Prosthetic Leg Issue!

[rockyysdt]

A new friend revealed her story of an unfortunate accident she suffered four years ago.

Not wanting to share a sleeper birth with a strange male passenger she attempted to alight form a train which happened to start to move off and accelerate rapidly.

Catching her shoe between the train and the platform resulted in serious trauma to her legs and internal bleeding in the chest cavity.

She was saved but lost her left leg about 12 cms below the knee and fractured her right lower leg in four places.

The right leg has significant scarring from skin grafts and the bones aren't quite aligned correctly.

A specialist at a Bangkok Hospital arranged a prosthetic left leg to assist her to walk for a fee of 40,000baht.

She explained that she thought the mould turned out only 70% OK, and combined with its significant weight affects her ability to walk for any length of time or speed.

My question is, who should she see to overcome the prosthetic issue?

Is a reasonable lightweight prosthetic leg with a comfortable mould affordable?

Are there sorbethane or other kinds of cushioning available to cheaply improve the performance of her existing prosthetic?

Not aware of her rights as a Thai citizen she never pursued compensation of any kind from the Railway concerned and has had to battle through life coping with her medical expenses.

This is for a another sub forum, but I wonder if she has recourse to some kind of compensation?

Many thanks.

Edited June 14, 2011 by rockyysdt

[Mario2008]

Regarding recourse, she needs a lawyer for that as claims must be made within a certain time frame.

She might start with the consumer protection board: http://www.ocpb.go.th/

They also have a hotline for questions etc.

[rockyysdt]

Regarding recourse, she needs a lawyer for that as claims must be made within a certain time frame.

She might start with the consumer protection board: http://www.ocpb.go.th/

They also have a hotline for questions etc.

Just a thought Mario.

If both the Railway and Consumer Affairs are both Government owned/run how impartial would the advice be?

[Sheryl]

1. Sirindhorn School of Prosthetics and Orthotics

Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital Mahidol University

2 Prannok Rd. Siriraj

Bangkoknoi Bangkok

Tel. 02-419-9815

Government hospital. Should be able to get care free of charge under the Thai Universal health Care system

2. If in Chiang Mai, the Prostheses Foundation workshop is there (they also send out mobile teams to various parts of the country). This is a charitable foundation under royal patronage and all services are provided free of charge.

http://www.prosthesesfoundation.or.th/original/eng/indexEn.htm

Re the compensation issue, that’s harder. First of all, are you absolutely sure the railway paid nothing (how was the hospital care paid for? And that she signed no forms with them of any sort?

Secondly, was there a police report made of this event and the circumstances? How long ago did it happen?

If it is a long time ago and there is not a good paper trail to establish what occurred, or if she already made some agreement (for example, waiving liability in exchange for their paying the hospital bill) then I don’t think the prospects are too good. But a lawyer could better advise.

[harrry]

Sockets do need adjusting over time especially in the first few years as the stump shrinks. Artificial legs are always a poor substitute for the real thing but they provide a great im[rovement in mobility for those who can adapt to them There will always be limititations to them though.

[rockyysdt]

Thank you Sheryl and to all the others who have replied.

I am sure her rights have been completely taken away by stealth.

It would probably be a mammoth task to track down all the paperwork in place.

I'm sure, whilst suffering trauma one would not be in any position to understand what they were signing.

She is still in debt for 10,000baht for the prosthetic she currently wears even though she and her family are poor.

Father was a rice farmer but be died long ago.

Her brother, son & mother tend to the rice farming and supplement this with gathering.

I will try to arrange a visit to the hospital you refer to to see if she can access assistance to improve her mobility.

Thanks once again for the invaluable information provided.

[rockyysdt]

1. Sirindhorn School of Prosthetics and Orthotics

Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital Mahidol University

2 Prannok Rd. Siriraj

Bangkoknoi Bangkok

Tel. 02-419-9815

Government hospital. Should be able to get care free of charge under the Thai Universal health Care system

Hi Sheryl.

I got her to write down the name of the hospital involved.

It's the same place you've listed.

Apparently she must pay out large sums each time she visits.

She indicated she is typically asked to pay 3,000 to 5,000baht for a doctors consultation with some associated nasal spray and tablets for the pain and skin graft improvement.

She says she's due for an xray as the bone alignment isn't going to well.

I felt the end of the pin currently in place which supports her tibia.

The 10,000 baht fee is stopping her from further treatment.

How can she get the free treatment suggested under the Thai Universal health Care system?

[Sheryl]

I find this very hard to believe. I have never heard of anything of the sort. And, the amounts you quote are well above what a government hospital would charge even someone not covered by the national health scheme e.g. a foreigner. Many times so. A consultation fee is typically not much over 100 baht, if that.

I hate to say this, but could she be making this up in an effort to get money from you? It just does not ring true.

There are some medications and highly specialized procedures that the national system doesn't cover.

The "nasal spray" may be the drug calcitonin, which is indeed expensive and possble not covered, I don't know. But Xrays, doctor fee, etc would all be covered.

You need to find out what actually she is being charged for. If it is anything other than an unusual imported medication, then something is really wrong here and she should contact the National Health Security Office. Hotline phone number is 1330.

