Good service and fair price at Bangkok hospital (credit were credit is due)

[ace]

I've found that the old 200baht+ paracetamol prescription is practiced nearly everywhere, even smaller clinics, you just have to be aware and refuse it. Funny stroy, I used to have Thai health insurance from my job. I went to the specified government hospital (dental dept.) to "test it out" . Charge was about half the cost of a private place, but the procedure wasn't as great and i had to wait quite a while, no appointment. When I went to pay, they pulled out a sign, in English, said "Foreigner charge 600 baht" haha :-)

Anyway, can anyone recommend a good clinic for ENT in or near Pattaya?

Edited September 29, 2014 by ace

[abrahamzvi]

I am sorry to say I don't agree with you. I think you paid well over the top for a very basic simple procedure.

I recently had to have hospital treatment and decided to go to Bangkok Hospital in Buriram.

The hospital was well laid out very clean and generally the service was good, However their prices are extremely high.

The other thing one must at all times take into account when you have private medical treatment is that Private Hospitals are run as a profit making business so their main priority is to make as much money as they can.

When I went to Bangkok hospital for long term diarhoea I mentioned a problem I had when walking with pain in my left hip. Another consultant was called in to see me. After finding no pulse in my left groin or near my ankle he told me wife that this was very serious and that I could lose my leg or even die. When I started asking more in depth questions the Consultant realised I had quite a lot of knowledge about medical procedures having worked in the medical field for over 40 years in the UK. This was in the Royal Army Medical Services, a short time in a Private UK hospital, covering for a friend of mine, and for 20 years privately in my own business. Suddenly the consultants opinion seemed to change and it was no longer a life or death problem but a blockage in my my femoral artery but the their was sufficient blood flow to the leg and that it was best to keep an eye on it and if it causes too much problems come and see him again and a much more minor operation could rectify the matter.

In my experiene a lot of additional tests and procedures are carried out in Private hospital when it is not really necessary, it is just to make more money. Patient care takes second priority. Also they know that the majority of patients will have health Insurance so why not bump up the price and make the Insurance Company pay. The problem with this is that most Thai Insurance Companies only pay about 50% of most procedures and have a lmit on what they will pay out on for diagnostic tests, room rates etc.

Why give you paracetamol for pain most of the time at a ridiculous cost when you can go and buy it from a local pharmacy at a fraction of the cost.

I need a cataract done soon, so I enquired at the Bangkok Hospital for the cost for standard lens replacement including a one nights hospital admission. Quoted 40,500B. Asked the same question in the Buriram Private hospital and the quote was 22,500. Other hospitals quoted in the region of 20 - 25,000B

The room charge at Bangkok hospital was 4,500B per day for a very basic room, food and nursing service. 18 months ago I went to Buriram Private hospital for a hernia operation and the cost for a VIP room with sofa table and chairs, large plasma TV, fridge and a large balcony, including food and nursing services was 1,800B.

Many consultants work at Goverment hospitals and one or more private hospitals. So you could go to one hospital then another for a second opinion and see the same doctor. This applies to the UK as in Thailand and I suspect in other counties.

Yes with my knowledge and experiences I am very sceptical about Private medicine.

It looks like everyone is offered a 10% discount at Bangkok Hospitals, I was, even before my tests were completed.

I agree with another post, that the Government hospitals in general are ok, not the cleanliness of Private hospitals and if as normal they are busy then one can wait hours to see a doctor unless it is due to an accident.

Although I am not a medical practitioner, nor have I ever been active in the medical field like you, I am afraid, I really can't agree with you. You are correct if you say that Bangkok Hospital ( the same as Bumrungrad) is expensive compared to Government hospitals, or even other private hospitals, but one must add that one normally gets what one pays for. As far as the standard of the medical treatment is concerned, in my experience, and I have experienced two or three other hospitals in Thailand, there is simply no comparison between Bangkok hospital and other ones. Both my wife and I have had the best experiences with the Bangkok Hospital in Bangkok, after having been treated, or examined by other hospitals. I agree that government hospitals, particularly the University ones, usually have first class physicians, who often work for private hospitals as well, but one must wait for hours and not always does one get the proper attention from them due to time pressure. All I can say is that both my wife and I are absolutely delighted that Bangkok Hospital has just started operating in Chiang Mai, where we live. The other private hospital there, of a good international standard,has some very good doctors, the charges are more reasonable, but again , no comparison with the attention and treatment one gets in Bangkok hospital.

