Hua Hin hospital special medical clinic

[Big Boy]

Yes, I'm always happy when those girls turn up on the ward. Very hard working.

[PeteC]

You need to count your blessings that at least HHH is spending money and trying to improve the facilities. I've seen places in the east and central Thailand over the years where farm animals would be more at home in the wards than humans.

Mogadishu would be an improvement.

But what the hell. Submarines, Land bridges, High speed trains, F1, and beating down pay increases are the focus these days.

[Big Boy]

Yes, it's been a huge game of musical chairs, making temporary accommodation whilst facilities are modernised, and as you can probably imagine, it was chaos in the beginning, with poor facilities being replaced by very temporary facilities. However, there have been very noticeable improvements in the last 12 months with most waiting areas now air conditioned together with better seating.

IMHO areas remaining for upgrade are Ladies Ward, Men's Ward, Eye Clinic and Heart Clinic. There may be others, but I haven't noticed yet. As for private facilities, my son was recently in the VIP Area following his leg operation. That accommodation and nursing care knocked spots off anything the likes of BH has to offer at a fraction of the cost. It was really special.

Of course, it is a public hospital with massive turnover of patients, but at least any waiting is comfortable these days.

[PeteC]

.......Of course, it is a public hospital with massive turnover of patients, but at least any waiting is comfortable these days.

Thailand doesn't have a printed "Yellow Pages" directory any longer as far as I know, but if they did the section for Medical GP's probably would only take up 1 page in many Changwats.

Everything, everywhere is hospital based, and that's intentional by the power/money boys. Draw the masses in and we'll make money.

People shouldn't be flocking to hospitals for most of the ailments they have. It hinders the facilities treating those who really need a hospital.

Doctors are sucked in as well as they can't survive without support, and a hospital(s) as an outlet for their services.

The smart/wealthy physicians have a separate business, and frequent the local hospital(s) as a supplemental practice.

It's the same screwed up thinking/policies we see in so many other things here.

[Big Boy]

I'm not so sure you are right with that Pete. Many of the established medics here in Hua Hin (all hospitals) have their own after hours clinics in rented shop houses. They usually charge a lot less than the hospitals, and are a way of seeing the doc, in half decent conditions without having the massive queues at the hospitals/paying silly money. Certainly with my son, who went to HHH first, only to be told come back in 6 months if it still hurts. The clinic doc pushed him right up the queue, and he was operated on 2 months later (still using Social Security to pay for most of it). Right or wrong, but you have to understand how the relationships between the clinics and hospitals work.

[Dannie Boy]

But the big difference is that for Thais the hospital is free (30B) whereas the clinics will charge hundreds if not thousands, hence why the hospitals get bogged down with so many patients who could/should be treated elsewhere.


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[Big Boy]

It cost my son 400฿ to see the specialist at his clinic. Subsequent MRI was covered by Social Security.

Operation would have normally cost 200,000฿ at HHH. I'm not sure the 30฿ scheme would have covered that - he actually paid <15,000฿ with Social Security.

Whatever it would cost via the hospital, the only extra is the initial consultation with the doc at his clinic.

[Dannie Boy]

Well there’s a lot of Thais who don’t want/cant afford to pay even B400


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[PeteC]

But the big difference is that for Thais the hospital is free (30B) whereas the clinics will charge hundreds if not thousands, hence why the hospitals get bogged down with so many patients who could/should be treated elsewhere.


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It's 30 Baht for the patient, but how much more does a hospital collect from the Government? I would think a substantial sum either directly or through tax credits, grants, interest free loans or whatever.

The 30 Baht program could easily be offered to independent GP's/Clinics with the same government reimbursement that the hospitals enjoy.

I think it's the normal historical population control thinking, the same as primary/secondary education teaching methods and curriculum here. Let's keep all the cattle in the corral thank you very much.

I don't know why I do this. Half a century of bashing my head against a wall should be enough?

[PeteC]

I understand your points BB.

[Big Boy]

Well there’s a lot of Thais who don’t want/cant afford to pay even B400


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Of course, but this thread is about the SMC, where as Farangs we pay 400฿ anyway, and Thais (even those on the 30฿ scheme) pay 300฿.

I don't really want to drag this on, but even those on the 30฿ are not restricted to paying 30฿. It all depends on what treatment they have/medication. Mrs BB doesn't normally pay even the 30฿ for regular treatments, but out of hours etc. does have to be paid for. Her quarterly check-up bill at HHH is normally just under 5,000฿. Many times when in hospital I've been told she needs such and such a treatment, will I pay? Of course I'll pay, and she gets the treatment.

Please don't anybody think that the 30฿ scheme covers everything that might happen in a public hospital.

I'd prefer to close this conversation now.

[Robinhood]

My superficial understanding is that Thai's and Farangs with Work Permits can opt to pay into the 400B scheme.

I know Thais who pay 400B into the scheme every month at 7-11

They get their medicine free, subsidised dentistry (they pay the first 900B) and, things like scans at very low prices.

One observation - based on my visits to clinics and HHH, is that the Doctors over- prescribe all sorts of medicines. E.G. A consultation with an ear Doctor at a Clinic was free, but I ended up buying six different medicines. I paid, on the basis that it was probably to cover the Doctors cost, but after googling, only took one of the meds.

[Big Boy]

Yes, that is Social Security.

[GroveHillWanderer]

As for private facilities, my son was recently in the VIP Area following his leg operation. That accommodation and nursing care knocked spots off anything the likes of BH has to offer at a fraction of the cost. It was really special.

Of course, it is a public hospital with massive turnover of patients, but at least any waiting is comfortable these days.

BB, what is the VIP area and how do you get access to it?

[Big Boy]

The VIP area is the top floor of the building with Rama IX painted on the side.

It was strongly rumoured when being built, that floor was being built in case there was a special patient admitted (my son wasn't the intended patient ). Having been up there, I can believe it.

My son didn't request it, but simply requested a private room for his op 2 weeks before his op, and that was the room allocated. Cost was 2,000฿ a night, but partially paid by Social Security. The suite had a good turnover of patients while my son was there.

Now, this is a rumour told to me by my eldest Granddaughter who works at the hospital. It is planned to close the VIP Suite down, but I can't substantiate the rumour. If they do, it will be a real shame.