Government Health Insurance........San Kampaeng Hospital?

[sailaway2000]

I've search and asked in the appropriate thread(s) with no response.........

Is the District hospital in San Kampaeng participating in allowing foreigners to sign up?

If they are participting, does anyone have experience signing up at this hospital?

Thanks

[MadMac]

Why not give it a try? Nothing to lose. Print out the first page of this: http://203.157.12.21/cmshigthai/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/fwf2800.pdf. Bring 2 pass pictures, just in case.

[NancyL]

Since this hospital is operated by the Min. of Public Health, it is definitely worth approaching them since all the other hospitals reported to be participating are operated by the MOPH. Bring some proof of residence, such as lease agreement, housing book, even a utility bill in your name, passport and copy of passport photo page, 2800 baht and a couple of photos, but you might not need them. Also bring your patience!

We'll be interested to learn how it goes.

[masuk]

Why not give it a try? Nothing to lose. Print out the first page of this: http://203.157.12.21/cmshigthai/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/fwf2800.pdf. Bring 2 pass pictures, just in case.

what exactly are these pages?

[MadMac]

That's the ministerial order, you just need the first page to show them, that they know what it's all about. Unless you can explain it in Thai of course.

[NancyL]

Yes, its the order from Min. Pradit, the head of the Ministry of Public Health, which is why all the hospitals in CM province that have been reported to be participating are those run by the MOPH -- not those run by other agencies like Suan Dok, McCormick, etc. Min. Pradit isn't their boss.

[muchogra]

I went to Sankampang Hospital to inquire what you and some others want to know.

Here's all you need for farangs (sorry, NancyL, I know you hate this term) and other foreigners:

1. Your passport.
2. Proof of present residence. It can be a yellow Tub Ben Baan or any other form that can prove your present address. I asked specifically what if the foreigner is presently renting. She said producing a rent contract is sufficient.
3. No photos or other things are required.

The lady at Window 1 is very assertive and alreay has experience dealing with foreigners as she showed me some forms submited by some foreigners.

I hope the above help.

[scorecard]

I went to Sankampang Hospital to inquire what you and some others want to know.

Here's all you need for farangs (sorry, NancyL, I know you hate this term) and other foreigners:

1. Your passport.

2. Proof of present residence. It can be a yellow Tub Ben Baan or any other form that can prove your present address. I asked specifically what if the foreigner is presently renting. She said producing a rent contract is sufficient.

3. No photos or other things are required.

The lady at Window 1 is very assertive and alreay has experience dealing with foreigners as she showed me some forms submited by some foreigners.

I hope the above help.

Is Sankampang a small, medium, big size hospital?

Andbody have any personal comments from using this hospital.

Please share.

[NancyL]

According to the Wikipedia listing of hospitals in Thailand, the hospital in Sankampang is a 30-bed hospital vs. Nakorn Ping at over 400 beds. Probably not a good place to go if you think you're having a heart attack or stroke, but probably very handy to clean, check out and sew up a cut.

Yes, indeed, this program is open to all foreigners, be they farangs, sapparots, or mamuangs!

[elektrified]

According to the Wikipedia listing of hospitals in Thailand, the hospital in Sankampang is a 30-bed hospital vs. Nakorn Ping at over 400 beds. Probably not a good place to go if you think you're having a heart attack or stroke, but probably very handy to clean, check out and sew up a cut.

Yes, indeed, this program is open to all foreigners, be they farangs, sapparots, or mamuangs!

That is true. Keep in mind that some hospitals (example: Saraphi Hospital on the C.M.-Lamphun Road) doesn't always have a Doctor there. Sometimes it may take 2 hours before a single Doctor will arrive and begin seeing patients. So, yes as NancyL said, some of these very small hospitals are not the best place to go if you are having a heart attack or stroke.

Just yesterday we saw a small Sansai Hospital ambulance with lights flashing pull over, and another (I think Nakhornping Hospital) ambulance pull up behind it and they transferred the patient from the Sansai Hospital ambulance to the other, much larger, well-equipped ambulance right at the gas station we were at. They were performing CPR on the patient as they switched ambulances. There was a lot of shouting and frenzied activity so obviously time was of the essence.