As I said above, Bangkok Hospital is expensive compared to others in Thailand, but comparing the charges to the fees one pays in other western countries, or even in Singapore, it is still very, very reasonable.

[luk AJ]

Bangkok hospital service deteriorated over the past 5 years. I go there regularly, had tripple heart by-pass 5 years ago. Well two worked out well, one died off fast because they forget to close the half blocked artery...follow up was very poor and they confused all the time which tests had to be taken when. Last visit the doctor was looking at old pictures of my heart iso the new CT scan. I decided not to go back. Just to be clear, Bumrungrad is also not the solution, they nearly killed me during a artery balloon procedure and if you dont speak Arabic service will be poor.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Pormax]

I am sorry to say I don't agree with you. I think you paid well over the top for a very basic simple procedure.

I recently had to have hospital treatment and decided to go to Bangkok Hospital in Buriram.

The hospital was well laid out very clean and generally the service was good, However their prices are extremely high.

The other thing one must at all times take into account when you have private medical treatment is that Private Hospitals are run as a profit making business so their main priority is to make as much money as they can.

When I went to Bangkok hospital for long term diarhoea I mentioned a problem I had when walking with pain in my left hip. Another consultant was called in to see me. After finding no pulse in my left groin or near my ankle he told me wife that this was very serious and that I could lose my leg or even die. When I started asking more in depth questions the Consultant realised I had quite a lot of knowledge about medical procedures having worked in the medical field for over 40 years in the UK. This was in the Royal Army Medical Services, a short time in a Private UK hospital, covering for a friend of mine, and for 20 years privately in my own business. Suddenly the consultants opinion seemed to change and it was no longer a life or death problem but a blockage in my my femoral artery but the their was sufficient blood flow to the leg and that it was best to keep an eye on it and if it causes too much problems come and see him again and a much more minor operation could rectify the matter.

In my experiene a lot of additional tests and procedures are carried out in Private hospital when it is not really necessary, it is just to make more money. Patient care takes second priority. Also they know that the majority of patients will have health Insurance so why not bump up the price and make the Insurance Company pay. The problem with this is that most Thai Insurance Companies only pay about 50% of most procedures and have a lmit on what they will pay out on for diagnostic tests, room rates etc.

Why give you paracetamol for pain most of the time at a ridiculous cost when you can go and buy it from a local pharmacy at a fraction of the cost.

I need a cataract done soon, so I enquired at the Bangkok Hospital for the cost for standard lens replacement including a one nights hospital admission. Quoted 40,500B. Asked the same question in the Buriram Private hospital and the quote was 22,500. Other hospitals quoted in the region of 20 - 25,000B

The room charge at Bangkok hospital was 4,500B per day for a very basic room, food and nursing service. 18 months ago I went to Buriram Private hospital for a hernia operation and the cost for a VIP room with sofa table and chairs, large plasma TV, fridge and a large balcony, including food and nursing services was 1,800B.

Many consultants work at Goverment hospitals and one or more private hospitals. So you could go to one hospital then another for a second opinion and see the same doctor. This applies to the UK as in Thailand and I suspect in other counties.

Yes with my knowledge and experiences I am very sceptical about Private medicine.

It looks like everyone is offered a 10% discount at Bangkok Hospitals, I was, even before my tests were completed.

I agree with another post, that the Government hospitals in general are ok, not the cleanliness of Private hospitals and if as normal they are busy then one can wait hours to see a doctor unless it is due to an accident.

Although I am not a medical practitioner, nor have I ever been active in the medical field like you, I am afraid, I really can't agree with you. You are correct if you say that Bangkok Hospital ( the same as Bumrungrad) is expensive compared to Government hospitals, or even other private hospitals, but one must add that one normally gets what one pays for. As far as the standard of the medical treatment is concerned, in my experience, and I have experienced two or three other hospitals in Thailand, there is simply no comparison between Bangkok hospital and other ones. Both my wife and I have had the best experiences with the Bangkok Hospital in Bangkok, after having been treated, or examined by other hospitals. I agree that government hospitals, particularly the University ones, usually have first class physicians, who often work for private hospitals as well, but one must wait for hours and not always does one get the proper attention from them due to time pressure. All I can say is that both my wife and I are absolutely delighted that Bangkok Hospital has just started operating in Chiang Mai, where we live. The other private hospital there, of a good international standard,has some very good doctors, the charges are more reasonable, but again , no comparison with the attention and treatment one gets in Bangkok hospital.

As I said above, Bangkok Hospital is expensive compared to others in Thailand, but comparing the charges to the fees one pays in other western countries, or even in Singapore, it is still very, very reasonable.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. However one point you made is that you 'Get what you pay for'.

