The new Bangkok Hospital in Hua Hin

[Dr Mike]

People in Cha-am were unsure of the location.

[richard]

So instead of plastering the building with gigantic signs why not road side signs? Much cheaper and easier if you are on the road

Oh sorry, I forgot, English logic does not apply in Thailand

Some people have been to the BKH and were impressed. My own personal experience is that whilst the admin and nursing staff are very good, the doctors don't fit the bill and really don't give a sh1t.

I speak with experience and comparing them to doctors I know in HH, BK and KK province they fall short of basic requirements and seem disinterested and are certainly overpriced. I did not even get an examination the last time I went. Just an interview and medication for ailments that had already gone

Personally, and I'm sure many will share my view, I want a personal doctor. Someone who knows my record (not computer records), knows my personal situation etc. As soon as I bump into the 'panel' doctor situation I switch off and walk out

Sorry, your PR exercise does not wash with me

Oh, by the way, are you a practicing doctor or just a PR/Marketing contractor?

[T.I.G.R.]

Hey Richard -

Just today I spent a good twenty minutes discussing test results and a variety of medicines and treatments with "my" doctor, who has been treating me for over three months at Bangkok Hospital.

Flame me all you want, but your reaction is a tad harsh. I've never been treated with more care anywhere; either by the nursing staff or Doctors. So, personally, I think a lot of people will take a view quite different from yours.....and of course we all have choices, so you might be happier going to San Paulo or spending the entire day at Hua Hin Hospital.

As far as the sign goes, with all the distractions, buildings and signs that populate Hua Hin I'm more than happy to see that giant entry sign.......Heck, I can't even manage to find the entrance to Market Village half the time.

Dr. Mike, I'll go Richard one better.....get two or three of those big neon arrows you seen at the PTT gas stations and install them near the driveway. I love those things!

[Dr Mike]

Richard, the type of care/relationship you talk of is typical of Britain and Commonwelth countries (To some extent also in HK, S'pore and KL)
The family GP who knows you well has all the records from your visits to specialists and coordinates your care--- A great system and interestingly a less expensive system than one that is entirely hospital based.

The NHS is widely critisised but has some very good elements, another one is the District nurse program.
But back to reality we are in Thailand and the emphasis here as it is in almost every Asian country is on hospital based specialists.

[richard]

I hear what you are saying but personally and I'm sure many will agree, I like and have always had a personal GP.

I have personal doctors (who know and share with each other my records) in Polyclinic in HH, Petcharat hospital, Bumrungrad hospital in BK, Ram hospital in Khon Kaen

So you are saying BKH is a specialist place and regular GP type treatment is panel driven?

You did not answer my question as to whether you are in practice or just a PR consultant so I assume you are the latter

My original request was for a second opinion on my health and as you eventually recommended I should just walk in and get a leaflet Would be nice to know a rough idea of cost though

[sateeb]

For those that do not know....Khon Kaen Ram is the biggest rip off hospital in KKC....not many of the long term ex pats use the place...the doctors and staff are only interested in how much extra they can put on the bill.

Having read through a lot of previous posts I can only come to one conclusion..that Richard will go out of his way to bad mouth a place with usually no basis in fact.....I'm so lucky I didn't meet you in KKC and have the further bonus of seeing your picture on this forum so we don't have to meet in HH as well

[Arcadian]

Richard,if your medical team were so wonderful why did you even bother to go to the new hospital?

[sateeb]

[quote="richard"]I hear what you are saying but personally and I'm sure many will agree, I like and have always had a personal GP.

I have personal doctors (who know and share with each other my records) in Polyclinic in HH, Petcharat hospital, Bumrungrad hospital in BK, Ram hospital in Khon Kaen

So you are saying BKH is a specialist place and regular GP type treatment is panel driven?

You did not answer my question as to whether you are in practice or just a PR consultant so I assume you are the latter


Dr Mike answered your questions about wether he was a practising Doctor etc on page 9 of this thread,did you forget already???????

[richard]

For those that do not know....Khon Kaen Ram is the biggest rip off hospital in KKC....not many of the long term ex pats use the place...the doctors and staff are only interested in how much extra they can put on the bill.

Having read through a lot of previous posts I can only come to one conclusion..that Richard will go out of his way to bad mouth a place with usually no basis in fact.....I'm so lucky I didn't meet you in KKC and have the further bonus of seeing your picture on this forum so we don't have to meet in HH as well

Oh, sorry, forgot you are a KK based loud mouth, know it all farang expat

HH Polyclinic--- doc examination, blood test, medication for a month ----around 1000 Bht
KK RAM---same---250 Bht

KK RAM--- 2 fractured ribs----doc examination, x-ray, medication for 2 months, painkiller injection, next day doc examination----400 Bht A real rip off Eh?

Arcadian-- second opinions are always useful are they not?

[Super Joe]

You did not answer my question as to whether you are in practice or just a PR consultant so I assume you are the latter

Yes he did... last year

Im not sure that my background is that important, but since it has been raised. Medical School in UK --Liverpool. Trained in Obstetrics and Gynecology, McGill University in Montreal Canada. delivered over 8000 babies in my career. International Medical Coordinator at Bangkok hospital. I am NOT licensed, advise on medical care but do not practice.

