Any Advice On Orthopedic Surgeons And Hospital In Bangkok

[Time Traveller]

Hello, I need to see a Knee specialist but have heard some bad experiences in hospitals in Bangkok. Does anyone recommend hospital or doctors in BKK?

I'm not looking for anyone that's trying to up sell their services like surgery, just after unbiased advise on knee problem and options. Also are the prices at say Bumrungrad really that much cheaper than western countries? I'm thinking if any surgery is required to do this is the US. Certainly liability insurance is more attractive than the Thai equivalent should anything go wrong

[FBN]

Try to see Dr. Panya at Bumrungrad; check on their website for his credentials.

He is reputed to be a good knee chap.

For costs, get the diagnosis done and then proposed treatment and you will be able to make cost comparisons.

At least the initial investigations such as MRI (if indicated) would be cheaper and would get done much quicker here than in the US.

[Time Traveller]

great thanks FBN, I'll check it it.

[sinbin]

This guy did work on me and I can't complain. Unfortunately he now doesn't work in Bangkok, but at the (government) Suranaree Military Hospital in Korat.

http://www.medeguide.com/bura-sindhupakorn

[23962323]

With 5 out of the 6 doctors in that specialty being Indian I would reckon a visit to their birthplace and save a fortune. As their motto states "If its bone,we perform miracles"

[Time Traveller]

This guy did work on me and I can't complain. Unfortunately he now doesn't work in Bangkok, but at the (government) Suranaree Military Hospital in Korat.

http://www.medeguide...ra-sindhupakorn

Do you know if you can get to the front of the queue in government hospitals? Or is this only the privilege of private hospital?

[sinbin]

Do you know if you can get to the front of the queue in government hospitals? Or is this only the privilege of private hospital?

Just phone the hospital, prior to visit, to ensure that the specialist you want to see is working on which days. The doctors you may see at a government hospital also work at the top private hospitals and vice versa.

You just turn up and take your turn, along with the rest. No privileges because you're paying for your treatment. The only one could be the cost. Unbelievably cheap.

I took just 30-45 minutes before I saw my surgeon initially. I was told I needed an operation and asked when would be a suitable date.

I stayed on the public ward of the Fort Suranaree Military Hospital post op and can honestly say the facilities etc were as good as any hospital I'd stayed in in the UK. I'd put them as being better that the private Bangkok Hospital. Korat. Fort Suranaree is an hospital I'd recommend to anyone. Dirt cheap and quality service. Anyone that thinks paying mega bucks at a private hospital gets you better service/treatment is/are naive.

Edited June 9, 2012 by sinbin

[lopburi3]

This guy did work on me and I can't complain. Unfortunately he now doesn't work in Bangkok, but at the (government) Suranaree Military Hospital in Korat.

http://www.medeguide...ra-sindhupakorn

Do you know if you can get to the front of the queue in government hospitals? Or is this only the privilege of private hospital?

Believe paying customers are put at front of queue except for time critical cases which always take priority. But will almost always be a longer wait than in a private setting (where there normally is no queue).

[lopburi3]

Although I have never met this doctor suspect he would be one of the most experienced and do know Vejthani Hospital has made its knee clinic a major focus for many years.

http://www.vejthani.com/web-english/Our-Physicians/Our-Physicians.php?id_sr=193

[Sheryl]

Do you know if you can get to the front of the queue in government hospitals? Or is this only the privilege of private hospital?

I think what you mean is get an appointment, not front of the queue!

At a private hospital, you get a specific time appointment and usually are seen pretty much on time. At public hospitals it is first come first seen, but some -- not all -- public hospitals have some sort of quasi-private clinic. Chulalonghorn Hospital, for example, has an after hours clinic, and in Chiang Mai there is Sri Pat. You pay more but still much less than at a private hospital and can choose your doctor. you sort of get an appointment but there will still often be more of a wait than at a private hospital, but usually not too bad - -not the full day affair that seeing a doc through regular public hospital channels is.

Main disadvantage is that you still have to navigate the red tape of getting registered and no one but the doctors speak English, forms and instructions, signs etc are also all usually in Thai, and no website where you can review doctor credentials, so researching which doc to see is more of a challenge. . So not as "user friendly" as the big "international" private hospitals. But excellent value for money.

In public hospitals which do not have this arrangement, the fact that you are self-pay makes no difference, you wait with the rest, in my experience, and need to be there VERY early and prepared to make a day of it.

[sinbin]

This guy did work on me and I can't complain. Unfortunately he now doesn't work in Bangkok, but at the (government) Suranaree Military Hospital in Korat.

http://www.medeguide...ra-sindhupakorn

Do you know if you can get to the front of the queue in government hospitals? Or is this only the privilege of private hospital?

Believe paying customers are put at front of queue except for time critical cases which always take priority. But will almost always be a longer wait than in a private setting (where there normally is no queue).

Sorry Lopburi3 I have to disagree. Fee paying patients are not put in front of the queue and always have in the government hospitals around where I live. The Fort Suranaree Hospital has to be seen, and not compared to general government hospitals. The quality of services and facilities are in excess of the local private hospitals. Example ;- My daughter needed to see a surgeon, before I found out about Suranaree. I took her to Bangkok hospital Korat. The surgeon failed to turn up after waiting 3 hours. We then took her to Suranaree and got to see a child surgeon within the hour, with normal queuing. All signs are in English and English is spoken by most staff. Patients are accompanied between departments by military orderly's so no chance of getting lost. It's an hospital not to be ignored. http://korat-weekends.blogspot.com/2009/10/fort-suranaree-hospital.html Edited June 9, 2012 by sinbin

[lopburi3]

Actually I speak from experience and not sure what you mean with your opening sentence; and do not believe I was saying anything negative about government hospitals. As pointed out by Sheryl some also have a formal payment for service option for faster appointments with specific doctors now.

[Sheryl]

Would also like to mention that the military hospitals are usually very good both in efficiency and quality and rank on a par with the tertiary level government hospitals.

Which means that if you are upcountry, unless you live near a major regional hospital affiliated with a university (e.g. Kon Khaen Univ Hosp or CM Univ Hosp), a military hospital is the best public option. I.e. better than most provincial hospitals.

Should also note that the quality of private hospitals upcountry is well below that of major private hospitals in Bkk, even when part of the same "chain".