Treatment of Farangs at Hua Hin Hospital

Medical issues, doctors, dentists, opticians and hospitals in Hua Hin and Thailand.
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Chazz14
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Treatment of Farangs at Hua Hin Hospital

Post by Chazz14 »

I need to visit the "Farang Teatment Room" at HHH to get a mole looked at.

Has anyone been there recently? As I have not used this service before, can anyone advise whether I should arrive very early (0800?) like the Thais do.

I've no idea how well used this service is, but will update when I've been...
Last edited by PeteC on Sat Jul 21, 2018 12:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Teatment For Farangs At Hua Hin Hospital

Post by Big Boy »

I use Hua Hin Hospital regularly (mainly 2 monthly check-ups), and they've done well so far.

If you need to park your car, yes, get there early, otherwise be there by about 10. Go straight to the Express Clinic (as you go through the entrance, its a little office far right. Go in and they will register you, and arrange for a doctor to see you (word of warning, the younger staff are great, but there's an older lady who will try to send you away - just stand your ground and don't be bullied).

They are good.
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Re: Teatment For Farangs At Hua Hin Hospital

Post by hhinner »

It's not exclusively for farangs. Anyone can use it. In Thai it's express service. You pay normal treatment cost (a bit higher for foreigners, I think) plus a 200 baht charitable donation to the hospital (receipted). It's not available on weekends and holidays. Any follow up treatment must go through the express service as well(at least when I used it it was like that). If you don't mind waiting an hour or two you'll still eventually get to see the same doctor as using the express service, saving a whole 200 baht.

I think there is another thread about skin specialists that you might like to look for as well.
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Re: Treatment For Farangs At Hua Hin Hospital

Post by migrant »

My mother in law tried the express but they said it wasn't available for diabetes related checkups
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Re: Treatment For Farangs At Hua Hin Hospital

Post by Big Boy »

My wife was getting her diabetes check-up at the same time as I've had mine, and they've told me my wife can have her check-up with me in the Express Clinic.

I expect they told you that for the same reason as I don't use it for my wife. I'd guess your mother-in-law, like my wife gets everything for free. If I included my wife on the Express Clinic I'd have to pay for everything, including meds. One of her tablets costs 100 Baht/day - I let her queue :twisted:
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Re: Treatment For Farangs At Hua Hin Hospital

Post by migrant »

Big Boy wrote: Sat Jul 21, 2018 2:59 pm My wife was getting her diabetes check-up at the same time as I've had mine, and they've told me my wife can have her check-up with me in the Express Clinic.

I expect they told you that for the same reason as I don't use it for my wife. I'd guess your mother-in-law, like my wife gets everything for free. If I included my wife on the Express Clinic I'd have to pay for everything, including meds. One of her tablets costs 100 Baht/day - I let her queue :twisted:
That sounds like their mindset!
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Re: Treatment For Farangs At Hua Hin Hospital

Post by handdrummer »

When compared to all the other hospitals in Hua Hin the prices at the Govt. hospital are cheap. Blood tests for kidney disease is 1450B at Bangkok hosp. it's 3000B. I don't see a doctor, just get the blood test.
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Re: Treatment For Farangs At Hua Hin Hospital

Post by hhinner »

migrant wrote:
Big Boy wrote: Sat Jul 21, 2018 2:59 pm My wife was getting her diabetes check-up at the same time as I've had mine, and they've told me my wife can have her check-up with me in the Express Clinic.

I expect they told you that for the same reason as I don't use it for my wife. I'd guess your mother-in-law, like my wife gets everything for free. If I included my wife on the Express Clinic I'd have to pay for everything, including meds. One of her tablets costs 100 Baht/day - I let her queue :twisted:
That sounds like their mindset!
Seems fair enough. If you want it for free join the queue, otherwise pay for it. Diabetes is forever, better to get it free and keep it that way. I have a quick chat with a doctor every 3 months to get my hypertension meds. Only costs 450 baht or so including 90 days meds. Once a year they order a blood and urine test which costs a further 550 baht. Been the same price for 3 years.
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Re: Treatment For Farangs At Hua Hin Hospital

Post by HHTel »

Diabetes is forever, better to get it free and keep it that way.
I don't want diabetes at any price!!

I'm being flippant. I concur with most others in regard to the hospital. They provide an excellent service for most things....... but not skin disorders, moles, blemishes etc. There are some good skin clinics which do a much better job.
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Re: Treatment For Farangs At Hua Hin Hospital

Post by buksida »

This is quite appropriate for the thread ...

Hua Hin hospital finally to repay money to "fleeced" farang cancer sufferer
Thai media 77jowo reported that the Hua Hin Hospital and the Department of Public Heath have agreed to return more than 20,000 baht to a man from the Netherlands who said he was fleeced by the hospital because he was a foreigner.

Back in September 2016 a man now known to be Erwin Buse complained to the government watchdog Damrongtham in Prajuab Khiri Khan that he had been obliged to pay 300 baht for each visit to the hospital and an unexplained 858 baht "admission fee". The former engineer was said at the time to be suffering from prostate cancer.

He said he was being fleeced because he was a foreigner. By that time he had already been in Thailand ten years and had a Thai wife.

