documentation on surgery ?

[THAIPHUKET]

 

What kind of documentation, reports on procedures/surgeries are legally required or can be rightfully claimed for a private hospital? 

[Sheryl]

I am not sure I understand the question especially the "claimed for" part. Do you mean to ask what documentation can a patient rightfully obtain from a hospital?

 

If so, the answer is: the entire medical record, including ,if desired, original Xray/scan films etc, and also any tissue samples taken from the patient (if still preserved).   A patient has an absolute right to this, whether a public or private hospital, though hospitals may charge an administrative fee and will usually require that the patient appear in person with identification to get it.

 

As to what documentation is legally required, there is not AFAIK any law that specifies this. Hospitals have their own internal procedures, and good medical practice would require certain basics such as an admission note detailing the symptoms, history and physical findings, progress notes while in hospital, and a discharge note/summary, plus if surgery was performed there would be an operative note or report. But  there is no specific law that requires all this, it is just normal good medical practice.

 

All that said, I have found that doctor's notes in Thailand tend to be sketchy in the extreme. Which not infrequently creates problems with international insurance companies. And if hand-written, as with doctors everywhere, there are often illegible.

 

If you are asking this because of suspected malpractice I strongly suggest obtaining copies of all records and getting the originals of films etc prior to filing any sort of complaint with the hospital. Alteration of records or "loss" of parts of them are not unheard of.

 

 

[THAIPHUKET]

You answered my question !  Simply curious, unspecific.

Tks, scratchiness is my experience too, no bother as long as goes well. 

[lopburi3]

As said the information contained may not be very detailed - a lot of forms with little information entered is my experience, although surgery was more detailed, as did request records for myself and wife about six months ago and had copies of the many hundreds of pages within 24 hours free of charge from a major private hospital in Bangkok.  You do have to present ID to make request.  New hospitals/doctors can make use of them.  

[petedk]

I have just asked for copies of medical records, x-rays, ct scans and ultra sound images of my heart.

Received everything on CD and paper copies of reports within an hour.

 

This was at a private hospital in Bangkok

[THAIPHUKET]

and detailed assessment?  That´s what really matters

[Sheryl]

As I mentioned, Thai doctors tend to make pretty skimpy noted. Even where a detailed assessment was done (not always the case), the notes may not reflect it. It would not be unusual for the doctor to write down only his conclusion in one or two words, and not include the observations and findings which led him to it.

 

But whatever is in the medical record, you can get.