Hua Hin Hospital sued for overcharging foreigners

[Takiap]

Strange, as the clinic charges 200 baht express charge plus the Dr's fee. Both charges rolled into one.

Maybe I should just go to the express clinic to get my 3 monthly prescription. At least I wouldn't have to wait 2 hours plus waiting time for medicine as well. Anyone do this?

If you only need meds and you want to avoid seriously long waiting times, I would recommend going to the hospital on a Saturday, or preferably a Sunday just before lunch hour which is from 12h00 to 13h00. This way, you will be handed a piece of paper which you then present to the nurses station and they will put you on the list to see the doctor. At 12h00 the nurses and the doctor vanishes, so go and have some lunch or a beer, and when you return at 13h00 you really won't have wait very before the doctor sees you.
Alternatively, you could also try speaking to one of the nurses at the row of desks and see if it is possible to bypass the doctor if you only need to get your meds.

[robcar]

I use the Express facility. As a diabetic I have an appointment for blood & urine test every 3 months. The appointment is timed for 8am. I head straight for the clinic that takes the samples (with my appointment paperwork) and then up to the 5th floor to wait for the doctor, she doesn't get there until just after 9 a.m. On a normal day my test results are on the doctors desk when she arrives and I am issued with a 3 month prescription for meds required. Pay for express service on the way out from floor 5. Go to floor 2 to get script filled and pay and on my way home by 09.30am. Everything done for just under 2K including cost of Medication.Happy Bunny here.

[HHTel]

My last visit a few weeks ago, apart from the x-ray dept to which you are accompanied, all other tests (samples taken, ECG etc) are all done in the clinic. Medication required was also issued in the clinic when you pay the bill.
It may be different depending upon meds needed as in robcar's case.

[Big Boy]

I use the Express facility. As a diabetic I have an appointment for blood & urine test every 3 months. The appointment is timed for 8am. I head straight for the clinic that takes the samples (with my appointment paperwork) and then up to the 5th floor to wait for the doctor, she doesn't get there until just after 9 a.m. On a normal day my test results are on the doctors desk when she arrives and I am issued with a 3 month prescription for meds required. Pay for express service on the way out from floor 5. Go to floor 2 to get script filled and pay and on my way home by 09.30am. Everything done for just under 2K including cost of Medication.Happy Bunny here.

Almost identical to me. The difference being I go straight to floor 5 and the blood tester etc come to me. I simply sit back in the a/c comfy chairs, and they are with me in minutes. First class service.

[HHTel]

[Nereus]

I simply sit back in the a/c comfy chairs, and they are with me in minutes.

Hmm, maybe they are worried about you breaking their chairs and need to move you out quickly?

[Big Boy]

Highly likely. Actually, there is one suite of chairs I wouldn't risk sitting on, but the rest are high quality, and very sturdy.

[hhinner]

Foreigners pay a 250 baht "service" charge without using the express clinic. This is receipted separately to medical charges and is on a receipt from the office of the public health ministry permanent secretary welfare fund - hua hin hospital.

I'm sorry to sat this mate, but you are mistaken. Assuming you don't use any express service, the fee for seeing a general practitioner at HH Hospital is 110 baht, not 250 baht.

I saw a doctor last weekend and it cost me 110 baht. This doctor booked an appointment for me with the ENT specialist who I saw on the Tuesday. That consultation was actually free and surgery was scheduled for last Friday.

Also, this morning I accompanied a friend of mine to HH Hospital, and once again, the charge for seeing the doctor was 110 baht. He now has an appointment to see the urologist on Tuesday.

I honestly don't know where you get the 250 baht service fee from because it is in fact only 110 baht.

I'm not mistaken, I have the receipts. Every 3 months I attend the OPD clinic on 2nd floor, room 8. Cashier 1st (ground) floor gives 2 receipts, 1 for "nursing" and medicine and another one for "service". The "service" fee is not the consultation fee. The consultation fee is the "nursing" fee on the actual hospital receipt. If you reread my post you would understand that the service charge goes into a welfare fund

In fact the nursing fee seems to vary between 50 and 100 baht, possibly depending on whether I see a junior (student?) or senior doctor, but that's just my speculation.

It is possible that different clinics within the hospital have different charges.

[PeteC]

......Go to floor 2 to get script filled and pay and on my way home by 09.30am. Everything done for just under 2K including cost of Medication.Happy Bunny here.