There is also a website, but all in Thai http://www.nhso.go.th/NHSOFront/SelectViewFolderAction.do?folder_id=000000000000044

By the way from what you now say (skin grafts etc) it appears there is much more going on medically than a poorly fitting prosthesis.

[harrry]

I find this very hard to believe. I have never heard of anything of the sort. And, the amounts you quote are well above what a government hospital would charge even someone not covered by the national health scheme e.g. a foreigner. Many times so. A consultation fee is typically not much over 100 baht, if that.

I hate to say this, but could she be making this up in an effort to get money from you? It just does not ring true.

There are some medications and highly specialized procedures that the national system doesn't cover.

The "nasal spray" may be the drug calcitonin, which is indeed expensive and possble not covered, I don't know. But Xrays, doctor fee, etc would all be covered.

You need to find out what actually she is being charged for. If it is anything other than an unusual imported medication, then something is really wrong here and she should contact the National Health Security Office. Hotline phone number is 1330.

There is also a website, but all in Thai http://www.nhso.go.th/NHSOFront/SelectViewFolderAction.do?folder_id=000000000000044

By the way from what you now say (skin grafts etc) it appears there is much more going on medically than a poorly fitting prosthesis.

[harrry]

I know a foreigner in CM how was provided with a prothesis for 7000 baht. A Thai was provided with an excellent socket to upgrade his leg and add some componentry brought over by an american friend free at the prosthesis foundation. Phantom leg pain can be a problem and medication may not be fully covered by the free scheme but gavapenton or similar would be unlikely to cost more than 1000 baht a month and most people would not need this much.

[rockyysdt]

I find this very hard to believe. I have never heard of anything of the sort. And, the amounts you quote are well above what a government hospital would charge even someone not covered by the national health scheme e.g. a foreigner. Many times so. A consultation fee is typically not much over 100 baht, if that.

I hate to say this, but could she be making this up in an effort to get money from you? It just does not ring true.

Scamming is definitely synonymous with this part of the world, both blatant or subtle.

I'm definitely mindful of such things and travel carefully.

To be balanced this person has never volunteered or initiated any conversation on the subject.

In fact she prefers not to talk about it as it reminds her of her trauma and the pain and suffering that followed.

Discussion came about due to my questioning and prodding out of my concern for her condition.

There are some medications and highly specialized procedures that the national system doesn't cover.

The "nasal spray" may be the drug calcitonin, which is indeed expensive and possble not covered, I don't know. But Xrays, doctor fee, etc would all be covered.

You need to find out what actually she is being charged for. If it is anything other than an unusual imported medication, then something is really wrong here and she should contact the National Health Security Office. Hotline phone number is 1330.

There is also a website, but all in Thai http://www.nhso.go.t...000000000000044

By the way from what you now say (skin grafts etc) it appears there is much more going on medically than a poorly fitting prosthesis.

I had a further chat with her regarding hospital costs and that perhaps she has been overcharged.

We then spoke at length regarding the accident and events which unfolded.

She explained that there are two levels of health care in Thailand, something I must say I have also experienced first hand in the past.

She said if she had a fever or domestic medical issue she would gladly use the public system.

Finding herself in ëmergency", the public doctor was seeking consent to amputate both her legs.

One was a total mess but the other appeared OK but with a number of breaks.

She told the surgeon that she had a bad heart and that her job should be to help her save the leg not remove it.

She refused consent and asked to be transferred to another hospital.

Although uninsured, since then she's been under the care of doctors/surgeons using a semi private system.

She said her leg was worth far more than a 100baht consultation.

Consequently the leg was saved and is supported with a long pin.

There is also a substantial skin graft on this leg which is still undergoing healing.

Her experience with the public system was also one with many inexperienced and poorly trained professionals.

Whilst under public care along the way, nurses would do a poor job of cleaning and dressing her wound with only the offer of paracetamol for pain relief.

She would also have to arrive in the small hours and wait all day only to receive a short consultation by an overworked doctor who would offer short unrewarding advice.

Over the time of her care she had to pay for her care with the mindset that her leg is of great value to her.

Her esteem as a woman has already been battered with her alien look due to the prosthetic and the scarring with effects on her looks, emotions, and mobility.

I share her experience with the public system.

A woman of 56 years was suffering with internal pain and digestive symptoms.

Her visit to a hospital resulted in her being prescribed drugs used for those who a schizophrenic.

I found her with worsening condition and took her to a private doctor (1,500baht) who used an Ultra Sound and revealed abnormalities in the liver and confirmation of inappropriate medication.

This woman lost one year in the public system, before being diagnosed by a simple private doctor.

A further visit to the public hospital, arriving at 4.00am and eventually receiving consultation at about 3.30pm, resulted in a prescription for some vitamins, paracetamol and various digestives at considerable expense to her.

She eventually died one year later in considerable pain and discomfort.

In my country they would have arranged biopsy and tests for a diagnosis before settling on appropriate remedial action.

Who knows, had she received early intervention, perhaps she might still be here today, or perhaps lived several more productive years before dying.

The lady with the prosthetic never complains.

She accepts life as it comes and approaches day by day positively.

She trusts those who saved her leg but continues to see them for the ongoing care knowing she must pay for anything worthwhile.

Edited June 17, 2011 by rockyysdt