San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin - Warning

Post by **liesbeth345** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:13 pm

For one last time yesterday i tried to get a fair treatment at the San Paolo Hospital here in Hua Hin Thailand. We already had some bad experiences with San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin in the past, as well with our daughter Federica as with employees, as with family relatives, as with friends. All people that went to San Paolo Hospital hospital for medical care. It seems that as soon as you go go inside San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin, the staff get's dollar signs (in this case Thai Bath signs) in their eyes as soon as they see the colour of your skin. San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin will try to keep you in the hospital as long as possible so that the bill will be very high. For example, my daughter went in San Paolo Hospital with a high fever because of a stomach infection. Probably something to do with bad food. At first the San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin thought it was an appendix, later they changed idea. Then they wanted to keep her 3 days! And give an antibiotic directly into her blood vessel. Now, if you give an antibiotic by pills, it will start working within 1,5 hour. It took them 4 hours to get started with the antibiotic by blood vessel! Now we did not give permission to do so and told them to release our daughter and give the medicine to take at home. It took us 2 hours to get her released and they were doing very difficult about the insurance and wanted the cah money while our insurance company is very well known by the San Paolo Hospital. But the longer they can keep you, the more money the get! Same as our neighbour. She went to San Paolo Hospital because of her teeth. Knowing about the problems with San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin she told them she wanted to know first how much she had to pay. San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin was very generous and told her the first visit was free, they checked and told her she had to come back the next day to get 2 `holes` fixed. She was not very sure about the conclusions of San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin and did a check up at Dental 2000 her in Hua Hin. They made an x/ray and simply told her she had NO `holes`at all and only needed to remove some tartar which caused an infiammation! Other example, relatives of friends of us got hurt and had a wound on her head. They made them come back every 3 days to change the bandage..something to be easily done at home by yourself...but now every visit THB 700....Same with our daughter...had a accident and a wound on her leg...nothing serious, but they wanted her to come back every day to change the bandage....i refused as you can imagine. San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin stuffs you up with a lot of medications....standard you always get anti biotics for about almost everything....and the paracetamol as well. The biggest difference is that when i go to the International Policlinic, open 7 days a week as well, i pay THB 150 for a visit to the docter....yesterday in San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin, i had to pay THB 800 for doctors fee and additional THB 800 for outbound patient service....and then i had 4 kinds of medicines for my son, who simply has a minor ear-throat infection and only saw the doctor for not even 3 minutes! They final bill ended up for THB 2760 while at the international clinic it would have been about THB 800. Another relative went to San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin and had been diagnosed for his throat and was given anti allergic drugs while he had an infection and needed antibiotics. I do not know what the policy of San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin is..fuck, sorry for the expression, the people or help the people who need medical help. My advice is to avoid San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin and go to the internatiol Polyclinic when you have minor problems and to go to the military Hospital of Pranburi when you have bigger problems. The hospital in Pranburi is a good hospital and they take care good and is only 15 minutes drive from Hua Hin. They also take care of foreign people! I have a lot more negative stories about San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin, but i will not bore you with more stories. I just want to warn all the foreign people that go to San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin to avoid this hospital if possible! San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin cheats on foreigners and you get a bill due to your skin colour. If you want a bad experience go to San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin...if not...Internatiol Policlinic of Military Hospital Pranburi. Usually i use my blog for nice information but this time a had to make some bad publicity because it´s just needed otherwise the cheating wil just go on and on.....so be warned about San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin
Thanks Liesbeth

Post by **niggle** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 1:29 pm

I am lucky enough not have had to go to San Paulo but I know I defiantely woulf not go there at all. I find it hard to understand why so many big insureres still have San Paulo on their books - as well as reported poor care, their costs are so high

Post by **Guess** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 1:58 pm

That's pretty well par for the course. There are only a limited number of things they are useful for.

A couple of points. Administration of antibiotics or indeed any drugs is moire than just a timing issue. Sometimes intravenous in necessary even if it does take four hours to set up. However they should give oral first and then start the intravenous when ready.

