Biochemistry test, Lipid profile Expensive!

[ayayay]

Went to the hospital, I guess one of the expensive ones.

Did a Biochemistry test, checked my diabetes, blood sugar levels, Cholesterol, triglycerides, etc.

It cost me 6000 thb, and a doctors fee 1900 thb, for a 2 min chat about the results.

8000 thb for a check up and a doctors fee.

I think it is expensive.

Anyone else goes to regular check up and some consulting with a doctor about our diabetes, who can tell me how much you pay?

I think I want to change hospital next time.

[tig28]

Hi ayayay

Yes .... to me that seems expensive. Very expensive. I do live in NE Thailand not Bangkok.

Over the last 9 months or so I have been having regular blood tests.

Originally 3 monthly -- but now 2 monthly

A Coronary Specialist (at private clinic) is changing me over from some BP Meds supplied in my home country --- to equivalent Meds more readily available in Thailand.

Firstly I attend the Pathology lab directly (no Dr. involvement)----- then with the results in hand I visit the private clinic of the Dr. He is the head of coronary care at the local public hospital.

Blood test : 300.00 Baht (Yes ... three hundred)

Tests conducted:

FBS,BUN,Creatinine,Uric acid,

Cholesterol,Triglyceride,HDL,LDL,HbA1C. plus urine analysis.

Dr. consultation: 200.00 Baht.

I believe that you can directly use Pathology Labs in BKK also. I would imagine that the cost shall be conciderably lower than via the hospital you have used.

[Sheryl]

The tests you describe -- even assuming that there was also an HbAC1 -- would not cost anywhere near this amount even in a top end private hospital in Bkk. Are you sure there were not other, more costly tests in the mix?

And doctors fees, even for the very top specialists at top end hospitals, do not usually exceed 1500. However there is always a hospital surcharge (often called a "nursing fee" or something of the sort). Might the 1900 be inclusive of that?

Hospitals do make billing errors. Always get a detailed itemized bill ,check it carefully, and query anything that looks off, as a 6000 baht lab bill surely does. Wither they made a mistake or there were other tests done you are not mentioning.

[lopburi3]

My visit last month to Doctors (3) at Vejthani was billed at 700/450/300 for primary/heart/skin doctors and total nurse/admin charge of 110 baht. For blood tests only had four

Fasting blood sugar at 150 baht

LDL at 350 baht

Uric acid at 160 baht

ALT SGPT at 170 baht

[AjarnMartin]

Went to the hospital, I guess one of the expensive ones.

Did a Biochemistry test, checked my diabetes, blood sugar levels, Cholesterol, triglycerides, etc.

It cost me 6000 thb, and a doctors fee 1900 thb, for a 2 min chat about the results.

8000 thb for a check up and a doctors fee.

I think it is expensive.

Anyone else goes to regular check up and some consulting with a doctor about our diabetes, who can tell me how much you pay?

I think I want to change hospital next time.

This is way too expensive for the tests you outline. I have a blood disorder (lupus anticoagulent syndrome) which is being managed in my home country via the Internet and for which I must get six-monthly, full, fasting blood tests locally in Phitsanulok. I then scan the resultant two-page report to my doctors and they, in turn, respond with medication management advice. I refuse an interview with the hospital's doctor (it would be futile) and negate the associated cost. The bill comes to 1300 ThB.

Slightly off topic but has anyone got any advice on obtaining medicines over the counter in Thailand?

[chiang mai]

At McCormick Hospital in Chiang Mai every month:

LDL/HDL/Chol/Triglycerides/A1C/FBG/ALT/AST - THB 1,150.

[Mobi]

You didn't say where you are living.

There's at least two labs in Pattaya that will do these tests at a fraction of the price and then you can take the results for a doc to look at. That's what I do, and the hospital (BPH) has no problem with this.

[Sheryl]

This is way too expensive for the tests you outline. I have a blood disorder (lupus anticoagulent syndrome) which is being managed in my home country via the Internet and for which I must get six-monthly, full, fasting blood tests locally in Phitsanulok. I then scan the resultant two-page report to my doctors and they, in turn, respond with medication management advice. I refuse an interview with the hospital's doctor (it would be futile) and negate the associated cost. The bill comes to 1300 ThB.

Slightly off topic but has anyone got any advice on obtaining medicines over the counter in Thailand?

Advice as to what, specifically? It is easily enough done (unless what you need is a controlled substance) , but be sure to ask by generic name as local brand names may differ, and stick to large pharmacies with air con.

[ayayay]

Hi ayayay

Yes .... to me that seems expensive. Very expensive. I do live in NE Thailand not Bangkok.

Over the last 9 months or so I have been having regular blood tests.

Originally 3 monthly -- but now 2 monthly

A Coronary Specialist (at private clinic) is changing me over from some BP Meds supplied in my home country --- to equivalent Meds more readily available in Thailand.

Firstly I attend the Pathology lab directly (no Dr. involvement)----- then with the results in hand I visit the private clinic of the Dr. He is the head of coronary care at the local public hospital.

