What's Your Experience ? (Re: Doctors)

[CharlieH]

There is another thread running on Healthcare and not wishing to hi-jack that, I would be interested to hear from others experience around the country with using their local Doctor or hospital. I think it would be interesting to see the regional variations etc.

For me, I have used the local village "doctor" who as I understand is not actually a doctor but more of a nurse practitioner which is the norm here in Thailand.

I have always found her useful and helpful and for a few baht great for minor issues like colds sore throats etc that the family get. Although this particular nurse seems to like to put people on a drip for an hour for most things ?? or a jab in the arse, loves to dole out vitamin C (free), cost usually 50-100 baht depending on meds.

I had cause to visit the local (Private hospital) recently, I found them to be great!, waited just 10 minutes to see the Doc (Chinese guy). Really helpful, professional, good English skills too. Checked me out, prescribed some meds, total cost 400 baht. They even telephoned me after 3 days to see how I was, amazing ! so I thought as the experience was positive I would get myself checked out properly, a minor "M.O.T" if you will.

So, had a battery of blood tests, Chest X-Ray, all the usual vitals, ECG, even an ultra-sound check too. The Blood tests etc were back within an hour, all checked full examination and discussion of results with Doctor,it took around 2 hours for everything total cost 1800 baht. Well pleased,

I personally find it quite a relief, and gives enormous peace of mind to know the level of care available in the immediate vacinity and having experienced it I would recommend anyone to get that check-up for peace of mind if nothing else, not just from a health point of view, but from a service, attitude and facilities aspect of knowing what's available and how well (or not) they will treat you and get an indication of how they will charge you.

For me, to sum up, they treated me very well, took good care of me and the cost I found to be very cheap (by western comparison).

Overall a very positive experience.

What's your experience ?

[chiangmaikelly]

How did you know he was Chinese and where was the hospital?

[CharlieH]

He mentioned it during our conversation, I am in Phetchabun.

[HeijoshinCool]

The last time I went to the local "hospital," it was for an acute lower back problem. I was in and out with a muscle relaxant, in about twenty minutes. 400 baht.

However, the next day, someone in the 7-11 approached and asked if the prostate was better? Can you pee?

I don't have a prostate problem.

Apparently, doctor-patient confidentiality is not a high priority, nor is getting your gossip facts straight (actually, it was a nurse who blabbed all about town).

Thank goodness I don't have an ED problem either!

[cornishcarlos]

Personally, I only have positive experiences at the local hospital here.

Just had a dose of Dengue and was very impressed with all aspects of my treatment.

Processed quickly, treated with care and professionalism plus the cost was very reasonable (450baht) for 2 visits with blood tests and meds.

Having said that, there have been numerous occasion when we have experienced very unprofessional service at the larger hospital in Surat Thani. This is always where my wife is concerned or her mother. Larger hospital = less personal care ?? Could be the case worldwide ?

Overall though, medical care in this country would have to rate pretty high I think but that would just be from my experiences in Phuket, Bangkok and Surat.

[JaiLai]

He mentioned it during our conversation, I am in Phetchabun.

Can you name the hospital? is this in PB city?

[kevvy]

personally , i find alot of doctors here which i have seen are not as good as western doctors. maybe it is because of my health issues , but they should know of the issues i have . On one occasion the Doctor got upset because I was a "farang" and did not want to talk .My wife was my knight in shinning amour that day . A s she went right through him and told him a thing or two .

[Beetlejuice]

2 weeks ago I went to the Ram hospital in Chiang Mai for a medical check up.

The doctor asked me to sit down and said he has some bad news for me. After completing all the checks he confirmed that I only have 6 months to live. Fine I replied, how much? Then he gave me the bill for 150000 baht. I couldn`t pay it, so he gave me another 6 months.

[mickjn]

The last time I went to the local "hospital," it was for an acute lower back problem. I was in and out with a muscle relaxant, in about twenty minutes. 400 baht.

