Seeing a medical specialist at an appointed time

[Guest siamjourney]

In the good old days (about 15 years ago) you could go to CM Ram and see any specialist within a few minutes. I don't recall waiting more than 15-20 minutes to any doctor in any department. Usually less time than that. Now seeing someone in internal medicine at Ram is a nightmare even if you have an appointment. The appointment time doesn't seem to mean anything special vs. just walking in off the street.

Is there any private internal medicine practices in CM where you can actually see a doctor at an appointed time. I would expect you might have to pay more. It might even be the same doctors who work at Ram or wherever but if they see you at their private office the appointment actually means something.

[NancyL]

Yes, I know what you mean. It seems CM Ram has gone to the same "open appointment clinic" system they use at Sripat, Suan Dok and other places, where they schedule, say 12 appointments for a block of time, like between 9:00 - 11:00 for a given doctor and everyone with an appointment is told to come at 9 am. Then it's first come, first served for those with appointments and they allow people to arrive early to get a queue number. I don't know if they've done this for all specialties, but I've noticed it recently when I've seen a urologist, oncologist and rehab medicine specialist. At least the waiting conditions aren't as onerous as Suan Dok, but it's not what you'd expect for the fees charged by CM Ram.

At least the dental clinic is still operating with fixed appointment times that they honor.

[Guest siamjourney]

Yes, the dental clinic at Ram schedules appointments with reasonable time limits. If anyone knows an alternative, whether it's a hospital or a clinic, to the slow routine at CM Ram for other doctors I'd love to find out where else to go.

[LivinLOS]

Yes, I know what you mean. It seems CM Ram has gone to the same "open appointment clinic" system they use at Sripat, Suan Dok and other places, where they schedule, say 12 appointments for a block of time, like between 9:00 - 11:00 for a given doctor and everyone with an appointment is told to come at 9 am. Then it's first come, first served for those with appointments and they allow people to arrive early to get a queue number. I don't know if they've done this for all specialties, but I've noticed it recently when I've seen a urologist, oncologist and rehab medicine specialist. At least the waiting conditions aren't as onerous as Suan Dok, but it's not what you'd expect for the fees charged by CM Ram.

At least the dental clinic is still operating with fixed appointment times that they honor.

Yeah agreed.. Ram is an acceptable hospital, but where I was before in Thailand we had multiple better options.. For the money your paying, the block booking seems a little weak, can be multi hour waits and your paying private type fees.

I dont mind paying premium prices, but for that I would expect a scheduling system.

[NancyL]

Just was at Ram today with someone for an eye exam that took all morning. No excuse. She was told to arrive at 9:45. Came at 9:30 and was given queue card No. 10! Wasn't seen until 10:45 and then the doc decided she needed to have her pupils dilated (duh, it's an eye exam!) Didn't receive the real eye exam until after noon.

The charge was three times Suan Dok -- the public hospital. Sure, the waiting room was a little nicer -- but none of the "reading material" to pass the time was in English and the TV blared away Korean soap operas dubbed in Thai despite the fact that the majority of the people waiting were neither Korean or Thai and no one had the guts to change the channel.

I almost think we'd be better off to go to Suan Dok where at least you know you're going to have to wait forever and you don't have to listen to a TV blaring away.