Triple Heart Bypass Cost etc

[cheeryble]

Hi there

Kind of an urgent enquiry from a friend in Bali one of his work colleagues or staff needs a triple bypass.

Apparently Singapore pricing is restrictive, and friend has asked for price in CM as he has a flat here the guy could recover.

So I think it worth getting the price in CM (plus perhaps details such as recommended docs and delay) , but I came on TV instead of going thru my wife who works in a CM hospital because I think it worth knowing if BKK prices are also competitive. It perhaps to be preferred.

Thanks!

[Mrjlh]

We have a couple of resident experts here. Hope they answer soon. How valuable is his life? This is something you don't want to negotiate with in my opinion. And time is of the essence too. Where ever he goes they will most likely insist on repeating all the tests over again anyway so that cost needs to be considered. And by the way, I've had a triple but not in Thailand. Plan on 6 weeks recovery afterwards.

[Sheryl]

First of all, I would advise against doing this in Chiang Mai and consider only a handful of places in Bkk. For open heart surgery you need to consider not only the surgeon but the experience of the entire team, including perfusionists and nurses. Once discharged he can certainly recuperate in CM but they have been doing open heart surgery up there for a far shorter time than in Bkk and also do a lower volume.

Cost - a private hospital will run over 300,000 baht i.e. USD $10,000. A government hospital would be about 100,000 baht, so enormous savings but a lot of initial red tape and delays. Need a Thai speaker to help navigate on the first few visits, may take as many as 3-5 visits before he actually sees a cardiac surgeon and then likely a wait to get on the OR schedule.

The best government hospital for this is Ratchawithi near Victory Monument.

[Sceptict11]

First of all, I would advise against doing this in Chiang Mai and consider only a handful of places in Bkk. For open heart surgery you need to consider not only the surgeon but the experience of the entire team, including perfusionists and nurses. Once discharged he can certainly recuperate in CM but they have been doing open heart surgery up there for a far shorter time than in Bkk and also do a lower volume.

Cost - a private hospital will run over 300,000 baht i.e. USD $10,000. A government hospital would be about 100,000 baht, so enormous savings but a lot of initial red tape and delays. Need a Thai speaker to help navigate on the first few visits, may take as many as 3-5 visits before he actually sees a cardiac surgeon and then likely a wait to get on the OR schedule.

The best government hospital for this is Ratchawithi near Victory Monument.

Just a small point a "triple bypass" is not "open heart " surgery although it may involve bypass !

Concur in choosing a surgeon with a lot of experience

[cheeryble]

First of all, I would advise against doing this in Chiang Mai and consider only a handful of places in Bkk. For open heart surgery you need to consider not only the surgeon but the experience of the entire team, including perfusionists and nurses. Once discharged he can certainly recuperate in CM but they have been doing open heart surgery up there for a far shorter time than in Bkk and also do a lower volume.

Cost - a private hospital will run over 300,000 baht i.e. USD $10,000. A government hospital would be about 100,000 baht, so enormous savings but a lot of initial red tape and delays. Need a Thai speaker to help navigate on the first few visits, may take as many as 3-5 visits before he actually sees a cardiac surgeon and then likely a wait to get on the OR schedule.

The best government hospital for this is Ratchawithi near Victory Monument.

thanks for that Sheryl

I learn that the patient is the father of the sales manager of my friend's modest sized and very squeezed company....so I guess economics would be a big factor.

I have passed on the information already thankyou.

[Mrjlh]

Just a small point a "triple bypass" is not "open heart " surgery although it may involve bypass !

Concur in choosing a surgeon with a lot of experience

Although you are entitled to your opinion, please don't make false statements. At least be accurate. Open Heart surgery is any surgery where the chest is opened and the heart is exposed. My medical source and that fact I had a CABG as described is below. Small incisions not requiring the chest to be opened is called a OPCABG.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002946.htm

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002950.htm

I quote: Open heart surgery:

"Open heart surgery is any surgery where the chest is opened and surgery is done on the heart muscle, valves, arteries, or other parts of the heart (such as the aorta). The term "open" means that the chest is "cut" open. The definition of open heart surgery has become confusing because new procedures are being done on the heart through smaller cuts. Some new procedures are being done with the heart still beating."

Again Sheryl, great information and advice to the OP.

[bunnaag]

First of all, I would advise against doing this in Chiang Mai and consider only a handful of places in Bkk. For open heart surgery you need to consider not only the surgeon but the experience of the entire team, including perfusionists and nurses. Once discharged he can certainly recuperate in CM but they have been doing open heart surgery up there for a far shorter time than in Bkk and also do a lower volume.

Cost - a private hospital will run over 300,000 baht i.e. USD $10,000. A government hospital would be about 100,000 baht, so enormous savings but a lot of initial red tape and delays. Need a Thai speaker to help navigate on the first few visits, may take as many as 3-5 visits before he actually sees a cardiac surgeon and then likely a wait to get on the OR schedule.

The best government hospital for this is Ratchawithi near Victory Monument.

