Hospitals in Pattaya for Emergencies.

[elgenon]

What are the best hospitals in Pattaya for emergencies if I have the choice? Not sure if my insurance would cover me so I would appreciate public and private hospitals please. Is a particular hospital best for a certain thing?

Thanks.

[KittenKong]

For emergencies most people would probably put them in order of desirability like this:

Bangkok Pattaya

Pattaya International

Pattaya Memorial

Government hospitals

That is also the likely order of cost, though some prices for some services will not follow that order. All the private ones have a tendency to do more tests and prescribe more treatment than is probably strictly necessary, though whether they do this to be on the safe side or to bump up the cost is debatable.

I think the important questions are "is insurance paying/do you have lots of money" and "is your problem immediately life-threatening". The answers to those questions will decide which one you use.

For important non-emergency treatment I would probably check out a hospital in Bangkok that specialises in whatever problem I had. For normal day-to-day things I use PIH and I would probably go there for emergency treatment also as they know my details.

Never buy medicine from pharmacies belonging to private hospitals if you can avoid it as they all tend to overcharge hugely. Obviously if you are dying you may not have that choice, and some drugs are only available from hospital pharmacies.

Edited November 9, 2015 by KittenKong

[loppylugs1]

You are going to get thumped well and truly at the three private ones at the sheer expense,couple of cheaper ones outside Pattaya, state hospital in pattaya not so bad

If an emergency get stabilised in state hospital then VOA to Calcutta,two hours away Accident and Emergency Christian hospital and utterly brilliant care ,saved over £1400,last time $13000 time before that

Like Topsy,it just grows and grows the cost of medical care here in Pattaya and so the insurance premiums

Edited November 9, 2015 by loppylugs1

[elgenon]

Thanks for the replies.

KittenKong what is the best way to find out what a hospital is best at?

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

You are going to get thumped well and truly at the three private ones at the sheer expense,couple of cheaper ones outside Pattaya, state hospital in pattaya not so bad

If an emergency get stabilised in state hospital then VOA to Calcutta,two hours away Accident and Emergency Christian hospital and utterly brilliant care ,saved over £1400,last time $13000 time before that

Like Topsy,it just grows and grows the cost of medical care here in Pattaya and so the insurance premiums

What does "VOA to Calcutta" mean, please?

Edited November 9, 2015 by Kaoboi Bebobp

[loppylugs1]

You are going to get thumped well and truly at the three private ones at the sheer expense,couple of cheaper ones outside Pattaya, state hospital in pattaya not so bad

If an emergency get stabilised in state hospital then VOA to Calcutta,two hours away Accident and Emergency Christian hospital and utterly brilliant care ,saved over £1400,last time $13000 time before that

Like Topsy,it just grows and grows the cost of medical care here in Pattaya and so the insurance premiums

What does "VOA to Calcutta" mean, please?

Visa on arrival

I'm off there soon,fantastic savings and care I keep a 12 month medical visa on hand cheap and far cheaper savings on everything while there glasses 'phones etc etc

Edited November 9, 2015 by loppylugs1

[KittenKong]

Thanks for the replies.

KittenKong what is the best way to find out what a hospital is best at?

Ask in the health sub-forum on here? Many people in there know quite a lot about Thai hospitals.

Otherwise the hospitals' own websites usually indicate what their specialities are, and of course a general Google search should provide a lot to look at.

[BruceMangosteen]

Without proof you can pay, you are going to a Government Hospital anyhow. So, the key is to have your ID/Passport and a credit card with sufficient limits to be admitted to one of the private hospitals. You have to hope of course these aren't stolen from your torso as you lie there in the intersection waiting for the pick up truck to transport you.

For an emergency such as chest pain, when you are awake and alert, obviously collect your money and credit cards and take a motorcycle taxi to the nearest private hospital.

[Sheryl]

Moving this to the health forum.

In an emergency, the best choices in my opinion are:

Chonburi Provinical hospital - a government hospital in Chonburi town which is also a Regional hospital i.e. takes referrals from other provinces and has a wider range of specialties as a result.

Queen Sirikit Hospital in Sataheep - a military hospital

Of course in an emergency one has to consider the time factor. If not enough time to reach either of the above, the new Pattaya City hospital would be able to stabilize you and send you on by ambulance to Chonburi.

I do not recommend private hospitals in a serious emergency and especially not the ones in Pattaya area. (1) Soem of them at least will withold treatment until either assured of payment by your insurance company (not only that they will be paid but exactly how much, which takes longer to ascertain) or a large advance deposit is paid by you (in which case if insurance subsequently pays you may have trouble getting refund, I have been fighting now for 2 weeks with one Pattaya hospital on this front), and (2) the skill of any ER staff is directly related to their experience and no place sees as much in the way of acute emergencies as the government hospitals.

In addition, the various inconveniences associated with using government hospitals (red tape, long waits) do not apply in a true emergency. And the main advantage to private hopsitals (ability to choose your doctor) likewise does not apply.

