoke to my medical plan last night. I currently have to swallow the first US$20 for an outpatient visit. She laughed out loud when I told her I paid $6 per visit for two neurologists who are medical school professors, even when the second one spent an hour with me each time! The limb specialist who dressed my wounds charged about the same. Eye surgeon exams, including lens selection and looking inside my eye, about 300 baht. My shoulder surgeries cost 60K at Ram, 50K at Sripat, if I remember correctly. This month I had a hand needle electromyography and a nerve conductivity test, 500 baht for each test, and only 200 baht for an hour of the professor's time to conduct the tests and interpret the results in good English.

Now I think Chiang Mai Ram is much more expensive, for no better care, than Sripat is. More than once, I have paid nothing at Maharaj for a visit.

[bunta71]

I am needing both knees replaced and have been given information leading me to believe this would be the best choice here locally. Have been given the recommendation to see a Dr Sataya...I will meet him next week. In the meantime is there anyone lurking out there who have first hand experience with this particular Dr. OR had total knee replacement here locally with some stories that won't scare the stuff out of me?

My 82 yr old M-I-L had him replace her knee; did good job. Her operation was covered by my F-I-L's retired RTAF military medical benefits, though we paid extra for a private room. Medical wise I would say he did a great job, plus he showed more concern and provided more care and attention to an old lady who refused to do her exercises ("It hurts") than I expected.

He was superficial in his explanations of processes, procedures, and rationale (which was OK for the MIL as she didn't understand even that and didn't even want to know). I had to push a little, as a mere S-I-L whose was slowing down his clinic, to get any details. I would imagine he would be more descriptive with the actual patient that wanted to know details.

My only real complaint was that ,being on the teaching staff, he was teaching or in surgery all day and we could only see him at his clinic at 5 pm or later.

Realizing your insurance paid, what was the total bill? I have no insurance and wondering what it would cost for both replacements at Sripat.

[noise]

Realizing your insurance paid, what was the total bill? I have no insurance and wondering what it would cost for both replacements at Sripat.

The operation was back in July and the bill included the extras we paid for (e.g., private room at 300 baht or so a day). I do not have it here at my house, so I can't check it for details. But, if my memory serves me correctly, I think her costs for the actual surgery were about 40,000 to 45,000 baht. This does not include the costs of the clinic visits. And the cost may be billed differently for Thai govt medical coverage than for private patients.

[bjohn34]

I went to Special Srvices Clinic at Maharaj last week for the first time about a minor orthopedic problem.

I was in and out in an hour, very pelased with staff service and doctor.

Total cost including doctor and medication was 530 baht

[Mapguy]

the only problem I have with Suan Dok is parking. Where do you guys park you cars?

If you are headed West and past the hospital buildings on Suthep Road, turn left at the first soi and quickly left again into the tree shaded lot which is on the corner of that soi. (Used to be an entrance just before the soi but could be closed now). It is a bit of a walk back to the Hospital but they usually have spaces available.

Here is a clear map showing where the Special Medical Services Clinic (in the Sriphat Building is). Hard to park so see above. Or take a Tuk Tuk or Songtao.

Any further comments on the clinic out there?

Sriphat_Map.pdf

Edited December 8, 2008 by Mapguy

[koosdeboer]

For me suan doc is the place to go. I live more than 7 years in Chiang mai now and the first 7 years I went to chiang mai ram, same wife and daughter. They always subscribed a lot of medicines, too many I think. Many antibiotics which I don't like.

The last time I went there because of pain in my rib and backpain. The doctor told me he saw something what looked like a tumor and ASKED WHAT I WANTED.

I told him to make one more X ray and after that he confirmed that it was a tumor but benign, no problem. I asked what to do and he said if I liked I could come back in a year for another x-ray.

I was not satisfied and went to suan dok and there they made a CT-scan and send me to another specialist. She told me that it was multiple myeloma, a deadly blood cancer that effect the bones. This doctor took the time to explain everything in perfect English. The service was great and the costs very reasonable.

I will have my treatment in suan dok and it's the place where my wife and daughter will go in the future.

The only thing I want improved is the mattress because it's to hard for me.

[PeaceBlondie]

I decided to see an orthopedist before ordering a computer table that was more orthopedically supportive. We called Sripat and were told I could go in about half an hour before noon, when the staff orthopedist would start. I went at 1130 the next day. I got #13 in the ortho queue, and waited until 1 PM, but the doctor had never come. I left. It is the first time I ever waited an hour. Back home where you pay $100 for routine visits, a two hour wait is fairly common. Today I ordered a custom made table from TigerBeer's shop. The last specialist told me enough for me to figure out the obvious, anyway.

[Mapguy]

Another Suan Doc (or Sriphat) Hospital SMSC story.

A friend recently had a hip done. I'm not up on all of the details , but I saw a lot of him when he was in there and since. He really didn't have any complaints except for the food, but then who likes hospital food? If you behave yourself (remember that the type of diet is prescribed by the doctor!!), there is a frig and a microwave in the rooms of the special 14th floor of the new building immediately behind and connected with the Sriphat Building.

The orthopaedic surgeon seems to have done a terrific job. I never heard any complaints about the nursing care.

I'll check out other details, as available, and get back to you...