[MadMac]

According to the Wikipedia listing of hospitals in Thailand, the hospital in Sankampang is a 30-bed hospital vs. Nakorn Ping at over 400 beds. Probably not a good place to go if you think you're having a heart attack or stroke, but probably very handy to clean, check out and sew up a cut.

I see that the complete opposite way. Nakornping has 520 something beds, it's huge and packed with all kind of people queueing for all kind of things. They park you on the floor together with other half dead poor suckers and eventually after a day you get to see a doctor if you are lucky.

A small hospital on the other hand may attend to you much earlier, even though the doctor in charge may not be a specialist (which the one in Nakornping is neither). But they can trigger the necessary action and get you to that specialist earlier. At least so I hope . Hang Dong has 25 beds...

[NancyL]

It all depends on your self-triage abilities. If you think you're having a heart attack or stroke and live close to Muang Chiang Mai, get in the nearest tuk-tuk and tell the driver to go like a maniac to CM Ram, Sripat or Suan Dok. Remember, tuk-tuks can go places that ambulances won't -- like the wrong way on a one-way street. Very few ambulance are equipped with the sort of equipment we expect in the west -- thus the guys doing CPR vs. using the paddles. Plus, vehicles don't get out of the way of ambulances, either, do they?

If you're the sort of person who would go first to your 30- bed local hospital, even in the case of a serious emergency, just because you didn't want to be asked to pay the bill elsewhere, then I'd suggest you enroll at Nakorn Ping -- they're accepting people from throughout the province. If your prefer the convenience of enrolling at a local hospital to treat every little boo-boo and are willing to trust your loved ones to know to take you to a higher level hospital (and risk paying the price) when the time comes, then enroll at your local hospital.

[sailaway2000]

I enrolled at San Kampaeng today with very little problem.

In and Out in 30 minuted WITH my official enrollment card.

Blood Pressure, Heart rate, X-Ray and done. No blood work.....that's only for the Burmese, she said.

She, BTW, was a pleasant lady who spoke english reasonably and had traveled Asia quite a bit.

All in all a good experience.........now, just have to hope I never need anything intensive.

[MESmith]

My wife & kids are registered at SK hospital. They have no choice. We tried going there for minor sicknesses. Forget it, go somewhere else. Private if you can afford it. I asked my wife if I should try to get the card at SK or Nakornping. As a Thai she doesn't get that choice. She said I must be crazy to choose SK over NKP.

[elektrified]

A small hospital on the other hand may attend to you much earlier, even though the doctor in charge may not be a specialist (which the one in Nakornping is neither). But they can trigger the necessary action and get you to that specialist earlier. At least so I hope . Hang Dong has 25 beds...

Well that's not true. Nakhornping has many specialists (in fact some of the best specialists in Chiang Mai who also have private practices and are some of the most expensive Doctors here when seen privately). In fact one might have to wait 2-3 days at a small hospital to get transferred to Nakhornping, Suan Dok (or even Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok in rare cases). So it is quite the opposite of what you say.

[MadMac]

Well, I was at Nakornping first, and seeing all the hundreds of people almost made me leaving. That was just for the registration. There were seriously sick people laying just besides all the others queuing for admission. I made it through that and then to the test (counter 18) where another lady picked me up as it was also overcrowded and gave me an appointment 2 days later.

The next day I went to Hang Dong Hospital, which has only some 25 beds as mentioned. It's a small hospital, with still some people waiting for help, no one was laying on the floor, it was fast and emptied itself by noon. I don't mind if they have a heart or brain specialist as I would be dead in Nakornping, when he's free to attend the victim . But I believe I get some necessary care in an emergency on the spot. Regarding the specialists, usually you get an appointment later somewhere else anyway. Does not really matter.

And yes, NancyL, I do agree with you , if I'm going to die, I take the fast lane, whatever it is

[NancyL]

Well, I was at Nakornping first, and seeing all the hundreds of people almost made me leaving. That was just for the registration. There were seriously sick people laying just besides all the others queuing for admission. I made it through that and then to the test (counter 18) where another lady picked me up as it was also overcrowded and gave me an appointment 2 days later.