If you asked, or insisted, would they give you a prescription that you could fill at an outside pharmacy, or do they force you to buy their meds?

[robcar]

Never even thought to ask although I believe the Hospital prices are cheaper with them being Government assisted.
On my visit before the last one they had no stock of one of my items, I went to one of the big pharmacies in MV and got what I needed at 60Baht more than I would have paid at the hospital

[crazy88]

All my meds are free. Restrict on how many without paying is all at a time. Doc explained they have a budget. Still give you 10 things you don't need though.My treatments are included through work etc. If they were not I doubt I would be banging on about a fiver Vs 3 quid. M y Thai boss has to pay.

Crazy88

[Takiap]

Foreigners pay a 250 baht "service" charge without using the express clinic. This is receipted separately to medical charges and is on a receipt from the office of the public health ministry permanent secretary welfare fund - hua hin hospital.

I'm sorry to sat this mate, but you are mistaken. Assuming you don't use any express service, the fee for seeing a general practitioner at HH Hospital is 110 baht, not 250 baht.

I saw a doctor last weekend and it cost me 110 baht. This doctor booked an appointment for me with the ENT specialist who I saw on the Tuesday. That consultation was actually free and surgery was scheduled for last Friday.

Also, this morning I accompanied a friend of mine to HH Hospital, and once again, the charge for seeing the doctor was 110 baht. He now has an appointment to see the urologist on Tuesday.

I honestly don't know where you get the 250 baht service fee from because it is in fact only 110 baht.

I'm not mistaken, I have the receipts. Every 3 months I attend the OPD clinic on 2nd floor, room 8. Cashier 1st (ground) floor gives 2 receipts, 1 for "nursing" and medicine and another one for "service". The "service" fee is not the consultation fee. The consultation fee is the "nursing" fee on the actual hospital receipt. If you reread my post you would understand that the service charge goes into a welfare fund

In fact the nursing fee seems to vary between 50 and 100 baht, possibly depending on whether I see a junior (student?) or senior doctor, but that's just my speculation.

It is possible that different clinics within the hospital have different charges.

It seems we have been on different pages mate. The fee I was talking about is the fee you pay if you are only there to see the on-duty general practitioner, for which you pay 110 baht assuming you aren't given any meds.

When I visited last weekend, the on-duty doctor saw me and then made an appointment to see the ENT specialist on the Tuesday morning. This weekend visit cost 110 baht, and strangely enough, I was not charged for the initial consultation with the ENT specialist, nor for the blood tests which she ordered. I can only assume that this was because she scheduled me for surgery and I would be paying for that.

A bit off topic here, but I have read a post on a different forum from a guy who had an almost identical procedure to the two which I had. He paid just over 11K at a certain hospital which also has a branch in Hua Hin, and he thought it was a very reasonable price. This did not include the cost of a pathology test.
At HH Hospital, I had a double procedure done by a beautiful young woman in a brand spanking new operating theater, and the entire procedure, including pathology tests and meds cost me 3, 990 baht. All I can say is that I am immensely grateful given that I barely manage to scrape by each month.

[hhinner]

I agree. HH Hospital is an incredible facility to have in the town.

[caller]

You guy's are certainly convincing me to move from Bkk hospital. I am generally happy with the service I get there, but the cost, especially with the pound so low, is becoming a serious factor, but I have to stay until a current procedure I need is completed. My biggest gripe is finding a capable GP (for want of a better word), who I have real confidence in. I used to live in Korat and was very happy with my GP at the Bkk hospital there

[Big Boy]

caller, have you tried the GPs at Hua Hin Hospital? They are very efficient, and have instant access to all manner of diagnostic equipment, and almost instant receipt of results. I have tried all hospitals in the area, and have been ripped off by some.

A recent cost example is my leg wound back in 2013. It cost me £6K to get put right, and even then, I finally sorted it myself with something I saw on BBCs Casualty or Holby City. The hospital had been treating my wound for a year (including 2 operations and 3 inpatient stays). After I'd seen the cure on TV, I had it sorted in 3 days myself - the doctor was furious as his cash cow left the building.

I had an almost identical problem earlier this year. Recognising the seriousness, I went to the GP's clinic at Hua Hin Hospital. A small procedure was carried out immediately in A&E, and I was given antibiotics - total cost came in at under £30. Fully sorted.

I'd certainly give the Hua Hin Hospital GPs a go. They speak great English, and I have nothing but praise for them.