Could Thailand become the world's hub for medical tourism?

[Lupatria]

The HUB of Broken Hubs.

The HUB of broken bones comes closer to reality!

Could Thailand become the world's hub for medical tourism?

Could Norway become the world’s favorite country for tax payers?

I would place my bet on the second.

[skildpadden]

Blah, blah, sure some of the hospitals in Bangkok can and will attract more medical tourists, but this is NOT thanks to any help from the government. Just look at TAT's medical tourism "campaign" which is absolutely worthless.

This is again an example of a "government" official who has no idea what he is talking about and just pigybacking private enterprise success.

Please give us examples of how you will improve the quality of the 172 private hospitals. Do you really think the local HA accreditation is better than the JCI accreditation?

It all starts with education: better English abilities among the nurses (well, better nurse training in general) and limitations on who can be a doctor (not just because you know someone and pay your way through university).

Will you as well allow foreign doctors and nurses to take the Thai medical license in English?

[atyclb]

thailand is already a hub for medical tourism. they just dont get as many patients as does india.

imo the quality of care in india at med tourism designated hospitals can be excellent and significantly cheaper than thailand

india has the english language advantage also.

some thai private hospitals are getting very pricey and overcharging non thais goes against the grain of integrity in medicine.

short of sex change surgery, people seeking medical care would choose thailand over india if #interested in thai vacatio # like thai food # need assortment of sex workers

if you like indian food indias the place

[hansnl]

Hopefully this will not happen.

Would be very bad for 90% of the Thai people.

[Robbie Dye]

Money can never guarantee correct diagnosis and Thailand proves that. I would feel more comfortable with some Aussie or S African or European Doctors for the amount of money they demand. Loads of them moonlight to their own clinics in the evening too!!

[ChrisY1]

If the relevant medical staff are suitably qualified to international medical standards.......then go ahead...........

[chiang mai]

Who reads this rubbish, who writes it!

[MilesofSmiles]

Short answer, no.

Are these people smoking crack 24/7 to even suggest it ?

[sawadee1947]

another hub????? Honestly, for medical treatments there are other countries more predestinated......e;g Korea, Turkey, aso

[Roota]

No need to get any panties into a twist over the crap translation and headline. Sansoen never said 'the world's hub'. He said a competitive destination.

Anybody actually interested in this subject and not just as a springboard for Thai-bashing might want to check out the Medical Tourism Index. It's been compiled since 2014 by an independent non-profit industry group.

Bottom line: it's a hugely competitive business and it helps to specialise. Thailand is already a top destination for cosmetic surgery, rightfully so. But anyone who thinks that at the current rate it can do the same for, say, heart disease or cancer is probably dreaming.

[Ruud4u]

If you have got the BEST treatment in the world. I have to say,......it was not in Thailand and i think we have to wait more than 20 years before they reach an acceptable level, the knowledge and the best analyse machines.

Beside the treatment prices in Thailand are much higher than Europe.

[retarius]

The doctors here scare me stiff. Diagnostic skills are zero, as you would have to listen to what the patient said in order to make a diagnosis. Have they even heard of taking a medical history or asking the patient what their symptoms are? And before you have even opened your mouth you doctor has supernaturally divined your diagnosis albeit incorrectly and is handing you the incorrect medication.

[BuckBee]

I've never been impressed with hospitals in thailand & been to a few for myself and friends.

Had some very poor diagnosis & unneeded treatment even when don't hold back on costs & tests. in one scenario my sister who is a doctor gave correct diagnosis over skype chat while a bill of 30,000Bt led to a need of operation which was not needed & not based on correct diagnosis. Moved onto Chulla as was thai involved & doctors diagnosed it same as my sister had suggested within 30 minutes & gave good treatment options.

Visiting hospitals here is a big gamble, many lack the patient numbers which means real world knowledge & diagnosis ability is poor plus the thai 'face' issue means they likely risk your health over themselves looking a fool . There are some damn good doctors here but you unlikely get one on your first try & it as good as throwing money in a bin when you get a halfwit doctor .

[Thian]

My friend is a nurse in a private Thai hospital where many westerners come. She can't speak english though....must be great to get nurses who only speak thai or crappy english. But don't let this ruin the party, Thailand will be come a hub!

[WhizBang]

Not as long as neither the hospital or the doctor(s) can be held accountable for their screwups.

Not as long as the medical council does not want to hold doctors and hospitals accountable.

[Asiantravel]

No

India will be.

Thailand will miss the boat on cost.

agreed.

In fact I was once shown the full list of members of the Sri Lanka Medical Association and almost every member was also registered in North America or UK. I'm sure I would be able to communicate much better with a doctor who has this International experience .

[geriatrickid]

No

India will be.

Thailand will miss the boat on cost.

India has failed at its attempt to become a medical hub. (You can also insert Thailand.)

Here's why:

- Lack of transparency and redress when issues of incompetence and negligence arise

- Failure to track and report errors, complications and mishaps

- The number of botched procedures and patients returning with drug resistant infections (aka super bugs) has caused concern for the western medical system(s).

- The cost savings are exaggerated once the costs of death, complications and after care are considered.

- Alternative medical facilities are a viable option for cosmetic procedures and for patients who have been denied a procedure in the developed world due to risk. However, once all the costs are factored in, the savings are not there.

India will attract patients from the developing world who lack medical facilities. However, the reality is that outside of some oil rich countries, the developing world cannot afford the medical care. And if they do, they prefer the facilities of the USA, EU, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and Canada.