Maybe that is true to a certain extent and one cannot complain about the layout, cleanliness and general service of Bangkok hospitals, but unfortunately from my medical experience both here and the UK, a lot of what you get is unnessesary. Extra tests are done when not required just to inflate the price.

I'll give you a recent example. My daughter developed a nagging cough which I am fairly sure was bought on when she was cleaning the toilet/shower room with Pormax and bleach. Stupidly she did this with the door and window closed and the fumes were quite toxic. This cough went on for 2-3 days and my wife wanted to take her to hospital. This was the private hospital in Buriram. All she really required was some medicine. After telling the doctor what happened the first question that was asked was 'Do you have insurance'. My wife replied 'yes'. The next response from the doctor was 'then It would be best if we admit you for a night or two so you can claim from your Insurance'. My wife agreed, I was not present at the time. Of course the first thing that happened was an intravenous drip was put into her arm and then although it was clear the cough was coming from the back of the throat and not the chest, a chest x-ray was taken. Never once was a stethascope used to listen to her chest. Other than that she was given medicine to take 4 times a day. temperature, blood pressure and pulse taken every four hours, even during the night. After the 2nd night in hospital the cough was still there but not nearly so bad. Clearly the irratation at the back of the throat was subsiding. My 16 year old was bored and anxious to get back to school with tests coming up, so we asked the doctor if she could go home. The answer was it was our decision, she could stay if she wanted to. All of that came to almost 16,000B. By the way the drugs she was prescibed to take home included the obligatory Paracetamol even though she had no pain.

To the vast majority who have no medical experience then it seems you are getting the very best of treatment when in fact a lot of the times you are not a patient but a tool to make as much money as possible. Unfortunately money comes before ethicical standards in private hospitals because as I said before they are a business first.

Don't get me wrong, private medicine definetely has advantages, perhaps better treatment, less waiting times, nicer surroundings more up to date equipment to name a few. It is just the other part of it that gets to me.

[yermanee]

As I said above, Bangkok Hospital is expensive compared to others in Thailand, but comparing the charges to the fees one pays in other western countries, or even in Singapore, it is still very, very reasonable.

Please try to understand that hospitals in Thailand should not be compared pricewise to other countries.

That's like comparing the price of Thai food in the west to here in Thailand.

Yermanee

[KittenKong]

Please try to understand that hospitals in Thailand should not be compared pricewise to other countries.

That's like comparing the price of Thai food in the west to here in Thailand.

I see no reason not to do either.

[DisparateDan]

I had one on my back a few weeks ago, have awful pics, While mulling over a visit to hospital, it burst in my sleep, stained a sheet, was healed in a few days.

Cost Baht 0.00

I'm not averse to operations either by cost or fear, had five last 2 years (plastic surgery for skin "cancer".

I believe we are too reluctant to let the body heal itself.BTW I am 79 y/o.

[oMega69]

agreed, I have used bkk hospital in Bangkok, Hua HIn and Hat Yai.

Service is excellent but they sure do get you on the way out and drain your wallet.

A friend had a scooter accident in Pattaya.

Broken shinbone and broken shoulder blade.

Operation to fixate ("nails"?) both.

600'000 Baht.

Not so sure whether this is a fair price.

He had to beg his children to advance pay.

Quality was good. He is now up and walking well.

Even sits on a scooter again

Took him more than 6 months.

I had a simular accident i was Quoted 150% less then i was Quoted for same operation at the Naval Hospital in Sattahip . . . "Same doctors that are traveling around"

[abrahamzvi]

As I said above, Bangkok Hospital is expensive compared to others in Thailand, but comparing the charges to the fees one pays in other western countries, or even in Singapore, it is still very, very reasonable.

Please try to understand that hospitals in Thailand should not be compared pricewise to other countries.

That's like comparing the price of Thai food in the west to here in Thailand.

Yermanee

But people still expect the same medical attention as they do in the West. If one compares prices for Thai food to western restaurants, the comparison is incorrect. One compares apples to oranges. However, if one compares the prices of western food in Thailand to the same food in the west, that is an absolute fair comparison. Isn't it?

[loppylugs1]

Depends which way the wind is blowing for billing consequences at BKK. Me? rather jump on a 'plane to India if fit enough to get treatment,including heart by-pass,if not university hospital will do fine

[marinediscoking]

Bangkok Pattaya used to be good value up until about 12 years ago, now it seem to be about profit now. I will only go there now if it is for an emergency situation and then transfer as fast as humanly possible to another hospital. I did this recently and saved a ton of money. If you can get to Bangkok Christin Hospital up in Bangkok I highly recommend this place for fair prices and competent doctors as it is a private non-profit hospital.