[PeaceBlondie]

I am a bit worried because I am moving from a rent house near Maharaj, to a permanent retirement home way east, en route to San Kampaeng. I will just have further to go. No intention of using an east side hospital.

[brennanstimpy]

Do you actually think the Thai doctors who made these mistakes/lost face will talk to anyone about them? That seems to be a little naive or maybe just too hopeful. I have used several hospitals and Suan Doc seems to be the one to save money at, the care seems to be equal as Ram or Lanna. The fact that Dr. Greg Greer is at Suan Doc is such a huge plus, he helped us out in the Pedtriatric ward on his day off and isnt even a pediatrician. Suan Doc is far more inconvenient than the other hospitals though.

My guess is that any medical facility makes a fair number of mistakes in the course of a day - it is the nature of the game - but more foreigners go to Ram, so their mistakes get talked about more. If the price is pretty much the same as Suan Doc, I would not bother to change.

[Sojourner]

I am needing both knees replaced and have been given information leading me to believe this would be the best choice here locally. Have been given the recommendation to see a Dr Sataya...I will meet him next week. In the meantime is there anyone lurking out there who have first hand experience with this particular Dr. OR had total knee replacement here locally with some stories that won't scare the stuff out of me?

I consulted with Dr. Sudhee Sudasna regarding a TKR. He is highly respected here in Chiang Mai. Did work for the royal family as well as keeps the boys from GT Riders in one piece. He does the procedure using the conventional method with metal jigs and measuring devices but suggested I consult with Dr. Chumrunkiet in BKK. He uses computer guided surgery. I had the work done at Vejthani Hospital in BKK and am very pleased with the work. No discomfort after about six months and a good range of motion. That's all you can ask for. The cost one year ago was about $11,000 for one knee.

Edited January 6, 2009 by Sojourner

[damian5000]

I have not been able to locate an "organized" up-to-date discussion on Maharaj (also commonly known as Suan Doc), the "teaching hospital" of the Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Nursing of Chiang Mai University. The Maharaj "complex" is found on Suthep Road just west of the moat between the moat and Sirimangkalajan Road. It is a large government hospital with a special clinic called the Special Medical Service Center. That clinic is located on the 13th floor of the building immediately west of and adjacent to the Faculty of Nursing. It is the tall building closest to the moat. It has its own outside entrance (marked by a sign) close to the road.

This is an invitation to discuss this hospital clinic specifically, not other hospitals, in an attempt to focus the discussion. The Service Center (clinic) is where most farang would go for treatment at the facility. In addition to the clinic, there is a floor (14th) of very, very nice rooms comparable to or better than those at Chiang Mai Ram.

In a similar thread on Chiang Mai Ram I Hospital, it was noted quite reasonably that hospital experiences are largely subjective, but I still believe a lot can be learned. To start things off, here are some general comments from limited experience of my own thus far including those of friends.

The clinic is a relatively crowded place where you might not be seen immediately on a "drop in" visit, but it is a clinic for many medical school faculty. Many specialists are available. Many do not work exclusively there, but there are more of them generally

For general cost, previous comments in various threads indicate that services and drugs are cheaper than at Chiang Mai Ram Hospital, which is designed to serve farang with the least "fuss" (with greater expense to them).

Another previous post indicated that English is not as widely spoken at Maharaj as at Ram. My personal experience is that this is certainly not true of the doctors and many nurses, and that a little patience and a smile will get you the help you need in a hurry.

It seems that sometimes the administrative and communications lines are awkward between the service center and the government side of Maharaj, which might cause a problem upon admission to the trauma center, but all that can be ironed out. It seems some doctors don't necessarily work both "sides" of the hospital. If you have a physician, say a cardiologist, who doesn't work the government side, then you should clarify that with your doctor in advance in case you might be rushed to the trauma center some day. This is not to say you won't find a highly qualified doctor to attend to you at the center. It is not a hot shots to the right and charletans to the left situation. But you should be clear what area of the hospital to which you want to be admitted in case you start at the trauma center. The government side has regular, better and best rooms. The 14th Floor above the center is very classy.

Regarding practitioners at the hospital, I'd like to start with a question. Does anyone have anything to tell us about Dr. Arnon Chotironiramit, a surgeon?

I go to McCormack...

Edited January 6, 2009 by damian5000

[vagabond48]

For those posters who use McCormick, do you speak Thai or bring someone who does?

Is the wait time much longer than CMR1 or Sriphat?

Edited January 7, 2009 by vagabond48

[southerndown]

For those posters who use McCormick, do you speak Thai or bring someone who does?

Is the wait time much longer than CMR1 or Sriphat?

I've had no problems and no long waits but it depends on the doctor you see of course.

Most Thai doctors will prescribe antibiotics which are not always necessary but medicine in LOS is a business

Suandoc was good particularly Greg, an American doctor. He does not automatically prescribe antibiotics and takes the time to talk through any diagnosis.

The Thai culture is not to criticise doctors which I think is why they get away with so much. Get second opinions in Thailand

[vagabond48]

For those posters who use McCormick, do you speak Thai or bring someone who does?

Is the wait time much longer than CMR1 or Sriphat?

I've had no problems and no long waits but it depends on the doctor you see of course.

I do assume that 95%+ doctors speak English but when you walk into the hospital, will the reception and support staff be able to speak English well enough to determine what you are here for.