New Years Day in Hospital with my Good Thai Lady

Be careful what you wish for!  In a recent post I was talking about how good Thai Hospitals are.  And said that if I get sick I hope it’s in Thailand……..

So I got sick…..

Nothing too dramatic, just some chest pains that I thought might be an indication of something more serious.  So Pat insisted that I go for a check up.  I know the Private Hospitals in Bangkok quite well, due to some work I did here a few years ago.  So I knew that Samitivej was very good and only 10 mins away in a taxi.  Off we went……

Oh I only wish our Hospitals at home were like this.  This is what took place within just over 1 hour.  There was no waiting at any stage in the process.  Oh, maybe 3 minutes to see the cardiologist.

Checked in at registration, and an orderly turned up with a wheel chair.  I tried to ‘wave it away’ and the guy on reception just said very firmly.  Please SIT DOWN Sir…..   So I did.  I guess they were worried it might be a heart condition.

I was wheeled into the pulmonary unit wired up to an ECG machine and after that a blood sample was taken.   Seems a blood test can show if I have had a mild heart attack.  Also blood pressure checks.

Next stop was X Ray for a chest X Ray.  My feet never touching the ground at any stage.  Orderlies just appeared ‘on Cue’ to wheel me around.

Back to see the pulmonary unit.  They check the X Ray results and the blood test results which are back already.

Just to be safe they ask me to see the Cardiologist.  Off we go again.  Cardiologist checks me out and all is OK.

Back to reception where a report is waiting for me to send to my Health Insurance company, plus a prescription that I need.  Pharmacy is the next counter!  So we pay the bill, pick up some pills and head back to the Hotel in time for a late breakfast.

Oh, and the total cost, for all that attention and testing?  Baht 5,000 or about $165

Now I understand why Pat gets so frustrated wit Hospitals back in Australia.  All the waiting……and very high costs.

Samitivej is one of many Hospitals in Thailand that actually does Medical Tourism.  By that I mean, you can book in for a procedure such as a tummy tuck or face lift and then have a few days at the beach convalescing.  All part of the package.  I was very tempted to go for a bit of liposuction whilst I was there LOL. Samitivej Sukhumvit

 

Robert

 

Afternote:

A couple of days later I needed to get another checkup as my condition was not improving.   This time I tried Bumrungrad Hospital as it was recommended by my insurance company.  Hmmm.   Never again.  After the initial checks an admin person came in asking for a ‘deposit’ of 40,000 Baht before they started any serious checks and indicated the bill could be as much as 100,000 Baht!   I said no thanks, and left.

If I need any more check ups I’ll be going back to Samitivej…..