When checking out of SP or any hospital you are in no way obliged to buy the medicine from them. I have been prescribed paracetamol and paid 12 Baht per tablet when you can get a 120 pack at any pharmacy for 8 Baht. If it is not an over the counter drug then get the name and see a local doctor who will charge 100 Baht to prescribe and will only charge pharmacy prices for drugs.

A month's supply from a hospital can reach 2,000 baht easily.

Post by **liesbeth345** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 3:02 pm

Thanks for your reply's! In the future i will definitely not take medication at the SP and just go to the local pharmacy...best thing to do...fact is when you are there with your kids for medical need, you don't think about those things untill you get home...but we are wiser now....and we will avoid SP hospital whenever that's possible!

About insurance companies...i warned my company in Holland...they are aware of the problem but just are to stupid to take actions....! I did not pay any cash this time, even if it was THB 2760, just because i thought the amount was nog correct. I told my insurance the same thing but they still paid the amount!

Have a great day! Liesbeth

Post by **BaaBaa.** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 3:42 pm

liesbeth345 wrote:For one last time yesterday i tried to get a fair treatment at the San Paolo Hospital here in Hua Hin Thailand. We already had some bad experiences with San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin in the past, as well with our daughter Federica as with employees, as with family relatives, as with friends. All people that went to San Paolo Hospital hospital for medical care. It seems that as soon as you go go inside San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin, the staff get's dollar signs (in this case Thai Bath signs) in their eyes as soon as they see the colour of your skin. San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin will try to keep you in the hospital as long as possible so that the bill will be very high. For example, my daughter went in San Paolo Hospital with a high fever because of a stomach infection. Probably something to do with bad food. At first the San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin thought it was an appendix, later they changed idea. Then they wanted to keep her 3 days! And give an antibiotic directly into her blood vessel. Now, if you give an antibiotic by pills, it will start working within 1,5 hour. It took them 4 hours to get started with the antibiotic by blood vessel! Now we did not give permission to do so and told them to release our daughter and give the medicine to take at home. It took us 2 hours to get her released and they were doing very difficult about the insurance and wanted the cah money while our insurance company is very well known by the San Paolo Hospital. But the longer they can keep you, the more money the get! Same as our neighbour. She went to San Paolo Hospital because of her teeth. Knowing about the problems with San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin she told them she wanted to know first how much she had to pay. San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin was very generous and told her the first visit was free, they checked and told her she had to come back the next day to get 2 `holes` fixed. She was not very sure about the conclusions of San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin and did a check up at Dental 2000 her in Hua Hin. They made an x/ray and simply told her she had NO `holes`at all and only needed to remove some tartar which caused an infiammation! Other example, relatives of friends of us got hurt and had a wound on her head. They made them come back every 3 days to change the bandage..something to be easily done at home by yourself...but now every visit THB 700....Same with our daughter...had a accident and a wound on her leg...nothing serious, but they wanted her to come back every day to change the bandage....i refused as you can imagine. San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin stuffs you up with a lot of medications....standard you always get anti biotics for about almost everything....and the paracetamol as well. The biggest difference is that when i go to the International Policlinic, open 7 days a week as well, i pay THB 150 for a visit to the docter....yesterday in San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin, i had to pay THB 800 for doctors fee and additional THB 800 for outbound patient service....and then i had 4 kinds of medicines for my son, who simply has a minor ear-throat infection and only saw the doctor for not even 3 minutes! They final bill ended up for THB 2760 while at the international clinic it would have been about THB 800. Another relative went to San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin and had been diagnosed for his throat and was given anti allergic drugs while he had an infection and needed antibiotics. I do not know what the policy of San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin is..****, sorry for the expression, the people or help the people who need medical help. My advice is to avoid San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin and go to the internatiol Polyclinic when you have minor problems and to go to the military Hospital of Pranburi when you have bigger problems. The hospital in Pranburi is a good hospital and they take care good and is only 15 minutes drive from Hua Hin. They also take care of foreign people! I have a lot more negative stories about San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin, but i will not bore you with more stories. I just want to warn all the foreign people that go to San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin to avoid this hospital if possible! San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin cheats on foreigners and you get a bill due to your skin colour. If you want a bad experience go to San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin...if not...Internatiol Policlinic of Military Hospital Pranburi. Usually i use my blog for nice information but this time a had to make some bad publicity because it´s just needed otherwise the cheating wil just go on and on.....so be warned about San Paolo Hospital Hua Hin
Thanks Liesbeth

Paragraphs.