However, the next day, someone in the 7-11 approached and asked if the prostate was better? Can you pee?

I don't have a prostate problem.

Apparently, doctor-patient confidentiality is not a high priority, nor is getting your gossip facts straight (actually, it was a nurse who blabbed all about town).

Thank goodness I don't have an ED problem either!

If it was acute back problem person in 7/11 asking about prostate and urine was asking the right questions

[Hedghog]

Had occasion to visit local private hospital,Phitsanulok.

Admitted stayed 3 days,

Service and treatment were impeccable.

[oldgent]

Hi Charlie H. I spent 1 night in a government hospital in Lamphun ( silly bugger slipped on the stairs and tore a muscle in my back never felt pain like it ) my lady took me to the hospital I was taken straight away examined by a great thai Doctor xrays and blood pressure and urine sample all taken plus medication

plus food. I was checked on every 3 to 4 hours. was expecting a huge bill next day but to my surprise it came to 3,000 baht. excellent service

[TomTao]

Most of my experiences have been good, the only negative for me was an eight hour ambulance trip to Bangkok from Chumphon instead of a flight, both options covered by insurance, but I recently found out that the hospital wanted the ambulance transfer instead of the flight because they got more money from the insurance, then a junior doctor in Bangkok doing triage tried to tell me to go home even though I was in intense pain.

[Sheryl]

Being an informed consumer makes a big difference.

That is true anywhere, but in Thailand that includes being informed about the structure of the Thai Public health system and the different levels of hospitals, because that has everything to do with whether it is advisable to go to your "local hospital" or worth traveling a little further.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/615461-the-thai-public-health-system/

[rattler]

My experience is when you find someone who seems good they are NOT there next time you go, dentist, barber, doctor etc etc

[Amusements]

One thing I have noticed about doctors in Thailand, is that they can cure anything with paracetamols.

[MrHammer]

My experience has been that the level varies greatly. The best doctors are those who have been trained abroad and like all doctors, the younger generation are more in tune to being asked questions than the older generation where doctors word are taken as gospel.

Some doctors even at Bumrungrad can hardly speak English and just overprescribe and throw a bunch of tests and anti-biotics at you.

[FunFon]

If I were wealthier, or for life-critical emergency care personally I'd go to BNH, otherwise St Louis & Bangkok Christian good enough for little stuff if I want the convenience of English. However since I don't need the staff other than doctors to speak English, I have found the best value for quality care in non-emergency but important matters at the government teaching hospitals, sometimes paying the "VIP" fee to not have to wait in queues so long.

I've definitely found the more expensive ones than that don't deliver good value, often actually much less, especially those targeting "medical tourism" dollars, doctors pushing the queue along to maximise throughput, profit-making business mentality.

[Kalbo]

If I were wealthier, or for life-critical emergency care personally I'd go to BNH, otherwise St Louis & Bangkok Christian good enough for little stuff if I want the convenience of English. However since I don't need the staff other than doctors to speak English, I have found the best value for quality care in non-emergency but important matters at the government teaching hospitals, sometimes paying the "VIP" fee to not have to wait in queues so long.

I've definitely found the more expensive ones than that don't deliver good value, often actually much less, especially those targeting "medical tourism" dollars, doctors pushing the queue along to maximise throughput, profit-making business mentality.

Which hospitals are the 'government teaching hospitals' ?

[Sheryl]

Chulalonghorn

Siriraj

Ratchawithi

Sringagarind (Khon Khaen Univ)

Prince of Songkhla

CMU

That is not an exhaustive list but it is what comes to mind offhand.

[CaptHaddock]

I gather that Thai doctors often are not thrilled with the prospect of treating a foreigner. Some may be nervous about their English ability, but the main issue is they are afraid of not receiving the deference they normally get from Thai patients. Many of us having experience with the execrable US healthcare system in fact do not respect doctors as a group, very much including myself. So, a real basis for mutual dissatisfaction exists. So far, we have done ok with doctors here for the most part, but we have not had problems that were particularly difficult to diagnose or treat.

