Hua Hin hospital special medical clinic

[pharvey]

NOTE:

"Hua Hin Hospital Express Clinic has moved" & "Hua Hin Hospital Special Medical Clinic" threads have now been merged.

[Big Boy]

I'm normally a fan of Hua Hin Hospital, Premium Clinic; but I came away from there this afternoon fuming. I was told there is no longer a doctor on duty afternoons.

Things have obviously changed, and I'll try to find out more tomorrow. I find it amazing that a hospital keeps a department staffed with desk clerks, but no medical staff.

[Big Boy]

OK, I went back to the Premium Clinic this morning, and asked for confirmation of times, etc.

If you want to see a doctor, you need to be at the clinic between 9am and midday, Monday to Friday. If that is too early, doctors are available at the SMC after 4pm. So basically, there are no doctors between midday and 4pm Monday to Friday.

[GroveHillWanderer]

A word to the wise, as they say - if you've been through the Premium/Special Clinic and been referred for surgery, when you come for the pre-op clearance, go up to the 5th floor first just to check what you need to do. I didn't, and on the advice of the information desk at the main entrance went straight to the surgery clinic on the 2nd floor where I spent 4 hours waiting to get in to see a doctor, who filled out a form.

After that, they sent me to the day surgery section in the purple building where they asked me a bunch of questions (all in Thai). Luckily I understood most of them though my wife was also there for those I didn't.

However they also wanted to see some other documents like blood test results, EKG, chest X-ray and HIV test, that I didn't have and after I told them that the fifth floor Special Clinic Doctor had already seen those the week before, they asked my wife to go back up there and check.

Lo and behold, when she came back with the docs she told me that the desk staff in the Premium Clinic had been waiting for me all day. They had all the documents ready in a package (including the same form I'd just waited four hours to get) for me to take straight to the day surgery people.

So if I'd gone there first, I would apparently not have needed to spend 4 hours or so waiting in the 2nd floor surgery clinic.

[thecolonel]

Exactly the same place. The SMC offers very similar services, but not quite as good e.g.

- You have to check in at window 1 instead of at the clinic.
- Blood collection has to be done on floor 2 instead of at the clinic. Albeit, at those times, queues are not as horrendous.
- Meds are collected from the main pharmacy instead of the inpatients pharmacy. Again because of the times, queues are not horrendous.
- I need a B12 injection. Premium Clinic it is done in the clinic. This clinic I have to go to room 47.

Small, but subtle differences

FWIW now...

Every time I went to Premium clinic and needed bloods they sent me to floor 2. It was never taken in PC

Thanks for info on no afternoon Doc now. As I always used to go around 1.30 pm to catch Doc post lunch break

Almost went yesterday. Luckily didn't as only read your post just now

Sent from my M2007J20CG using Tapatalk

[HHTel]

I've always had my blood sample taken at the clinic. The only time I've been sent out of the clinic is for an x-ray with queue jumping.
Not been for some months so maybe everything's changed

[Big Boy]

The SMC on a weekend always requires you to use the facility on floor 2 for blood tests. There are no regular clinics at the weekend, so there is no waiting i.e. you go for blood test before going to floor 5.

At the Premium Clinic if you arrive early (before the nurse) or the nurse is not available you will be sent to floor 2 to prevent you waiting, but you will jump to the front of the queue.

[Big Boy]

Mrs BB needed a repeat prescription, so I took her along to the SMC for this evening's clinic. Very sorry, SMC only opens Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings plus Saturday morning now.

It wasn't a problem, we just went downstairs and booked into the regular evening clinic, which actually saved 310฿

"What p's me off though is all of those local publications flashing the original story about the SMC - not 1 had told us of the demise. Only being able to be sick 4 days a week in Hua Hin sounds quite news worthy to me.

Mind you, the biggest shock was yet to come. We were there today because the pharmacy had short changed us by not giving enough meds last time. We got to the pharmacy counter today, and the pharmacist said (in Thai to Mrs BB) the doc had prescribed 2 insulin syringe pens, but she was only going to issue one. Mrs BB told me, and I asked why? I received blank looks. I kept going and asked if one syringe would last until the next appointment on 26 Aug? Pharmacist started counting on her fingers, and without admitting her mistake, she agreed to issue 2 syringes. I can only presume the pharmacy miser intervened last time as well making today's visit necessary. BE WARNED this practice is going on, and make sure you are issued sufficient meds, unless you want to make extra visits.

[hhinner]

Mrs BB needed a repeat prescription, so I took her along to the SMC for this evening's clinic. Very sorry, SMC only opens Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings plus Saturday morning now.

It wasn't a problem, we just went downstairs and booked into the regular evening clinic, which actually saved 310฿

"What p's me off though is all of those local publications flashing the original story about the SMC - not 1 had told us of the demise. Only being able to be sick 4 days a week in Hua Hin sounds quite news worthy to me.

