Throat specialist, don’t want to wait in queue

[WorkingTourist]

My girlfriend needs to see a throat specialist, from the pinned topic there is a recommendation for RAM hospital, my problem is that I went there once before for a rabies vaccine followup shot and had to wait several hours and I would rather not repeat that experience.

I called the hospital and they said that we cannot make an appointment in advance, we have to show up and then wait. I assume with the current air pollution, the queue for the throat specialist isn’t short.

So I am seeking a recommendation for a hospital/clinic that either allows me to make an appointment in advance, or has a short queue (presumably the more expensive ones, but I don’t know which is which of the many hospitals here).

Alternatively, someone who have recently/frequently been to the RAM hospital could perhaps tell me if it’s expected having to wait hours to see a doctor or nurse.

[kkuls]

I can recommend CM Mediclinic. I was able to book appointments through their FB page for vaccinations. Prompt response time, nice clinic, friendly, English-speaking staff. I'm not sure what their access would be to specialists, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to contact them. Good luck!

https://www.facebook.com/CMMediclinic

Edited March 10, 2015 by kkuls

[kkuls]

Sorry......neglected to include their website: http://www.cmmediclinic.com/

[NancyL]

You could check out the new Bangkok Hospital - Chiang Mai. They have a ENT doc who is there five days a week from 8 am - 5 pm, according to their website. She did post grad work in Germany. From their website, it look like you can book appointments for a specific one-hour time slot.

http://www.bangkokhospital-chiangmai.com/en/index.php

[WorkingTourist]

We went with CM Mediclinic and to my delight there was no queue, even though we came earlier than our appointment. Might not be to the delight of the clinic though.

The consultation itself was only 300 baht, and then medicine for 5-600 baht. All in all pretty cheap, even though I think we got a bit too much medicine (five different pills for different things that came up during the consultation). But as my girlfriend does not have any aversion toward taking too much medicine, I guess everyone left happy…

We’re going back in two weeks to see if the medicine has the desired effect.

[arunsakda]

You can find a throat specialist at Butterfly Bar on Loy Kroh road.

[kkuls]

Glad things seemed to have worked out for you! If anyone is wondering about JE (Japanese Encephalitis) vaccine, we had ours done here in Chiang Mai at CM Mediclinic a few days after we arrived. Single dose IMOJEV, no booster required for 5 years, and at a fraction of the cost (850 baht each) of having it done at home prior to coming.

[Rotweiler]

A rather deep subject, no?

You can find a throat specialist at Butterfly Bar on Loy Kroh road.

[James T]

I've lived in Chiang Mai 15 years, used Chiang Mai Ram many times for minor appointments...and I've NEVER had to wait for more than 20-30 minutes to see a doctor!

What may have caused a problem for you could have been that the relevant specialist wasn't available for your needs (many doctors and specialists have Clinics there at certain times of the day, as they work at Govvie Hospitals as well)

Call the Ram in advance, and ask what time the Ear/Nose/Throat clinic is available - arrive at the appropriate time and you shouldn't have any problem.

[uptheos]

I've lived in Chiang Mai 15 years, used Chiang Mai Ram many times for minor appointments...and I've NEVER had to wait for more than 20-30 minutes to see a doctor!

What may have caused a problem for you could have been that the relevant specialist wasn't available for your needs (many doctors and specialists have Clinics there at certain times of the day, as they work at Govvie Hospitals as well)

Call the Ram in advance, and ask what time the Ear/Nose/Throat clinic is available - arrive at the appropriate time and you shouldn't have any problem.

The Ear Nose and Throat Clinic can get busy and with Rams latest first come first served policy, it is possible to wait longer than 20-30 minutes, but on the whole I have found them pretty good.

As you said, phone and ask or go here http://www.chiangmairam.com/NEW%20CMR/Physician%20Eng/Ear%20throat%20nose%20Clinic%20Eng%20.html

where you can find the schedule of all doctors.

[WorkingTourist]

What may have caused a problem for you could have been that the relevant specialist wasn't available for your needs (many doctors and specialists have Clinics there at certain times of the day, as they work at Govvie Hospitals as well)

As I wrote, when I went to RAM it was for a rabies vaccine followup. This shouldn’t require a specialist, and I think it was (eventually) administered by a nurse (not a doctor).

Part of the waiting was because they insisted on doing a mandatory checkup, so I had to first wait for the checkup, and then for a nurse to give me the shot. I might also have waited for doing a registration card, as I think I was waiting in 3 different queues.

Call the Ram in advance, and ask what time the Ear/Nose/Throat clinic is available - arrive at the appropriate time and you shouldn't have any problem.

As I wrote, I did call RAM, which is when they told me that no appointment could be made in advance, though they did give me the hours of the doctor (8-19), but given that alternatives exist, where appointments can be made, I see no reason to spend anymore time with RAM.

Maybe I was just extremely unlucky, but once burned twice shy…

[uptheos]

Be nice if Mediclinic could get their website up and running instead of seeing this all the time

A full list of all our medical services at Chiang Mai Mediclinic will be updated shortly.