[/quote

sheryl bumrungrad quotes over 6oo,ooo but from which private hospital did you get a quote from around 100,00.This would be indeed very cheap.I am also looking for a hospital doing bypass operations.Thank you

Edited January 20, 2014 by lopburi3
correct quote

[Sheryl]

Not a private hospital. Only government hospital would be as low as 100-150K. Bypass in a private hospital will run 300K on up. Triple bypass, higher still.

As stated in my prior post, the best government hospital for this is Rajawithi near Victory Monument. They were the first hospital in Bkk to do open heart surgery, have done the most cases, have a very low mortality rate (comparable to the best hospitals in the West) and do an excellent job, but the initial process of getting registered there and seeing a cardiac surgeon is full of red tape and takes many visits to complete and really needs a Thai speaker to facilitate. Once you've jumped through all the hoops and been seen by a cardiac surgeon and scheduled, dealing with the place gets pretty easy, but at the start it is a massive Thai-language bureacracy.

[cheeryble]

For northern TVers information.....and bearing in mind Sheryl's advice about perhaps not favoring CM, I think it's worth at least saying I was just informed by wife sister that Overbrook.....a pleasant and very fair priced hospital in CR has a new heart unit. This may be useful for urgent work for those in the area. I am interested to learn more about it as I might end up up that way.

ps I have no figures whether mortality rates are lower for Christians :-)

pps strikes me it may just be possible that for a new unit they would be extremely careful to choose a reliable team.

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[Sheryl]

I would personally avoid a new unit or place just starting to do open heart surgery, and also any place that does not do a large volume of cases.

[cheeryble]

Fair enough Sheryl…

[Satcommlee]

A friend had to have a bypass op in Thailand, bill was 1 Million Baht!

But he was an emergency case in a tourist hospital and they tend to rip you off.. if you fit enough to shop around then you will get better pricing.

[cheeryble]

A friend had to have a bypass op in Thailand, bill was 1 Million Baht!

But he was an emergency case in a tourist hospital and they tend to rip you off.. if you fit enough to shop around then you will get better pricing.

Sad to see such high medical skills combined with such low ethical consideration.

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[lopburi3]

A million is not out of line at top hospitals for such. Our Thai neighbor paid more than that several years ago here in Bangkok. It saved his life.

[ignis]

A older Thai Lady friend had to have a bypass op in Bangkok, bill was 1.1 Million Baht, 3 months ago................. another much younger Thai man [in his 40s] bill just under 1.4 million, emergency case 3 weeks ago..

[chiang mai]

Dr Surin at Sriphat has an excellent reputation in this area, I take Sheryls point about the team and length of experience but I have to believe not everyone has to travel to Bangkok for this surgery.

[Sheryl]

You don't have to. You are just best advised to.

A lot more to consider than just the individual surgeon.

[cheeryble]

Having said that there may be worse things than dying while anaesthetised :-)

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[chiang mai]

First of all, I would advise against doing this in Chiang Mai and consider only a handful of places in Bkk. For open heart surgery you need to consider not only the surgeon but the experience of the entire team, including perfusionists and nurses. Once discharged he can certainly recuperate in CM but they have been doing open heart surgery up there for a far shorter time than in Bkk and also do a lower volume.

Cost - a private hospital will run over 300,000 baht i.e. USD $10,000. A government hospital would be about 100,000 baht, so enormous savings but a lot of initial red tape and delays. Need a Thai speaker to help navigate on the first few visits, may take as many as 3-5 visits before he actually sees a cardiac surgeon and then likely a wait to get on the OR schedule.

The best government hospital for this is Ratchawithi near Victory Monument.

[/quote

sheryl bumrungrad quotes over 6oo,ooo but from which private hospital did you get a quote from around 100,00.This would be indeed very cheap.I am also looking for a hospital doing bypass operations.Thank you

All factors and options considered, if a person was able to plan it in advance then Bumrungrad at 600K would likely be the best option anywhere in Thailand, for me at least.

[bunnaag]

two days ago a got a quote from Phyathai 2 hospital for a triple or quadruble bypass.The costs varied between 650-750 000 Bath.Assuming no complications and two nights ICU and afterwards up to 7 nights normal room.All other conditions the same as Bumrungrad.But no age limit was mentioned.Bumrungrag mentioned on their web site an age limit of 65 years.Which I do not unmderstand because many bypasses have to be performed at a higher age.

[cheeryble]

two days ago a got a quote from Phyathai 2 hospital for a triple or quadruble bypass.The costs varied between 650-750 000 Bath.Assuming no complications and two nights ICU and afterwards up to 7 nights normal room.All other conditions the same as Bumrungrad.But no age limit was mentioned.Bumrungrag mentioned on their web site an age limit of 65 years.Which I do not unmderstand because many bypasses have to be performed at a higher age.

Suggest they are simply not guaranteeing the price for over-65s

As a self payer if I was in reasonable condition I personally would shop around on this one there's an awful lot of difference in 100-200,000 and a 750,000..... especially as you might need another one someday.

Mostly only very poor condition patients don't survive. If that happens frankly <deleted>.

In the likely case.....survival.....one presumes the healing is done by the body which adjusts its repairs to the wounds where needed regardless of the neatness of the job.

(Ready for Sheryl-correction on this one ha-ha)

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