Post by **hhfarang** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 5:22 pm

Went there once with a dangerously high fever for an adult. I only went there because it was the middle of the night and I was scared I would not make it till morning.

They totally misdiagnosed the problem, gave me the wrong medications, and charged me four times as much as Hua Hin International Polyclinic did the next day to give me the correct diagnosis and the correct meds.

I'll never go there again. I would go to Hua Hin government hospital before returning to San Paulo!

Post by **liesbeth345** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 6:23 pm

isn't it funny you never read any positive news about San Paolo Hospital hua Hin???? Only bad experiences...hope you feel better now and let's just keep our fingers crossed and not need any hospital at all!
Thanks for your reply....have a great day, Liesbeth

Post by **Guess** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 6:45 pm

liesbeth345 wrote:isn't it funny you never read any positive news about San Paolo Hospital hua Hin???? Only..........

I've heard the colonic irrigation is very good.

Post by **JAJA** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:00 pm

I did have good experience with them. Admittedly I got them to come to me as an emergency. I can't remember what the cost was, but at the time I wasn't all that interested and simply told my wife to get them out immediately and to not worry about the cost. They did attend promptly (doctor and 2 nurses), the diagnosis was correct, follow up visits were regular, and they got me well enough to travel home a couple of weeks later. But maybe I was lucky and cost was not an issue.

Post by **Big Boy** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 12:32 am

Like the OP, my family and I have only used San Paulo for minor ailments. However, we have never experienced problems, and have always found the prices reasonable. On more than one occassion it has been free treatment.

Post by **sezanu** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 1:56 am

Have always used SP, when necessary and never had any reason to complain. Prices seems fair to me.
It also comes to the story tha if it hasn't been for SP my daughter wouldn't been alive today. They solved her issue where others failed.

Post by **richard** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 2:02 am

Used for minor cuts and bruises and found them helpful and reasonable

However, they misdiagnosed my first bout of DVT but I think that was due to the lack of the proper expertise at the time

Never any problems with costs but like all others they are only too pleased to load your medication with stuff you've already got at home

Post by **Hervelon** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 3:50 am

well in their defence i had to attend the hospital 3 times in june and july 08 with my young son for ear & eye infection...as well as for an older relative... the diagnosis given was correct and the price of the examination and medications were fair... never felt overcharged...
H

Post by **margaretcarnes** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 4:52 am

I've only had one experience of the Pranburi Military Hospital, but have to say the specialist there was thorough, professional, did appropriate tests, and spoke English well enough to discuss the problem and instill confidence.
My only visit to SanPaolo on the other hand was a nightmare, and the problem was completely mis-diagnosed. Granted it was an urgent 'middle of the night' job, so maybe their duty doctors are the problem.
I really don't think though that cost can be the main factor in hospital choice. If the place is good you don't mind paying. By the same token if they are expensive they are not necessarily good.
What does worry me are these reports of delays setting up IV drug administration. If drugs are needed IV then a 4 hour delay is, IMO, unacceptable (unless the patients condition or other medication is reason for the delay.) My other concern is whether the doctors at SP routinely check on other medication, including herbal, before deciding on what to prescribe.

Post by **Chas** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 6:28 am

My one big experience at SP was OK. Emergency gall bladder removal which is pretty serious. They were fine throughout and attentive and did everything by the book.

They were probably expensive, but compared to the US it was OK.

Their surgeon is really quite good. Dr. Boripan. If he is still there, and you end up at San Paulo somehow or the other. . .ask for him. He is excellent and speaks very good English.

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