For non-emergency care, it is a different story as it is often an all day affair to get seen as an outpatient in a government hospital, sometimes several days if you need a specialist, while it is possible to get immediate access in a private hospital and you can pre-select your doctor based on qualification (There is not, however, a as impressive an array to choose from in Pattaya as there is in Bangkok.)

This advice assumes you mean any sort of unexpected emergency including accidents etc. If you have a specific risk factor/ type of emergency you are concerned about you would do well to first select a doctor and be seen by them so they have your records etc and then keep the ambulance number of the hospital where s/he is based with you.

[emilymat]

For emergencies most people would probably put them in order of desirability like this:

Bangkok Pattaya

Pattaya International

Pattaya Memorial

Government hospitals

That is also the likely order of cost, though some prices for some services will not follow that order. All the private ones have a tendency to do more tests and prescribe more treatment than is probably strictly necessary, though whether they do this to be on the safe side or to bump up the cost is debatable.

I think the important questions are "is insurance paying/do you have lots of money" and "is your problem immediately life-threatening". The answers to those questions will decide which one you use.

For important non-emergency treatment I would probably check out a hospital in Bangkok that specialises in whatever problem I had. For normal day-to-day things I use PIH and I would probably go there for emergency treatment also as they know my details.

Never buy medicine from pharmacies belonging to private hospitals if you can avoid it as they all tend to overcharge hugely. Obviously if you are dying you may not have that choice, and some drugs are only available from hospital pharmacies.

KK, I'm on a retirement visa and consider myself pretty fit and active.

However, last week I started getting pretty severe chest pains and managed to get myself to PIH. After BP check I was whisked in to see the doctor who listened to my heart and checked the symptoms. During the conversation she asked me about health insurance and I told her I was unable to obtain it at 73 y.o. (I did tell her I had a credit card and Thai bank account and had used the hospital for years).

Anyway, here's the kicker. She was convinced I had a side strain and that she could prescribe pain killers if I wanted them. I declined as I had some already.

I was escorted to the finance hatch and presented with a bill for 100 baht (nursing services). The girl told me the doc had not charged me for the examination as she was convinced it was a false alarm.

Well done PIH and the doctor. I know this may not be normal but it was a real pleasant surprise. My pain went the next day and I'm fine. I'm not convenced this would have happened at BPH - but I might be unfair in that view.

[elgenon]

Thanks for the replies.

KittenKong what is the best way to find out what a hospital is best at?

Ask in the health sub-forum on here? Many people in there know quite a lot about Thai hospitals.

Otherwise the hospitals' own websites usually indicate what their specialities are, and of course a general Google search should provide a lot to look at.

Thanks KittenKong. I wonder how true the info is on websites. I prefer to hear from a third party.

[ThaiBob]

As noted by others private hospitals require showing the ability to pay which often means running your credit card for an estimated amount, but you will never be denied treatment. If you can't pay you will be stabilized and transferred to a government hospital. I always carry a credit card on my person. Being transferred to a government hospital could be a death sentence. Example, a friend suffered a stroke while at the beach here in Pattaya (Jomtien) and was taken by ambulance to Bangkok Pattaya Hospital. MRI and then a life saving drug administered with two days in the hospital. The drug was about 50k and he needed two doses because of his weight. If he had gone to a government hospital, death or severe disability was the most likely outcome. Personally(or with Thai friends), I have used Queen Sirikit and Banglamung government hospitals and I wouldn't want my dog treated there in an emergency. When I go to BPH guess who the greatest demographic might be? Russian, Indian, middle - Eastern, a Westerner?.... no they are Thai, so that should tell you what they think of their own health care system.

On the subject of costs a lot has been written about BPH being expensive. I recently had emergency treatment at BPH and a well-known Bangkok hospital. The treatments were almost identical; diabetic coma, ambulance, emergency room treatment, tests (blood work, EKG) and a night's stay in a private room. I was taken to the closest hospital to my Bangkok hotel, Bangkok Nursing Hospital, and the hospital bill was about double 34,000 baht that of BPH. For the services performed, I consider my BPH bill very reasonable and dirt cheap according to my friends.

If an expat is going to make Pattaya their home, I recommend visiting the private hospital of your choice, establish yourself, get a member's card, and have your credit card on file. Wishing all good health.

[Sheryl]

I am sorry to tell you that I do know people denied life saving treatment at a private hospital in Pattaya. And in my experience government hospitals perform quite well in emergencies though it is best to get directly to a tertiary level hospital if possible as there arelimits to what lower level can do.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

This happened to me twice at Pattaya Inter Hospital. Took up a doctor's time, but there was no treatment. And another was my urology specialist. He gave me some information. No charge in either case. None.

[BruceMangosteen]

KK, I'm on a retirement visa and consider myself pretty fit and active.

However, last week I started getting pretty severe chest pains and managed to get myself to PIH. After BP check I was whisked in to see the doctor who listened to my heart and checked the symptoms. During the conversation she asked me about health insurance and I told her I was unable to obtain it at 73 y.o. (I did tell her I had a credit card and Thai bank account and had used the hospital for years).

