Medical care in Thailand

[Ted88888]

I've lived on Phuket for just short of seven years and have had excellent care for my family and myself at Bangkok Hospital (BKK), Bumrungrad Hospital and Bangkok Phuket Hospital. I found the doctors much more likely to spend some time talking to you and helping to solve your health problems - not at all like the rushed HMO doctors in the States.

Yeah - I too think they overdo the costs of medications at the major hospitals - but it is easy to politely refuse them - ask for the meds in an Rx - take them around the corner and get them filled for 1/2 to 1/5th of the cost. You do need to advocate for yourself. If you always open your wallet and give out what is asked - well . . . what can you expect?

My wife stayed in Bangkok Phuket Hospital about 3-4 years ago - for two weeks. The stay, including a colonoscopy, excellent care, doctor, take-home meds etc - about US$2000. (at the exchange rate at the time - don't forget the dollar has taken a HUGE dive in the last few years - not the Thais fault). That price was about what I paid for an emergency room visit in Tucson Arizona about 20 years ago.

Personally, I have been quite happy with the doctors here - and I HATE doctors in general and see them as bloodsucking **Bleep** (my bleep). But, most of them here are pretty good. I have had the good fortune to meet a few who really spent some time with me and helped solve some quite long-term nagging health issues that weren't well dealt with in the USA, Korea, Taiwan OR Saudi Arabia.

So - I like them here. My wife and I do have an agreement though to head to Singapore should we find ourselves with a SERIOUS health challenge for which we aren't sure what to do. Probably as good as you can get in Asia. I like St. Elizabeth's just off Orchard Rd.

[Ted88888]

Originally Posted by synthia

I've heard costs of as little as $3US per day for a health care worker to stay with you full time after surgery.

I fully agree that medical care can be excellent here, but what kind of "health care" would one hope to purchase for US$3 a day? My maid for three hours once a week costs more than that. The daily minimum wage here is more than that - closer to US$5 for someone working at 7-11 maybe.

Now, I fully expect to hire my maid full time when I get old and feeble and need looking after - but I suspect I will pay more than US$3! - and I won't expect her to provide much in the way of real "health care".

It is my thought that it is those people (who want $3 a day health care) who will complain about quality of care - no?

[synthia]

I heard the $3 per day rate, too, but it was for a fairly limitied service following bypass surgery. The 'health care workers' are trained to make sure prescribed medications are given, walks are taken, and high fat foods are avoided, as well as recognize problems and call an ambulance. They stay in the hotel room with the newly released patient, and, of course, get food.

You see young women in Chiang Mai walking with men who can barely put one foot in front of the other. That's not part of the sex trade, but part of medical tourism.