Thank you Mike, So you are advisory rather than Admin or practising

My original request was for a second opinion on my health and as you eventually recommended I should just walk in and get a leaflet Would be nice to know a rough idea of cost though

'Eventually'!?...snide snide snide Richard. Dr.Mike replied to you within days to say "I was out of Thailand last week, at a conference."

You're 'banging your head' as you need a rough cost... and time is of the essence now hey as you was only informed 'eventuallly'... this was LAST YEAR Richard when you was bleating on about the Dr. giving you some quotes blind on a public forum... at the same time you were making wild claims of incorrect charging. The Dr. told you to pop in and ask the staff, and last year you posted yourself about finding out the prices...

I'll have to research my questions myself. After all it is only a trot across the road and a quick question at reception.

You're unbelievably petty and vindictive Richard, you went from praising the hospital to making allegations of irregular pricing in your very next post because in between your two posts the Dr. suggested you enquire about the prices yourself. That was in 2010, and you're still talking about the same issues now, despite being given the answers. Take your bitter grievances onto a less important thread, how often does a forum/community get to have the local hospital's doctor/medical co-ordinator dedicate his time to answering our questions. And you seem intent on disrupting it because you couldn't get your way.

SJ

[Big Boy]

Guys, can we keep this thread on the subject of Hospitals, and restrict your personal differences to a more appropriate medium such as PMs?

[Edit] SJ's post sneaked in before mine.

[richard]

BB

but without plumy who else to hit? Sucker Joe has to get his oar in at some point in time

I'm now off this thread as it's becoming a pain up the jacksie

[dtaai-maai]

it's becoming a pain up the jacksie

Untreatable apparently.

[barrys]

I've just finished my course of treatment for 3 fractured toes.

This has involved 5 scheduled appointments and one unscheduled visit to Bangkok HH Hospital over the last 5 weeks.

Unlike others, I'm delighted with their large overhead signs as it makes it very easy to locate the hospital from either direction when driving by car.

On all visits except the unscheduled one, I was seen and treated by the same doctor without any unnecessary waiting around.
Even on my unscheduled visit the waiting time was negligible.
One time when I did have to wait a bit longer (they were extremely busy that day), a staff member came to me in the waiting area, apologised and explained the situation, telling me how many people were in front of me.
I said I would go and have a cup of coffee and read the paper.
When it was my turn, they came and found me in the coffee area and escorted me directly to the doctor.

I have been completely happy with the consultation, treatment and general care.

My orthopaedic specialist was Dr. Tanawat Teerasahakoon and he deserves the highest praise for his friendly manner and professional competence. His nursing staff and assistants were also excellent, extremely polite and friendly.

Over the 6 visits, there was just one occasion where things did not run smoothly and that was in the accounts department.
Having paid approx. 2k baht the week before for x-rays, consultation, treatment and dressing, the bill on that day should have been exactly the same or, in fact, somewhat cheaper as fewer medical supplies were required. To my astonishment, I was told the bill was 12k +.
It was so ludicrously high that a gross error must have occurred.
Medical supplies were purportedly 10k and the doctor's fee had doubled from 1k to 2k.
Apparently, someone in accounts had entered the wrong tariff code.

It got sorted out in the end, though at the 4th attempt, and took nearly 40 minutes.

The normal practice is that they tell you the price and ask for the money straightaway. Since then, however, I have asked them to print out the account for me to check it before I pay.
The printed account is in English and itemised very clearly - so the moral is, as with everywhere else, check your bill before you pay it.

On all other 5 occasions there was no problem whatsoever.
I had a chance to talk to Dr. Mike about this at the hospital, so they have been made aware.

Still, I suppose mistakes can happen everywhere now and again - it certainly won't stop me going back to the hospital as it's way ahead of the other alternatives here.

Another point concerning medications:

Knowing that private hospitals sell drugs and medicines at inflated prices, I asked my doctor to write down what I needed so that I could purchase the medication elsewhere - and he was very happy to oblige.

So, all in all, my experience there was extremely positive and I would give them 10 out of 10 if it weren't for the one glitch in accounts.

I would also like to thank Dr. Mike for taking a personal interest by coming and talking to me on more than once occasion and also listening attentively to make himself aware of the one problem that did occur.

[wpcoe]

Dr.Mike: A suggestion for a briefing item to hospital staff: Many of we farangs are kinda used to having the phone ring ten times before the caller hangs up. Not only does it give us time to pick up the call, at about ten rings, it switches over to voice mail.

This morning, during a cat nap, my phone rang about six times. By the time I got up and found the stupid phone, the ringing stopped. I returned the call, and it was to a general number for Bangkok Hospital Hua Hin, and of course, the person answering had no idea who was calling me or why. I was not expecting any call, and I wasted a good five to ten minutes while the apologetic person on the other end of the line checked with the various doctors I had recent contact with to see if any of them were trying to reach me.

All of that mystery, wasted time, and aggravation would have been avoided by using standard Western business telephone etiquette of letting the phone ring ten times. Never received a subsequent call, voice mail, nor text message. </rant over>