Thailand Doctors

[buhi]

Not a bash!

I have attended the same hospital for fifteen years; a top Bangkok hospital.

Have only ever been an in patient twice, and for treatment (sods law) not covered by my insurance, 2 day stay, no surgery, medication only and consultation 25000 Baht. To be expected for a 5 star hotel room and pampered service.

I would be quite happy to be in an English style ward, but such is not available at top hospitals in Thailand.

I have not lived in England for twenty years, so can not make up to date comparisons and know the National Health Service is strained now.

One big difference, when I was in England, was that I had a GP , who I consulted first and if he felt it necessary for me to see a consultant, he would set things in motion.

As my long term GP he knew me and my medical history and could connect the dots, symptoms, possible cause due to underlying medical issues.Also that special trust one has with your own doctor, who you can be open and honest with. No need to beat around the bush or explain I have this condition so it might be something to do with it.

Now in my experience consultants in England and Thailand are demi gods and they tell you, you do not tell them, more so in England, because you are not paying, less so in Thailand as you are a customer and things could turn nasty.

Here is the problem, you arrive at the Thai hospital reception, all lovely, hand over card and tell what the problem is. Information goes into the computer and off you go straight to the specialist department for the particular ailment. Fine, but the GP stage is missing, the dots are not being connected and when you try to connect the dots to the specialist he/she feels the losing face bit, not for you to tell him his/her job and yes we all know how to google our symptoms and are all specialists now.

And with time limits my notes of fifteen years are not going to be consulted only those related to this particular condition.

Yesterday I had to get treatment, I shall spare the details.For once I saw the same doctor as for my previous visit last month over a different issue.

Now as stated this is an expensive private hospital and as we know in Thailand personal appearance counts. This young doctor breaks all those rules, he has long hair, wears smart denim jeans and has the "trust", not I am superior attitude. For him to be employed there obviously on his terms, he must be good and in my two consultations with him I think he is, we could bond.

I told him that what needed immediate treatment had happened three times before and he only needed to check my notes with a quick computer search. He was not insulted and agreed, but thought he knew what to do and had reached a quick diagnosis, not of the cause, but what neede to be done immediately.

Sent me to a treatment room where he would perform minor surgery.

Between times it was clear he had checked my notes and when he came back knew of my allergies.

Did what was required and I was left to recover before seeing him again.

When I did I was very satisfied as he had connected lots of dots. The previous doctor I had seen, top specialist, demi god, did not listen to me, knew all. This young upstart, said to me you were not diagnosed properly by Dr X, the treatment was correct though. He told me he could tell I did not trust this other doctor, but no harm had been done. He then jumped staight to the chase, stop eating xyand z. Stop all alcohol, stop all sugar etc. A very long conversation, yes conversation, not I am telling you. He included how he too had to control his diet to avoid his own health issues. A doctor admitting to health issues, now there's a first, apart from the "House' television series. A doctor not a demi god. Well done that man, I shall insist only he treats me if I ever need to need treatment (probably will) again.

[sipi]

"Have only ever been an in patient twice, and for treatment (sods law) not covered by my insurance, 2 day stay, no surgery, medication only and consultation 25000 Baht."

Dear OP, you were screwed.

"I would be quite happy to be in an English style ward, but such is not available at top hospitals in Thailand."

​I don't usually offer references, I don't like hospitals, and I'm not religious...But..

http://www.mission-hospital.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangkok_Adventist_Hospital

[Sheryl]

"you arrive at the Thai hospital reception, all lovely, hand over card and tell what the problem is. Information goes into the computer and off you go straight to the specialist department for the particular ailment"

Exactly what not to do IMO. Always choose your doctor yourself, ahead of time. The reception folk (who are often not even nurses) will otherwise send you off to whomever (1) happens to be there at that particular day and time (random chance) and (2) is least busy among the latter (usually for good reason, i.e. the best docs tend to be heavily booked). The will also in some cases refer to the wrong type of specialist, I've seen it happen.

One of the main advantages to going the private route is that you can choose your doctor and the top end hospitals all have doctor CVs online. Take the time to go through these and pick a doctor who trained in the West, not only does a non-native speaker need to be very, very good to have done that, but they will be "socialized" to western ways i.e. explaining things and a collegial approach with the patient.

[JimmyTheMook]

Sent me to a treatment room where he would perform minor surgery.

Hemorrhoid removal ?

[buhi]

"Have only ever been an in patient twice, and for treatment (sods law) not covered by my insurance, 2 day stay, no surgery, medication only and consultation 25000 Baht."

Dear OP, you were screwed.

"I would be quite happy to be in an English style ward, but such is not available at top hospitals in Thailand."

​I don't usually offer references, I don't like hospitals, and I'm not religious...But..

http://www.mission-hospital.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangkok_Adventist_Hospital

My error, poor memory, 15,000 baht, muddled with my wife's fee for an operation.

[northernjohn]

For myself I have only one doctor. She is a General Practice and if I need a specialist she sends me to one. It is not a hit and miss thing. She has all their reports and knows every thing I take.

I recently found myself coming down with Pneumonia. I went to see her as it was early in the disease. I had been through it before. She gave me medication for it and it went away very nicely.

Now the difference between playing hit and miss is she knew what I was already taking and the best medication would not go well with it so she gave me one that would.

I am no good at self diagnosing unless I have had it before. So I trust the one doctor and as I said if I need a specialist she sends me to see one and has all the reports.

\\

[Chonburiram]

... The reception folk (who are often not even nurses) will otherwise send you off to whomever (1) happens to be there at that particular day and time (random chance) and (2) is least busy among the latter (usually for good reason, i.e. the best docs tend to be heavily booked). The will also in some cases refer to the wrong type of specialist, I've seen it happen...

I know a doctor who starts love affairs at "strategical" important places simultaneously at different hospitals and also on different wards in the same hospital.

His wife knows about it, and when necessary, helps to end a not longer profitable liaison...