[Sheryl]

I find that Thai doctors who trained in the West don't have an issue with the deference thing (if they ever did, a residency in the West will have cured them of it!) nor with being asked questions...and obviously, will be fluent and comfortable in English.

Plenty of them in Bangkok. Upcountry of course it is another matter.

[Suradit69]

experience around the country with using their local Doctor or hospital.

Not sure if "local" is meant to exclude large hospitals that tend to cater to foreigners.

I've used Bangkok Hospital Pattaya for a number of minor things and also for treatment of loss of sight due to macular degeneration in one eye, for inguinal hernia surgery, for dental work and to monitor blood pressure & cholesterol issues.

All the doctors have been great.

After a series of cancer drug injections made directly into the eyeball, the progressive loss of vision has been halted and there has been some recovery of what had been lost before treatment ... and the cost was a great deal less than it would have been in the US. The condition tends to be progressive under the best of conditions, but in my case it's been on hold with moderate improvement for several years.

The open incision hernia sugery was fantastic. Having read so many stories of people who had to cope with pain for weeks and others who developed all sorts of complications and side-effects following surgery, I put it off until I felt I had little choice but to get it taken care of. Aside from a few hours of anesthetic induced nausea following the surgery, there were no ill effects. I spent one night in hospital and the following morning I was up and about and ready to go home. Took anti-inflammatories and pain killers for aweek, but never really felt any discomfort.

Equally happy with the dentist, cardiac specialist and two doctors I've seen in the orthopedic department.

Many years ago I saw an ENT specialist there who was pretty useless, but he was the only one who I've encountered at BPH who I didn't find to be excellent.

I should add that I also went to Queen Sirikit in Sattahip regarding the hernia. I was impressed with the two doctors I first saw there and did schedule surgery there. Unfortunately because it was not considered urgent, the surgery was scheduled 3 months after the initial visit and then a scheduling conflict meant another postponement, so I decided to use BPH in Pattaya (where surgery took place two days after my first visit). I only saw one other farang patient at Queen Sirikit and the English language skills of everyone but the doctors were rather limited, but everyone was extremely helpful and the doctors seemed quite competent and reassuring.

Edited March 17, 2013 by Suradit69

[chiang mai]

I gather that Thai doctors often are not thrilled with the prospect of treating a foreigner. Some may be nervous about their English ability, but the main issue is they are afraid of not receiving the deference they normally get from Thai patients. Many of us having experience with the execrable US healthcare system in fact do not respect doctors as a group, very much including myself. So, a real basis for mutual dissatisfaction exists. So far, we have done ok with doctors here for the most part, but we have not had problems that were particularly difficult to diagnose or treat.

That's very true, I know of one private hospital here where some of the doctors have asked the bi-lingual customer liason funtion not to send them non-that speaking patiets. I can also personally confirm that it is, in some cases, counter culture to question a medical opinion and can frequently ellicit unpredictable responses!

[how241]

One thing I have noticed about doctors in Thailand, is that they can cure anything with paracetamols.

ha ha ha ....But there is some truth to what you say.

[rattler]

One thing I have noticed about doctors in Thailand, is that they can cure anything with paracetamols.

most likely including an overdose.....................of paracetamol!!!!

[Fiona Phur]

Hi, This is a long shot. I have just found out that my father-in-law has been taken to Queen Sirikit hospital in Sattahip. Apparently, he is quite poorly and I need to speak to the hospital but no-one is answering the phone there (Late Sunday night now). Does anyone on the forum have an email address that I can try, please.

[Sheryl]

Obviously no one did and in any event the hospital wouldn't answer an email. even the private hospitals tend not and certainly would not give out patient information via it.

On the positive side this is a good hospital so odds are he is receiving competent care.