Hospitals Must Treat All Patients Says Yingluck

[Lite Beer]

'Hospitals must treat all patients'
Jeerapong Prasertphonkrang
The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday insisted that private hospitals must provide emergency medical treatment to save the lives of critically ill patients.

Yingluck said some private hospitals may not know that people who are registered under the three national healthcare schemes are eligible to receive emergency medical treatment at private hospitals taking part in any of the schemes, without having to foot any medical bills.

The three national healthcare schemes are the National Health Security Fund, the Social Security Fund and the Civil Servants Medical Benefit Fund.

"Private hospitals must provide emergency medical treatment to save the patient's life, based on humanitarian principles," the prime minister said.

Yingluck said patients asked to pay medical bills in advance after being sent to receive emergency medical treatment at a private hospital would be repaid by their health fund.

The government started merging the emergency medical services under the three main national healthcare funds last year. Under the scheme, patients in a critical condition are allowed to receive life-saving treatment at private hospitals that joined state programmes. People do not have to be worried about the financial burden under the scheme, as the National Health Security Office (NHSO) will pay in advance for them.

But since the government kicked off this scheme, the NHSO reported that about 25 per cent of 241 participating hospitals have asked patient to sign a bond and promise to pay in advance for medical bills before providing treatment.

The Medical Malpractice Patients Network on asked the government on Friday to set up a neutral panel to control the price of medical treatment provided at private hospitals, especially emergency medical services, as many patients have to shoulder the financial burden for such treatment.

-- The Nation 2013-04-28

[BrianCR]

I had the "pleasure" of working at a private hospital about 10 years ago - about 2am one morning I was called to the hospital to deal with an emergency road accident involving a western lady. I promptly arrived and went to the emergency area only to be told that I was needed as the lady couldn't speak any Thai and the staff couldn't speak English. "What do you want me to do?" I asked. "Find out if she has any insurance or money." Was the reply. All this was happening between her howls of pain! - I resigned the following morning.

[DocN]

Very interesting, this has to be pointed out, explicitly!

Ooooooooh, we love thee, almighty Baht!

[Morden]

The reference to government health schemes perhaps suggests that the demand from the PM for treatment before proof of ability to pay doesn't apply to foreigners.

[kurnell]

Hospitals in Thailand have always collected money from people before they undertake expensive procedures and always will. They don't care whether people die or not. I actually saw a guy on a bike get hit by a car out the front of a hospital on Rama 4 in 1998. He clearly didn't have a pot to piss in and his leg was badly broken, flopping about all over the place. 2 guys came out of the hospital with a gurney, handled him very roughly and were none too pleased to he there. They wheeled him inside, but I have no idea whether they treated him or not

[kimamey]

The simple way is to use the UK system where anybody is covered for emergency treatment and after you're out of danger then you have to pay unless you're covered by the NHS. It saves the doctors having to deal with the finance whilst someone is dying.

[Morden]

Hospitals in Thailand have always collected money from people before they undertake expensive procedures and always will. They don't care whether people die or not. I actually saw a guy on a bike get hit by a car out the front of a hospital on Rama 4 in 1998. He clearly didn't have a pot to piss in and his leg was badly broken, flopping about all over the place. 2 guys came out of the hospital with a gurney, handled him very roughly and were none too pleased to he there. They wheeled him inside, but I have no idea whether they treated him or not

I think that private hospitals at lest want to know that you either have the means to pay or valid insurance. I know of no examples where they have estimated the cost of treatment and asked for payment up front.

The PM has asked private hospitals to waive the ability pay check in emergency cases, apparently for Thai citizens only. Asking isn't enough. She needs to enforce it with law.

[Bellweather]

It doesn't matter what the puppet PM says as hospitals will play by their own profit oriented administrative instructions and I'm quite sure private hospitals know the rules and regulations inside out so they don't put themselves in danger of making a loss. Yingluck sounds more and more naive by the day and really has no idea what actually goes on.

[h90]

she means all white patience (who are Chinese or rich enough to bleach their skin), of course it doesn't apply to farmer Somchai.......

[Locationthailand]

More directives to be ignored...

[bigbamboo]

Perhaps all hospitals should have to display huge signs on their buildings, vehicles, uniforms stating whether they are loyal to the Hippocratic oath or to the baht so we all know whether we are being taken to an A&E or a C.O.D.

[hellodolly]

I wonder how many of these instances were in areas where the patient could have just as easily been taken to a government hospital?

Here in Chiang Mai we have are most expensive private hospital right around the corner from a government hospital.

If Yingluck and the rest of these Thaksin followers have a choice will they take government hospitals or elect to go to private hospitals with modern equipment?

