Bangkok Hospital or Saint Louis Hospital

[BinKata]

I am planning on making an appointment with a particular ENT that works at both hospitals in Bangkok.

Does anyone know which hospital would be less expensive then the other?

Bangkok or Saint Louis?

thank you.

[Showbags]

Saint louis by far....bkk hospital is a total ripoff

[Sheryl]

Doctors set their own consultation fees at whatever hospital they are in so that may not vary much or possibly even at all. But all other charges will be less at St Louis.

[David48]

St Louis gets my vote also.

[Showbags]

Sheryl....why do doctors swap around hospitals so much ?

[Sheryl]

They do not "swap". They have hours (and admitting privileges) at more than one place and it is quite usual.

In private hospitals, the doctors do not work for the hospital, a point many people have trouble appreciating especially if they are used to a national health system.

The private hospitals make their OPD facilities and diagnostic facilities available to doctors who are in effect private contractors. The doctor benefits by having a consultation room ready staffed with admin and nursing staff and ready access to lab, imaging, pharmacy etc. The hospital gains because of course it is doctors that outpatients come to see. And of late they've started tacking on a hospital charge to consultation bills as well.

As it is in a hospital's interests to have as wide a range of specialists as possible they may actively court docs to have hours with them. From the doctor's point of view, being at more than one hospital gives him more options in terms of where to admit patients -- patients may have their own reasons for preferring admission to hospital X rather than Y. And/or, it may work out in terms of geography and personal schedule, as often these are docs working full time in govt hospitals and fitting in some private practice in evenings and weekends. So it may be convenient for them to be somewhere close to where they work weekday evenings but elsewhere, nearer where they live, on weekends.

[fletchsmile]

We go to Saint Louis quite often. Reasonable rates and reasonable service.

If it's a simple one doctor exam and opinion then all things being equal the overall cost will be cheaper in St.Louis than BKK hospital because of the "add ons" above the doctors fee.

If it's something that starts to look more serious, or you may want to call on other experts or use most sophisticated technology/facilities etc then you'll be better off at BKK hospital and paying more.

We keep St.Louis for the simple stuff and go to Bumrungrad for anything that might be a bit more serious

Worth bearing in mind there are sometimes quirks too: St.Louis may not always have the same range of treatments and medicines either. Plus sometimes they have to outsource certain tests whereas Bumrungrad could do in-house and actually cheaper and quicker

Cheers

Fletch