Mind you, the biggest shock was yet to come. We were there today because the pharmacy had short changed us by not giving enough meds last time. We got to the pharmacy counter today, and the pharmacist said (in Thai to Mrs BB) the doc had prescribed 2 insulin syringe pens, but she was only going to issue one. Mrs BB told me, and I asked why? I received blank looks. I kept going and asked if one syringe would last until the next appointment on 26 Aug? Pharmacist started counting on her fingers, and without admitting her mistake, she agreed to issue 2 syringes. I can only presume the pharmacy miser intervened last time as well making today's visit necessary. BE WARNED this practice is going on, and make sure you are issued sufficient meds, unless you want to make extra visits.

Being easily confused I had thought that the SMC replaced the evening clinics. The evening clinics used to be charged for anyway. So what's the difference, do you know? Do you know why one is apparently cheaper than the other?

[Big Boy]

The evening clinics, whilst always being charged for (100฿, I seem to remember) were cheaper than the SMC. I think the SMC would have access to better medication, for which a premium price also has to be paid. There's also a huge air conditioned room to pay for.

I remember years ago, the doctor being appalled about one of the meds I was on, saying it was rubbish, and nobody in his clinic should be on it. He upgraded my meds and my quarterly bill increased as a consequence.

Again, last night, whilst the doctor's fee was waived (my wife is old), she had to pay for her meds because they were not on the Thai approved medications list (it was originally prescribed by the Premium Clinic because the standard issue insulin was having a bad effect on my wife).

[JohnD]

I have related this story before - here goes again, without apology.

Several months ago, I went to see my usual doctor at 4pm on a Monday afternoon, at the Clinic.
He was not there, so I asked to see another doctor – “cannot” – must come back next Monday at 4 pm.

My concern now is that if I go back to the Clinic with an issue unrelated to my first doctor, I still have to go to my first doctor for referral – bearing in mind, he is only there on a Monday at 4pm.

This is what puts me off about this Clinic – there is no sense of urgency for the patient to be seen and treated. Not easy to persuade them (the Clinic) that this was a new unrelated issue. Their mentality/understanding does not accept that. Must see first doctor first – he must decide which doctor I should see next.

This happened when I had a blood clot in my leg, and I asked to see a different doctor as the swelling looked serious. I lost about 4 weeks before starting correct treatment - due to misdiagnosis as an infection with failed treatment by antibiotics (1 week delay), public holiday (1 week delay), my doctor not there (1 week delay), delayed Ultrasound (1 week delay). The first offer on the Ultrasound was about 3 weeks away. I think I paid a premium to get it one week away.

I had a similar issue at Pattaya Bangkok Hospital many years ago. Then, the Ultrasound was done within about 2 hours, negative for a blood clot – diagnosed as infection, and I left with antibiotics shortly after.

Score - Bangkok Hospital I day, HHH 4 weeks.

With HHH, I could have died from a pulmonary embolism – needs attention with 24 hours (I found out subsequently).
I feel much safer going to say Sao Paulo where an on-duty doctor can see me, after a short wait. Presumably, he could nominate a specialist that could be seen within 24 hours. On a recent visit there, I noticed they wanted to get me seen as soon as possible. None of this “come back next week”, said while they were looking at a clearly very swollen, red leg (inspected by both nurse and receptionist).

I can envisage that the Clinic is ok for ongoing chronic conditions that need regular routine monitoring.

[Big Boy]

This clinic used to be excellent. However, I think they are most likely suffering the chronic shortage of doctors in Thailand, and are cutting their cloth accordingly. Frustrating when you turn up for a clinic that no longer exists though

For urgent matters there is always A&E or the downstairs GP clinics, both of which are efficient/very thorough, and always have a crew working.

[hhinner]

The evening clinics, whilst always being charged for (100฿, I seem to remember) were cheaper than the SMC. I think the SMC would have access to better medication, for which a premium price also has to be paid. There's also a huge air conditioned room to pay for.

I remember years ago, the doctor being appalled about one of the meds I was on, saying it was rubbish, and nobody in his clinic should be on it. He upgraded my meds and my quarterly bill increased as a consequence.

Again, last night, whilst the doctor's fee was waived (my wife is old), she had to pay for her meds because they were not on the Thai approved medications list (it was originally prescribed by the Premium Clinic because the standard issue insulin was having a bad effect on my wife..

Thanks. Years ago (pre COVID) I used the evening osteo clinic a couple of times. First time no charge (no meds, don't know why clinic didn't issue a bill). Second time (different) doc prescribed meds but said to buy outside hospital and said no bill; the meds were only about 200 baht anyway, so, again, don't know why he didn't want me to pay at cashier. Perhaps some doctors disagree with dual pricing? (My inner cynic thinks not.)

[Big Boy]

Unlike other hospitals, I don't think there is a dual pricing tariff on meds at HHH. If there is, it is negligible.

[hhinner]

Unlike other hospitals, I don't think there is a dual pricing tariff on meds at HHH. If there is, it is negligible.

Dunno about meds dispensed outside universal healthcare system. Certainly is for nursing, tests and consulting though.