But justice was slow in coming and visits to the hospital - that Mr Buse said were painful round trips of 200 kilometers on a motorcycle - got him nowhere as the hospital came up with excuse after excuse not to pay him.

However, 77Jowo reported good news for Mr Buse on a recent visit to the Prajuab Damrongtham office.

He was told by the office that he would be receiving 20,000 baht from Hua Hin Hospital and the Department of Public Health by the end of this month. They noted that his campaign for payment started in 2016.


Translated from source: https://www.77jowo.com/contents/o1/111636
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Re: Treatment For Farangs At Hua Hin Hospital

Post by Big Boy »

Yes, I read that a few days ago. All that I can say is I've never knowingly been fleeced. However, compared with some other hospital's pricing policy, 20,000 would hardly be noticed.

The article I read actually implicated a senior official at the hospital, who has since been moved on.

I have, however, had several suspect bills, which have always been rectified with an apology when queried immediately. I wonder why he continued using the hospital if it was so bad - I know its a translation, but it reads to me that the 'fleecing' took place over a few visits.
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Re: Treatment For Farangs At Hua Hin Hospital

Post by T.O.M. »

Quote from the fraud victim above.....

" I have no income other than goats"

Talking about going local.... :bow:
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Re: Treatment For Farangs At Hua Hin Hospital

Post by usual suspect »

9 yrs ago I was in H.H.Hospital for about 5 weeks. I was in a private room, with good medical care, decent food, and thorough cleaning-staff keeping bed, & bathroom spotless..All for the princely sum of 900b/day.
The size of my leg-wound caused concern for the medical staff, but they took the risk of infection very seriously indeed.
I have no complaints about the care I received there, and never felt I/my insurance company were being financially milked...
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Re: Treatment For Farangs At Hua Hin Hospital

Post by Big Boy »

I am probably Hua Hin Hospital's biggest fan on this forum. I have never had anything but good service. However, a good friend was at the Express Clinic yesterday, and was told he would have to stay for a few days. There wouldn't be a private room until today, so would he mind staying on a public ward for one night? He agreed, and told me what was happening.

Knowing that he wasn't completely au fait with the workings of HHH, I went straight down with my wife to make sure he was settled OK.

When we got there, our friend was on a trolly, parked in a corridor, next to the waste bins near the toilet. It's OK, I know this ward, it's not very nice, but the staff do their best under circumstances. In fact the nurses are lovely and work very hard.

We were there about 10 minutes when what we thought was a doctor (white coat, etc) came to our friend and explained there were no private rooms, and he would have to stay where he was. My friend said no problem, he just wanted to get to the bottom of his problem. The 'doctor' who turned out to be admin then said he needed a private room. OK, put him in a private room - there aren't any.

He then started going on about Bangkok and San Paulo Hospitals having plenty of private beds (I should point out at this point that my friend is fully insured, and payment was not a problem, but the clerk did not know that). My friend explained that he wanted continuity - his doctor was at HHH, he was aware of the private room situation, but he needed to be treated here.

Then the cherry on the top. The admin said the hospital was busy and he needed the beds for Thais and there wouldn't be a bed for him.

Not happy, my friend agreed to a transfer. Mrs BB was called to a window on the ward (it's only now we realise it's admin and not a doctor). He tells my wife I will need to transport my friend to San Paulo in my car. I'm called to the window and asked if I will take my friend. I simply tell the clerk to go and look at my friend. Flat on his back, and had to keep his feet above his heart - HHH doctor instructions. Short of putting him in the rear bucket, how could I do it? I said he needed a professional ambulance transfer.

Without checking, he said HHH ambulances were too busy. We'd hit an impasse. He then said a SP hospital ambulance could do it, but cost would be 3,000฿. I said no bother, just do it (keeping calm but blood starting to boil). The clerk disappeared (I presumed to arrange an ambulance). He came back and handed Mrs BB a slip of paper with a phone number on it. He then said we had to arrange the ambulance. I pointed out it was his patient, and they needed to transfer him, not me. I then received a typical Thai reaction - he started shuffling papers in front of him, and I wasn't there.

Mrs BB called the ambulance (actual cost 1,000฿) with the help of a nurse, and my friend was transferred. Of course, no handover, and all of the diagnostic outpatient work at HHH is lost, and it's back to square 1 at SP. I wonder what the Express Clinic doc thinks of that?

Whilst I'm sure the clerk thinks he's done a wonderful job preserving the beds for Thais, his actions came across as racist to me. Expecting me to transfer a patient on his ward in my truck was ridiculous, and refusing to call an ambulance........... well. I'm lost for words.

This incident has worried me a lot. I have seen my future medical care at HHH. They even have a clinic there, where they openly charge Farangs extra to encourage us. Treatment is superb, but what happens if, when I need it, private rooms are full?

Totally out of character, but worrying at the same time.

The final insult. Mrs BB had to pay a HHH bill before the SP ambulance was allowed to depart - line 1 was for his room and food!!!
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Re: Treatment For Farangs At Hua Hin Hospital

Post by buksida »

Big Boy wrote: Sat Nov 23, 2019 10:27 am Whilst I'm sure the clerk thinks he's done a wonderful job preserving the beds for Thais, his actions came across as racist to me.
Expect a lot more of this in the years to come for all aspects of living here - the junta are actively encouraging it, and the sheep will follow.
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