Blood test : 300.00 Baht (Yes ... three hundred)

Tests conducted:

FBS,BUN,Creatinine,Uric acid,

Cholesterol,Triglyceride,HDL,LDL,HbA1C. plus urine analysis.

Dr. consultation: 200.00 Baht.

I believe that you can directly use Pathology Labs in BKK also. I would imagine that the cost shall be conciderably lower than via the hospital you have used.

Ok, thanks, I do think it is more expensive in BKK, where I live, but no to justify what I just paid.

[Sheryl]

I do not know anywhere in Bkk where what you describe would cost that amount, and I am very familiar with all the top end hospitals in Bangkok. As I said previously, I think either there was an error in the bill or there were additional and unusually tests done beyond what you list.

[ayayay]

 

The tests you describe -- even assuming that there was also an HbAC1 -- would not cost anywhere near this amount even in a top end private hospital in Bkk. Are you sure there were not other, more costly tests in the mix?

And doctors fees, even for the very top specialists at top end hospitals, do not usually exceed 1500. However there is always a hospital surcharge (often called a "nursing fee" or something of the sort). Might the 1900 be inclusive of that?

Hospitals do make billing errors. Always get a detailed itemized bill ,check it carefully, and query anything that looks off, as a 6000 baht lab bill surely does. Wither they made a mistake or there were other tests done you are not mentioning.

no, no billing errors.

This is what I checked:

FPG, Uric acid, SGPT, CPK, HB A1C

Cholesterol,Triglyceride,HDL,LDL,. plus urine analysis

Cretanine (blood)

[ayayay]

I do not know anywhere in Bkk where what you describe would cost that amount, and I am very familiar with all the top end hospitals in Bangkok. As I said previously, I think either there was an error in the bill or there were additional and unusually tests done beyond what you list.

It was Bumxxxgrad hospital.

It seemed to me, it was all standard tests, nothing out of the ordinary.

I am pretty convinced that hospital is over charging, and I am going to another hospital next time.

[chiang mai]

I do not know anywhere in Bkk where what you describe would cost that amount, and I am very familiar with all the top end hospitals in Bangkok. As I said previously, I think either there was an error in the bill or there were additional and unusually tests done beyond what you list.

It was Bumxxxgrad hospital.

It seemed to me, it was all standard tests, nothing out of the ordinary.

I am pretty convinced that hospital is over charging, and I am going to another hospital next time.

See link below for price comparisons of Bumrungrad health exam costs:

http://www.bumrungrad.com/en/health-check-up-bangkok-thailand/check-up-packages

For the money you were charged you could have had a complete health exam, the problem of course is the doctors fee of THB 1,900, outragous. But Bumrungrad is the most expensive hospital in Thailand.

Edited July 16, 2013 by chiang mai

[jrtmedic]

1900bht -outrageous ?

Try obtaining a private medical consultation in the West for approx £40!

Just an observation!

[chiang mai]

1900bht -outrageous ?

Try obtaining a private medical consultation in the West for approx £40!

Just an observation!

Sure but this is Thailand where it costs no more than 400 baht for a consultation with a specialist who is also a Professor at the CMU, true in Chiang Mai at least and doubtless the same in many other locations around Thailand..

[Sheryl]

In Bangkok consultations with the very top specialists in high end private hospitals can run to 1500 - 1600 baht and together with the hospital surcharge this could perhaps reach 1900. Mind you, only a few doctors are in that price range, usually by reason of exceptional qualifications - whether or not the OPs doctor fits that description, have no idea.

But what cannot be reconciled is the lab bill to the tests listed. There must have been additional and unusually expensive tests not mentioned, or else a billing error (which is far from unusual).

OP even though you have already paid there is nothing to prevent you from going back to the hospital billing department and asking for a complete itemization of the lab charges. If there was a duplicate billing or billing for a test not performed, you can get a refund. And in future always insist in a fully itemized bill at the time of payment. Billing errors seem common in pretty much all the hospitals.

The receipt you have should already make clear how much was doctors fee and how much was the hospital charge. Only you can decide if the doctor's fee is acceptable to you given the specific doctor, if not, change doctors. But either way get to the bottom of the 6000Baht lab fee as something is really off there. A lipid panel, fasting sugar and Hb1AC does not run to 6000 baht anywhere in Thailand that I know of, not even close.

[lopburi3]

But do not use the word itemization when you ask - although would hope that hospital would know the term I would not count on it. Have had much better luck asking for detailed receipt in at least 3 hospitals that did not have a clue what I was talking about when I asked for an itemized receipt.

[pattayadingo]

Blood tests in Pattaya City Hospital (was the clinic on Soi Buakhao) ....

Lipid (Cholesterol HDL -chol LDL -chol, TG) CBC ( + diff + RBC morphology +plt count) by automation, BUN, (Blood Urea Nitrogen), Creatinine, Glucose (blood sugar)

380 Baht

See doctor 100 Baht.

Pharmacy of Aranapril 20mg, Amlopidine 5 mg - 3 months supply 180 Baht.