Anyway, here's the kicker. She was convinced I had a side strain and that she could prescribe pain killers if I wanted them. I declined as I had some already.

I was escorted to the finance hatch and presented with a bill for 100 baht (nursing services). The girl told me the doc had not charged me for the examination as she was convinced it was a false alarm.

Well done PIH and the doctor. I know this may not be normal but it was a real pleasant surprise. My pain went the next day and I'm fine. I'm not convenced this would have happened at BPH - but I might be unfair in that view.

We are all glad you were fine the next day.

Something seems "wrong" with the story however.....

There should be a charge for a consult in such a situation, and the Doctor talking about your ability to pay during the exam is at the least odd to me.

Not charging is I guess the Doctor's option in all cases, but it also may relieve them of any liability(not that one actually exists in Thailand) and more important, loss of face should the patient not survive the rest of the night and pass the next day. A "false alarm" doesn't it seem to me exempt you/I from paying for the consult.

[BruceMangosteen]

This happened to me twice at Pattaya Inter Hospital. Took up a doctor's time, but there was no treatment. And another was my urology specialist. He gave me some information. No charge in either case. None.

I guess I need to get down to Pattaya International Hospital. It seems the health care is free if nothing is wrong with you and no treatment is prescribed. I've been using Memorial and Bangkok Pattaya, more because of location and reputation than anything else. However, you can't beat free check up's at an International Hospital. It's never been free at the other two. I do recall one follow up visit being at no charge at Memorial, but that was after paying some 15,000.baht the week prior.

[BruceMangosteen]

When I go to BPH guess who the greatest demographic might be? Russian, Indian, middle - Eastern, a Westerner?.... no they are Thai, so that should tell you what they think of their own health care system.

Those are the wealthy Thai's. Have no doubt in you mind, the poor go to Government hospitals(if at all) and most Thai people are poor and can't even dream about being treated at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital. It reads great, but reality lies way way away from that. (yes, I know some of the major employers provide a health coverage for the employees, but it is often tiered by their position at said employer) Health Care at private hospitals is a business, a tourist attraction. The hospitals and all their new wings were built with the anticipation of health tourism, not to treat Thai people in general. Okay, have a nice health day. I don't even want to tell you what chickens and pigs are fed here.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

This happened to me twice at Pattaya Inter Hospital. Took up a doctor's time, but there was no treatment. And another was my urology specialist. He gave me some information. No charge in either case. None.

I guess I need to get down to Pattaya International Hospital. It seems the health care is free if nothing is wrong with you and no treatment is prescribed. I've been using Memorial and Bangkok Pattaya, more because of location and reputation than anything else. However, you can't beat free check up's at an International Hospital. It's never been free at the other two. I do recall one follow up visit being at no charge at Memorial, but that was after paying some 15,000.baht the week prior.

I think the no-charge has something to do with being a resident (and not a tourist to fleece) and being a regular patient at PIH so having contributed mightily to their bottom line. But who knows. I didn't lodge a complaint. Your mileage may vary.

[loppylugs1]

There comes a time when a body should not be in Thailand,its just a machine and things eventually will go wrong and then the expense takes a hold.

looking at moving back to the EU for just this eventuality,watching and waiting to see the elections and results in Spain and Portugal are going to effect anything ,plus the possible Brexit

Always knew Chonburi city were good,all the stroke /brain hemorrhages go there quicker than quick,(as my neighbour is now in BHP clocking up a 3 million bill through a stroke,plus another guy close by) None will have insurance as too old,or past ailments. A stroke that is the one health issue I'm most aware of,The G/F is clued up to my wishes on that one,the rest,the pre-planned stuff is taken in its stride ,false knee/hips whatever & if and when the heart gives trouble all taken account of outside of Thailand. Even the biggest hospital on Penang island is 50% less than most of the private hospitals here

Anyway here's to health

[Baboy]

Was having lunch in a restaurant just off Thappraya Rd on Saturday when one of the guys at the table had a heart attack. In the group was a guy with St John ambulance training from Australia . Ambulance called from BPH from time call placed till arrival was 22 minutes. Seeing that it had taken us nearly 40 minutes to get from Central Festival to the restaurant earlier they did very well. The guys in the ambulance where on the phone to the restaurant getting updates on the patient. Got there stabilised him & got him off to hospital. They asked for his passport but no mention of payment that i heard not to say it didn't happen.

He was admitted & now 4 days later is coming along nicely. He was in very bad shape when they got him into the ambulance. I think in emergencies like this wherever you can get a person to is the important factor. We picked BPH purely for speed of getting him picked up as traffic in town was a nightmare that day. didn't feel that this decision needed to be debated.

I am certainly not pushing BPH the be all & end all of medical care. It is just this time they did what was needed in an emergency. I dislike the place & have more horror stories that good ones with this particular establishment.

[crickets]

Wife had early contractions for baby due in 6 weeks. Stayed overnight. 30k thank you at pattaya bangkok hospital.