All hospitals should have to provide emergency help and if the person can not pay send them to a government hospital for the 500,000 baht of further treatment.

Edited April 28, 2013 by hellodolly

[chrisartist]

Hospitals in Thailand have always collected money from people before they undertake expensive procedures and always will. They don't care whether people die or not. I actually saw a guy on a bike get hit by a car out the front of a hospital on Rama 4 in 1998. He clearly didn't have a pot to piss in and his leg was badly broken, flopping about all over the place. 2 guys came out of the hospital with a gurney, handled him very roughly and were none too pleased to he there. They wheeled him inside, but I have no idea whether they treated him or not

I think that private hospitals at lest want to know that you either have the means to pay or valid insurance. I know of no examples where they have estimated the cost of treatment and asked for payment up front.

The PM has asked private hospitals to waive the ability pay check in emergency cases, apparently for Thai citizens only. Asking isn't enough. She needs to enforce it with law.

In 2009, I broke my wrist at Suv. Airport. It was completely mangled and I was carted off to a private hospital. The surgery to fix the wrist was estimated at 90,000 Baht, plus any extras that might accumulate. I had to pay 90,000 Baht up front before they would operate.

I can only speculate as to what the Thai physicians would do in the case of an unconscious patient would might not wake up for hours but would die if not treated immediately.

[bigbamboo]

I wonder how many of these instances were in areas where the patient could have just as easily been taken to a government hospital?

Here in Chiang Mai we have are most expensive private hospital right around the corner from a government hospital.

If Yingluck and the rest of these Thaksin followers have a choice will they take government hospitals or elect to go to private hospitals with modern equipment?

All hospitals should have to provide emergency help and if the person can not pay send them to a government hospital for the 500,000 baht of further treatment.

And certainly here in CM a lot of the doctors, specialists and surgeons actually work for both the state hospitals and the private ones.

typo

Edited April 28, 2013 by bigbamboo

[rubl]

"allowed to receive life-saving treatment at private hospitals that joined state programmes"

With 241 participating hospitals (I assume these are private hospitals) I wonder what percentage this is of the total number of private hospitals?

[chiang mai]

I wonder how many of these instances were in areas where the patient could have just as easily been taken to a government hospital?

Here in Chiang Mai we have are most expensive private hospital right around the corner from a government hospital.

If Yingluck and the rest of these Thaksin followers have a choice will they take government hospitals or elect to go to private hospitals with modern equipment?

All hospitals should have to provide emergency help and if the person can not pay send them to a government hospital for the 500,000 baht of further treatment.

And certainly here in CM a lot of the doctors, specialists and surgeons actually work for both the state hospitals and the private ones.

typo

It's not as covert as you imply. Doctors here are obliged to work for State hospitals for X years in order to repay their training costs, thereafter they are free to work where ever they choose. In practice most will work for a range of hospital types, private and state whilst also working from their own clinic in many cases.

[metisdead]

Off topic posts have been removed.

[rbrooks]

What the lovely Thai PM meant to say was, Hospitals must treat all patients with money. She left that fine detail out for the hospitals to fill in at their discretion. Thai medical care is very inexpensive for us farangs but to the majority of Thais it can be a small fortune to pay.

[waza]

Not only are these hospitals refusing patients they are price gouging...............

"The Medical Malpractice Patients Network on asked the government on Friday to set up a neutral panel to control the price of medical treatment provided at private hospitals, especially emergency medical services, as many patients have to shoulder the financial burden for such treatment."

[hellodolly]

Well I have no idea. So I am asking.

How many private hospitals in Thailand and how many Government hospitals here in Thailand.

I don't even know how many hospitals we have here in Chiang Mai. I know there is quite a few of them.

But I am only sure that one is a for profit hospital. I believe the rest are Government I could be wrong on that.

Sorry there is a Christian one here also.

[indyuk]

I had the "pleasure" of working at a private hospital about 10 years ago - about 2am one morning I was called to the hospital to deal with an emergency road accident involving a western lady. I promptly arrived and went to the emergency area only to be told that I was needed as the lady couldn't speak any Thai and the staff couldn't speak English. "What do you want me to do?" I asked. "Find out if she has any insurance or money." Was the reply. All this was happening between her howls of pain! - I resigned the following morning.

This continues to be an issue now. Private hospitals are seen transferring foreigners to government hospital for a variety of finacial reasons which include they cannot contact a guarantor to ascertain the critally injured patient's ability to pay. Sometimes in such cases the patient is dead on arrival after his 40 kilometer ride to Chonburi's government hospital.