Provincial Public Hospital Care

[Robby nz]

Might be of help to someone.

Just spent 8 days in a provincial public hospital where I was addmitted with a temp of around 40c through some infection or other.

In spite or daily blood tests, blood culture and other lab work they were unable find a cause.

However I received what I can only describe as great care by a dedicated team or nurses and an experienced Dr.

Most of what I read here points expats to private hospitals but from my experience there is no need to be afraid to go to the public sector, I have also had experience with a military hospital.

I was put on a course of antibiotics every 8 hrs and while my temp went down quickly I was still very weak and uncomfortable untill the last day or two with a very low platalet count.

They were keen to keep me for another couple of days to be sure everything was OK but with blood counts back to normal I managed to talk my way back home.

Costs were very cheap, for 8 days in a private room with all food, antibiotics and lab work included bill came to under 16,000B.

[harrry]

Last night I attended ChiangRai hospital emergency department with a COPD exascerbation...through a chest infection. Emergency Department 450baht overnight observation and nursing care and oxygen and nebulisers every 3 hours 250baht . xray 170 baht medicines iv antibiotics etc and take home antibiotics 189baht

Care was excellent privacyy of course non \existant.

I cannot speak too highly of my experiences in Thailand public hospital system..there is a limitation of expensive care but what they do they dowell.

[Sheryl]

Yes, care at provincial and higher (e.g. regional/national) government hospitals is usually of good quality, although there are some provincial hospitals which lag behind the rest.

Problems are with the red tape and language, these plus wait times often make going private a better choice for outpatient care, but for hospitalization government hospitals are a definite option especially for the uninsured/underinsured.

People need to clearly understand though that this applies to government hospitals only from provincial level on up. District hospitals are not recommended for anything other than simple wound care. And many of the places where expats tend to be concentrated (Pattaya, Hua Hin, Samui etc) are not provincial capitals and thus have only a district level governmebnt hospitals.

Military hospitals usually offer excellent standard of care, but same red tape and language issues may make them not an ideal choice for outpatient care unless one is (or is accompanied by someone) fluent in Thai (written & spoken) and has more time than money to spend. Fir inopatuient care, well worth it.

The aforementioned issues for outpatient care do not apply in a genuine emergency. Thje nearest provincial or higher level government hospital ER is usually the best place to go in cases of serious accident etc. In fact, for major trauma, you are better off in the ER of Siriraj or Chula than in even the best private hospitals IMO.

[deejah]

perhaps a stupid question

how do you determine the level of the hospital

district provincial regional national?

and what IS the difference between these four types

i am confused

robby nz

what provincial hospital did you stay at please?

or did i miss that too?