The next day I went to Hang Dong Hospital, which has only some 25 beds as mentioned. It's a small hospital, with still some people waiting for help, no one was laying on the floor, it was fast and emptied itself by noon. I don't mind if they have a heart or brain specialist as I would be dead in Nakornping, when he's free to attend the victim . But I believe I get some necessary care in an emergency on the spot. Regarding the specialists, usually you get an appointment later somewhere else anyway. Does not really matter.

And yes, NancyL, I do agree with you , if I'm going to die, I take the fast lane, whatever it is

Mad Mac, I don't really understand your post. If you're used to the calm of say, the lobby of Chiang Mai Ram hospital, then Nakornping in the morning or at 1 pm is going to look pretty chaotic. So is Suan Doak or even Sripat, the private part of the university hospital, for that matter. But, it's organized chaos. All you have to do is sit there for about 20 minutes and watch the action to realize that staff people are assigned to watch the "incoming" for triage and get the people really needing attention to where they need to be. No one lying on the floor is dying, at least not without attention.

A confused foreigner standing around trying to sign up for nearly-free health insurance isn't high on the list! But you probably figured that out.

[MadMac]

Don't want to argue, Nancy. I know what I saw, there were at least 4 people laying on beds in the open space in front of the admission, that was a Tuesday, around 10am in Nakornping. Maybe it was organized, no idea . But I almost turned around to leave, what I did not do. They were afterall very friendly and helpful and nobody can blame anyone to be sick. So my apologies, if that sounded offensive.

Afterall Nakornping is the main hospital for the city and that's all somehow expected and ok.

[NancyL]

Again, NKP isn't Bumrungrad or even CM Ram -- they don't whisk people away the moment they arrive on a stretcher if they are in stable condition. Just because someone is lying on a bed in an open space in front of the entry desk doesn't mean that they are being ignored -- and I'm not arguing, just pointing out that you haven't spend much time in public hospitals, MM. How else can someone wait to see a doctor if they otherwise are incapable of sitting up in a wheelchair? Those folks were probably being cared for by relatives at home.

Incidentally, that desk isn't the "admissions" desk for in-patients -- it's the triage point desk for out-patients. That's the translation of the Thai sign above the desk. The people lying in the beds came for out-patient appointments -- they didn't come to be admitted to the hospital.

[muchogra]

I guess it all depends on the type and severity of the illness. Like I posted in the other thread, for a serious illness or emergency where time is important, I wouldn't go to the amphur hospitals of Doi Saket and Sankampaeng. What likely would happen is they will drive you in an ambulance to either Nakornping or Suan Dok. That's a double waste of time. That's why I advise people to plane in advance which one to go and let your love ones know beforehand.

[MadMac]

Ok . You all have a point. So do I. It's my impression and experience, so it may benefit others. I appreciate all the information put together here and perhaps I could add a bit to that. So more so better.

It will be interesting to see, what really happens in case of need. Hopefully not, but it will happen. Then we will know more.

[muchogra]

I want to detail an incident which occurred to a foreign friend of mine who could speak some Thai. His car got hit. He became unconscious but the other two passengers got only minor concoction. Those two didn't know how to speak Tha and at a loss of what to doi. An ambulance came and sent him to a nearby hospital. That hospital had no diagnostic machines. This first hospital then drove him to another bigger hospital which had the machines. So, this second hospital diagnosed him but couldn't treat him. So, the second hospital sent him to a third hospital. Many hours passed by then. They couldn't revive him.

I'm not saying he might have been saved had he been sent to the third hospital, but one must wonder, right?

[MadMac]

In this case there is no point to pick, go to the best place you know and which is nearby. Screw the ambulances as they may get commission somewhere.

[muchogra]

Ok . You all have a point. So do I. It's my impression and experience, so it may benefit others. I appreciate all the information put together here and perhaps I could add a bit to that. So more so better.

It will be interesting to see, what really happens in case of need. Hopefully not, but it will happen. Then we will know more.

MadMac, I think you have been a great help here giving out a lot of information which has already helped a lot of people.

At the end of the day, I suppose it's left for the individual to decide what to do after reading the pros and cons of whatever.

[muchogra]

In this case there is no point to pick, go to the best place you know and which is nearby. Screw the ambulances as they may get commission somewhere.

I concur.