Hospital Opinion Anyone

[WilliamCave]

was wondering about this hospital any body have any experience with it and can a thai get credit there if they need to, or is it cash up front and or insurance .

[Sheryl]

I assume you are referring to the Royal Angkor International hospital in Siem Reap, Cambodia?

If so:

In my dealings with its sister establishment in Phnom Penh (Royal Rattanak) they haven't asked for $ in advance but that was only for outpatient stuff, for inpatient they might. May also depend on how they size you up i.e. if they have doubts they may ask for money down. I would expect the Siem Reap affiliate to do the same.

Even if they let you in without cash up front, they will most definitely expect to be paid in full, and they are very expensive. If they follow the same practice as Royal Rattanak they will at every step of the way give you an advance cost estimate and ask you to agree to it (they may even have you sign something, I forget that part).

Re the "expect to get paid" part, the Cambodian side of the ownership of these 2 places includes some extremely "Influential" folk whom you do not want to cross. i.e., don't even think about trying to skip out on a bill. (no offense if you wouldn't dream of such a thing...some folk would and in this context it would be seriously, seriously unwise)

More expensive than international hospitals in Bangkok and definitely lower quality. If you need hospitalization and can possibly do so, come to Bangkok. Even with the r/t air fare it will cost less, and provide much more.

That said, if it is for something fairly simple, or if it is just not possible for you to come to Bangkok, it is the best option available in Siem Reap (for adults -- excellent free care available for children at 2 NGO hospitals). They will most probably not do you any harm which is far more than can be said of the vast majority of medical establishments in Cambodia. And provided what is wrong is fairly straightfoward and doesn't require much in the way of specialists, they may even do you some good.

I'll be interested to hear how it turns out...

[WilliamCave]

I assume you are referring to the Royal Angkor International hospital in Siem Reap, Cambodia?

If so:

In my dealings with its sister establishment in Phnom Penh (Royal Rattanak) they haven't asked for $ in advance but that was only for outpatient stuff, for inpatient they might. May also depend on how they size you up i.e. if they have doubts they may ask for money down. I would expect the Siem Reap affiliate to do the same.

Even if they let you in without cash up front, they will most definitely expect to be paid in full, and they are very expensive. If they follow the same practice as Royal Rattanak they will at every step of the way give you an advance cost estimate and ask you to agree to it (they may even have you sign something, I forget that part).

Re the "expect to get paid" part, the Cambodian side of the ownership of these 2 places includes some extremely "Influential" folk whom you do not want to cross. i.e., don't even think about trying to skip out on a bill. (no offense if you wouldn't dream of such a thing...some folk would and in this context it would be seriously, seriously unwise)

More expensive than international hospitals in Bangkok and definitely lower quality. If you need hospitalization and can possibly do so, come to Bangkok. Even with the r/t air fare it will cost less, and provide much more.

That said, if it is for something fairly simple, or if it is just not possible for you to come to Bangkok, it is the best option available in Siem Reap (for adults -- excellent free care available for children at 2 NGO hospitals). They will most probably not do you any harm which is far more than can be said of the vast majority of medical establishments in Cambodia. And provided what is wrong is fairly straightfoward and doesn't require much in the way of specialists, they may even do you some good.

I'll be interested to hear how it turns out...

Hello thanks for the response, was just reading that they are part of the Bangkok Dusit Medical Service, could this be correct, and from what I see you pay either way , no matter what , Do you know if this info is correct?

thanks,

got other info want to see if corresct got the exact name Angkor hospital medical centre is this in Cambodia or is there an affilate in bkk, for this hospital.

Edited October 6, 2010 by WilliamCave

[Sheryl]

The Royal Angkor International hospital is in Siem Reap, Cambodia. There is no hospital by that name in Thailand.

Both the Royal Angkor International Hospital in Siem Reap and the Royal Rattanak Hospital in Phnom Penh are affiliated with the "Bangkok Hospital" franchise of hospitals, in some sort of a co-ownership with Cambodian businessman/officials. I am not exactly sure what the terms of the joint ownership are, but it allows these hospitals to declare themselves as affiliates of the Bangkok Hospital group, and an effort is made to achieve a semblance of similiarity in the level of the facilities and how they function (no small challenge given the prevailing norms in the Cambodia medical sector).

What has become a sort of "Bangkok Hospital" chain started with Bangkok Hospital in Bangkok (previously called Bangkok General Hospital) and has over the years opened branches in other locations in Thailand, including several tourist destinations (Pattaya, Phuket etc). However none of these branches offer the same range of professional expertise that is found in the parent hospital in Bangkok, to put it mildly. Some come closer than others, but many really do not have anything "international" in quality about them, at least not as I define international quality.

More recently, the group has entered into a joint venture with Cambodians to open two affiliated hospitals in Cambodia. These facilities have a better standard of cleanliness and equipment than anywhere else in Cambodia but very few physicians on staff and, due to prohibitive costs, get very few patients. I haven't been to the one in Siem Reap, but Royal Rattanak, every time I have seen it, is virtually empty. They would actually make far more if they would lower their prices as there is enormous demand for better medical care in Cambodia, but this apparently hasn't been recognized yet. At their current level of pricing the only people who could afford to go there could just as easily fly to Thailand and get a much wider range of services at the same or less cost.

The various "Bangkok Hospital"s are indeed owned by Bangkok Dusit Medical Services - in whole for the hospitals in Thailand and in joint with Cambodfian interests in the case of the "Royal" hospitals in Cambodia.

Bangkok Dusit Medical Services also owns 2 other large international hospitals, BNH and Samitivej. However these are "branded", if you will, separately from the "Bangkok Hospital" group, caters to slightly different market niches and differ in marketing approaches, ambience, how they are managed and the medical services/expertise available. Apart from fialry similiar prices, you would not know they were owned by the same entity.