The affordable health care act in the USA was a game changer for medical tourism. Many US patients can now afford to obtain treatment in the USA. Canada has a booming medical care business for developing countries. It would probably shock people to know that the Gulf states will send difficult cases to Canada before Thailand or India. There is a hierarchy for medical tourists;

i) Have money and a complicated health issue? EU, and USA are first destinations.

ii) Serious health issue with government health care? Canada, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong

iii) General health care and patients of low importance & wealth: India, Thailand

If one has a serious medical issue one goes where the medical care providers are up to date on the research. Thailand and India do not and have not made any significant contributions to the advancement of medical science or surgical procedures.

[henry15]

They are already worldleader in Medical tourisme

[harleyclarkey]

I hope not because if anything should go wrong then you, excuse the pun, wouldn't have a leg to stand on.

Try Hungary, Poland or such in the EC.

My dentist in Phuket Town is now more expensive than my new dentist in Hungary....and on a par with Ireland. Crazy.

[Baerboxer]

No for the following reasons,

1. They often overcharge foreigners by up to 15x the local prices.

2. The doctors aren't that good, make many mistakes, and you have to pay them again for the corrections.

3. The labs and test results are sloppy and often completely wrong.

3. India doesn't seem to have these problems.

How many times you been to a hospital in India?

Expensive (and they can be very) private ones or government ones?

Like most countries, the more you pay the better the service/facilities.

[Thongkorn]

I thought the World health Service in the UK was already the leading, Health hub ,

[Baerboxer]

The doctors here scare me stiff. Diagnostic skills are zero, as you would have to listen to what the patient said in order to make a diagnosis. Have they even heard of taking a medical history or asking the patient what their symptoms are? And before you have even opened your mouth you doctor has supernaturally divined your diagnosis albeit incorrectly and is handing you the incorrect medication.

Really. And that generalization can be applied across the board can it?

Case study 1. My disabled son gets excellent treatment from the Children's hospital near Victory Monument. The doctors are very professional, speak English in the main (although he's fluent in Thai too) and he has always received good treatment. The hospital where he goes for wheel chair, exercise frames and weights, and custom made special shoes is also excellent. Thai doctor who also previously worked in US, great technicians and very quality aware. Both better than the UK NHS equivalents.

Case study 2. I saw orthopedic doctors who diagnosed my knee and lower back issues from x-rays, which they carefully explained. Knee was treated and sorted. Lower back not a problem at the moment but is degenerative so I need to change some exercises which they advised. Saw a skin specialist at the same time who sorted another issue out for me. This is a very good private hospital with international standards and considerably more competitive than Bumrumgrad.

Bumrumgrad also provide quality assurance and procedural advice to hospitals in the Gulf.

Not sure where you've been going.

Edited February 15, 2016 by Baerboxer

[Johpa]

Thailand is a good option for medicare for some specific health issues but it will never be a hub of any sort. And with the ever increasing pricing in the top hospitals I think medical tourism is taking a back seat to the providing of medical services to the large ex-pat community.

[sunnyjim5]

Most "medical hubs" concentrate on providing competitively priced cosmetic and orthopaedic surgery.

Thailand could provide and meet this demand.

[3NUMBAS]

My Chinese dentist says there are unqualified tuktuk drivers operating as dentists in bangers

[3NUMBAS]

My Chinese dentist says there are unqualified tuktuk drivers operating as dentists in bangers

[gemguy]

Thailand is already somewhat of a medical hub and medical tourism destination.

Unfortunately that aspect of the medical system here in Thailand is all part of what is rapidly driving up the prices of everything related to medical treatment.

Furthermore the government does not have the ability or desire or the incentive to curb the rising costs of medical services as the industry is very, very lucrative and profitable...at the expense of the public ..in the end.

Of course it is considered cheap if you are from the USA or numerous other countries but for the Thais and people on limited income...not cheap at all and considered a somewhat rigged system of sorts where everyone has no choice but to pay and pay and pay ..and pay they do, making the medical services industry and the hospital industry a very profitable business.

Meantime, everyone agrees that the cost of medical services and everything entailed is one particular aspect of societies that should be controlled and not operate by way of how much profit a corporation or organization or investors or doctors and medical professionals can make.

Cheers

Edited February 16, 2016 by gemguy

[ramrod711]

My wife received a phone call after midnight a few years ago, her uncle was in hospital on life support. We dressed quickly and went to see him for the last time. While my wife was in with her family I sat in the filthy waiting room, a dead cockroach belly up, on the floor. I remember thinking that I would much rather die at home.

[Mike45]

The doctors here scare me stiff. Diagnostic skills are zero, as you would have to listen to what the patient said in order to make a diagnosis. Have they even heard of taking a medical history or asking the patient what their symptoms are? And before you have even opened your mouth you doctor has supernaturally divined your diagnosis albeit incorrectly and is handing you the incorrect medication.

Really. And that generalization can be applied across the board can it?

Case study 1. My disabled son gets excellent treatment from the Children's hospital near Victory Monument. The doctors are very professional, speak English in the main (although he's fluent in Thai too) and he has always received good treatment. The hospital where he goes for wheel chair, exercise frames and weights, and custom made special shoes is also excellent. Thai doctor who also previously worked in US, great technicians and very quality aware. Both better than the UK NHS equivalents.

Case study 2. I saw orthopedic doctors who diagnosed my knee and lower back issues from x-rays, which they carefully explained. Knee was treated and sorted. Lower back not a problem at the moment but is degenerative so I need to change some exercises which they advised. Saw a skin specialist at the same time who sorted another issue out for me. This is a very good private hospital with international standards and considerably more competitive than Bumrumgrad.

Bumrumgrad also provide quality assurance and procedural advice to hospitals in the Gulf.

Not sure where you've been going.

Case Study 2. Which hospital was that?

[i claudius]

India is far superior and far cheaper , no more to say .