[KittenKong]

Hospitals do have slightly higher overheads...

I dont see how the overheads for a hospital pharmacy should be significantly different to those of an outside pharmacy.

It's more likely that the hospital uses their pharmacy as a convenient cash generator due to the semi-captive (or at least inertia-bound) clientèle. The way the medicines are prepared before they tell you the price is an indication of this.

[everysoi21]

You get what you paid for?!

Bankok Hopital is surely a 5 star hospital for every thing they offer to patients.

I went to get my teeth cleaned and general check up including 360 x-ray, this cost me over 6,000 baht! i was expecting somewhere around 2,000 baht so I was shocked! I don't need such a 5 star price just for my teeth cleaning and check up, I will look for a decent dentist in Bangkok since I have a cavity and might need a crown soon.

[Evilbaz]

I have used Phuket International and Bangkok Hospital - both in Phuket - both times emergencies.

The standards and service at both hospitals are very good (I worked in healthcare for 40 years internationally, with additional qualifications in hospital management).

Phuket International was cheaper but both hospital's pharmacies were cash cow profit centres.

I questioned my consultant on their prices - he was honest and told me he had to prescribe medications for every patient - hospital policy.

The irony is I saw the pharmacy assistant from BKK Phuket buying their stock at Supercheap pharmacy, where I get all my stuff rather than the hospital pharmacies, at huge savings.

As for claiming or not from health/travel insurance - it depends on the cost and your deductible.

Once you claim you will have created a "pre-existing condition" (plus any condition remotely related to it) for the next time you want to renew which wont be covered.

[KittenKong]

I questioned my consultant on their prices - he was honest and told me he had to prescribe medications for every patient - hospital policy.

Yes, a cardiologist in one fairly expensive hospital also told me that if he didn't sell some medicine to everyone he would be told off.

In another slightly less expensive hospital (the one I regularly go to now) the cardiologist just said "This it what you need; buy it where you like". I like this approach.

[Phil Conners]

Bangkok Pattaya used to be good value up until about 12 years ago, now it seem to be about profit now. I will only go there now if it is for an emergency situation and then transfer as fast as humanly possible to another hospital. I did this recently and saved a ton of money. If you can get to Bangkok Christin Hospital up in Bangkok I highly recommend this place for fair prices and competent doctors as it is a private non-profit hospital.

That, and because it is just next to Chula University hospital a lot of the top professors/doctors from there have a private consultation in Bangkok Christian. HIGHLY recommended. Avoid BPH at all cost.

[ThaiBob]

I am in Bangkok and have just visited Rutnin Eye Hospital based on many recommendations here on TV. Overall, a good experience although BHP is better organized with far shorter wait times. I thought my doctor(Sombat) was excellent and spoke good English. He recommended I start using eye drops to reduce eye pressure and this is a first time for me and I will get a second opinion at BHP. The bill came to almost 5,000 baht and the most expensive item was the eye drops (2000). The doctors exam was 1350. I priced the eye drops at the Rama 4 pharmacies and the price was 1400, so the mark up was over 25%. BHP is not the only hospital that uses its pharmacy as a cash cow.

[Phil Conners]

25% is nothing. I have seen examples of BPH marking up 400%.

[uptheos]

I think a lot of the guys in Bangkok and Pattaya should haul themselves up to Chiang Mai.

First class treatment at half the cost, so you can have a nice little holiday too.

[1haribo]

seems Goverment hospitals have introduced a Farang rate.

2 years ago I went to Chula in Bkk for a short consultation, which was about 100-200 B.

This year I paid for a similar consultation 400, almost as much as private Clinics.

Maybe next I will save myself the unpleasant waiting times and go to a private Clinic.

[primapagina]

After one night at Bangkok hospital in Bangkok, with some blood tests, one chest X ray and some pain killers, a doctor consultation, I paid more than 1300 USD (i can send the invoice on request). It is higher price than in South Europe, to mention an area. Now every time I tell the story to someone they ask me if I was crazy to go to Bangkok Hospital. The general opinion is that for a visit an an outpatient, prices are fine, but once you are in, the story is completely different - and I agree.

Since there are tons of hospitals in Bangkok, my advice to all: try to make your choice before you are sick, and, IMHO, never go to Bangkok Hospital.

[ThaiBob]

After one night at Bangkok hospital in Bangkok, with some blood tests, one chest X ray and some pain killers, a doctor consultation, I paid more than 1300 USD (i can send the invoice on request). It is higher price than in South Europe, to mention an area. Now every time I tell the story to someone they ask me if I was crazy to go to Bangkok Hospital. The general opinion is that for a visit an an outpatient, prices are fine, but once you are in, the story is completely different - and I agree.

Since there are tons of hospitals in Bangkok, my advice to all: try to make your choice before you are sick, and, IMHO, never go to Bangkok Hospital.

Was this an emergency visit? Two years ago in America, my ambulance ride of slightly over 1 kilometer was 33,000 baht, not to mention other services. Edited December 20, 2014 by ThaiBob

[loppylugs1]

Just a massive rip off. If possible get down to Malaysia or better still India. emergency ,yes problem,but get stabilised and shove off out of Thailand

[inzman]

Don't bring Amerika into this, they price medical care out of reach for the working man. There are plenty of affordable hospitals in Thailand but Bangkok international is not one of them.

[KittenKong]

If possible get down to Malaysia ...

That's an interesting idea.

You can drive your car there (fairly) easily, fuel is cheap, English is widely spoken, all signs are in Latin script even if they arent in English and the food isn't bad.

Does anyone have any experience with hospitals reasonably near the Thai border (perhaps Penang)?

[loppylugs1]

If possible get down to Malaysia ...

That's an interesting idea.

You can drive your car there (fairly) easily, fuel is cheap, English is widely spoken, all signs are in Latin script even if they arent in English and the food isn't bad.

Does anyone have any experience with hospitals reasonably near the Thai border (perhaps Penang)?

Alor Star,just over the border would be OK ,but bit muslimised,but yes Penang,about 50 mins from border friend broke a limb,doctor thought having an English guy to treat ,was a treat fixed him up for free. Yes good reports ,half price MRI etc compared to Thailand. I go the other direction ,India

[pattaya1234was]

As I said above, Bangkok Hospital is expensive compared to others in Thailand, but comparing the charges to the fees one pays in other western countries, or even in Singapore, it is still very, very reasonable.

Please try to understand that hospitals in Thailand should not be compared pricewise to other countries.

That's like comparing the price of Thai food in the west to here in Thailand.

Yermanee

But people still expect the same medical attention as they do in the West. If one compares prices for Thai food to western restaurants, the comparison is incorrect. One compares apples to oranges. However, if one compares the prices of western food in Thailand to the same food in the west, that is an absolute fair comparison. Isn't it?

[Me Yank]

I questioned my consultant on their prices - he was honest and told me he had to prescribe medications for every patient - hospital policy.

Yes, a cardiologist in one fairly expensive hospital also told me that if he didn't sell some medicine to everyone he would be told off.

In another slightly less expensive hospital (the one I regularly go to now) the cardiologist just said "This it what you need; buy it where you like". I like this approach.

I just had a operation at Samitaive hospital in Siraacha. The same operation at BKH 70,000 more.

[petedk]

Bangkok Hospital quoted me 350,000 for laproscopic surgery for a double iquenal hernia. That is the same as the operation costs in the Houston Medical Center. In Canada it is free but they won't cover me here because it is done in Canada and it is not an emergency yet. But I work here for Thai wages and I enjoy my job a great deal so I would like to stay. Has anyone had a comparable operation done in Thailand for less money?

I realise that this is an old post but 3 weeks ago I went to Bangkok Hospital because I needed hernia surgery.

I was quoted 350,000 for 5 days in hospital.

I then asked at Rama 9 hospital. They quoted 90,000.

I had the operation there. I had a little complication as an x-ray showed something on my lung. A CT scan soon showed it ws nothing.

Total cost 120,000.

I told Bangkok Hospital I wasn't interested and that I would go somewhere else. That was 2 weeks ago.

Just 5 minutes ago they called me to apologise. The price they quoted was for foreigners not residing in Thailand. They had a much lower price for me but needed to see my work permit.

Reasonably priced? BGH is just a money machine.

I did have surgery there about 5 years ago and I remember that I was admitted 8 am and spent the whole day going to different departments (4 or 5) , having my blood pressure taken, temperature taken, being weighed and asked if I was allergic to anything. I am not joking. About 5 times went through the exact same procedure before my operation at 6 pm.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

For comparison sakes: My treatment earlier this year at BKK Hospital was 140,000 baht/28% less than the quote from Sririraj (the King's hospital).