Hospital trip report: Pattaya City Hospital

[oarias]

Good afternoon everyone,

 

I visited Pattaya City Hospital this morning and thought I would share a trip report! 

 

I have been suffering from a couple of cysts/boils on my.... backside, and needed them removed/drained/lanced whatever they do to things like this.   It was getting ridiculous, I could barely walk or sit down because of them.

 

For those of you who don't know, Pattaya City Hospital is on Soi Boukao, and I was turned on to this by another board member in a different thread.

 

At any rate, walked into the hospital around 1030AM.  I was intercepted by a staff member who showed me a table with "new patient registration cards".  I filled it out as best as I could (I have no idea the exact address of where I'm staying, so I just put "Marina House Soi Boukao/21" and it seems that it was good enough for them.     (I did not have my original passport with me I know that you are supposed to these days, but they took the copy of my passport/visa page no problem)

 

After a brief wait, I was taken to a table where they weighed me, checked my blood pressure, pulse rate, temperature.  They asked me my height, but since I only speak "American Standard" 5'10".  No idea what it is in cm, so they had to measure me. 

 

It should be noted that all of this, included talking about what ails me, was being said out in a large open hallway.  So if you are a privacy paranoid person you will hate this.  I was unable to get my message on my condition to be understood, finally I was told to write it down on a piece of paper.  It seems that writing down "Cyst on Left Buttocks" was not medically understood and was (embarrassingly) passed around from staffer to staffer until someone figured it out.  I think a smart phone with Google translate was finally employed. 

 

Anyhow, once that was sorted I waited a little longer and I was seen by the GP (nice lady) in a private exam room who didn't seem to speak much English either unfortunately.   Once I dropped my trousers, bent over and pointed, it became clear what I needed.

 

At this point I was told that "we operate today".... ummm... ok.  Apparently the surgeon was called he came into the exam room, had a look at my backside and said "operate today 1'oclock".   

 

It was now just after 12, so I got a bite to eat at a place next door and went back to the Hospital.

 

Once I returned, after a few minutes I was escorted back to the surgical area.  It seemed odd to me as it was an area that had multiple roller beds/tables and just a shower curtain separating them.   Sort of like you would find in some of the nicer massage parlors in town.

 

No heart monitors or other machines that go "ping"  (I suppose those are brought in as needed?)  The person who led me to the surgical area and my table was unclear if I was to disrobe or not, but just kept indicating to lie on the table.

 

Ok, got on the table (on my stomach) fully dressed.  Once there she pulled down my trousers and then covered the buttocks cheek that was NOT going to be operated on with a towel or something.

 

I can't see behind me at this point, but felt the "operative area" was being cleaned with cotton and a disinfectant or iodine or something..... and I was left in this odd position... for like 20 minutes... one butt cheek hanging in the breeze. 

 

The surgeon arrived and I was given a local in the affected area.   However I still felt a lot of pain, pressure, pulling that was most unpleasant for like the next 15 minutes.   Not a happy camper! 

 

Finally he was done, he packed the wound with gauze, and a nurse (orderly, PA, dunno... wasn't told and was still face down so I couldn't see who doing it anyway.)

 

I was told that they were only able to get the bigger cyst, the other "wasn't ready yet"..... great, another visit to the surgeon in a week.

 

So I pulled my pants back on after they covered the packed wound and was told to come back everyday for the next 7 days to have the wound re-dressed.  Hopefully they aren't going to leave the gauze inside me for a week?!  

 

They printed out an appointment reminder sheet.    100% in Thai except for my name at the top!   Even the name of the month was in Thai, a completely useless piece of paper! 

 

 

Then I was sent to pay, the clerk behind the counter gave me a page to sign, written again 100% in Thai!   I hope I didn't just sell him my car or something!

 

I was then given the bill, which was fortunately printed (mostly) in English, enough to know that the cost of everything was a little over 2000bt.  Four line items in the first picture, with the amount paid in the second picture:

 

 

Then I was given two different bags filled with painkillers (really I need a scrip for Ibuprophen?  I did bring Advil with me!)

Also a bag filled with antibiotics:

 

 

After this they sent me on my way.  The dressing they gave me fell apart 5 minutes after leaving the hospital, but I put a high quality fabric Band-Aid "tough strip" that I brought from America that should hold it till tomorrow.

 

Overall, I would say yes Thai public health care is cheaper and it seems to get the job done very quickly.  In the States, I would have to have un-needed biopsy, visit to a specialist, and set up a surgical date.  Doctors in America are too worried about getting sued and I've never met a GP in the last 10 years that will do an office procedure like this.

 

Oddly, this whole experience was cheaper to get done out of pocket in Pattaya than having it handled by insurance companies back in the States.  The co-pays and drugs would have far exceeded 2000bt!

 

 

 

[Atlas]

Good to know, hope all goes well

[oarias]

Of course now that I realize they gave me what amounts to "Advil" and "Tylenol", I do feel kinda ripped off with the drug prices which was half the bill.

 

Really, $30 for a handful of over the counter painkillers and a common antibiotic??

[tourasia]

Of course now that I realize they gave me what amounts to "Advil" and "Tylenol", I do feel kinda ripped off with the drug prices which was half the bill.

 

Really, $30 for a handful of over the counter painkillers and a common antibiotic??

Devils Den will do a cheaper job. 

[Billyboy294]

Surgical procedure etc seems reasonable for 400 baht. Will you have to pay for the daily visits.

 

Here is a photo of hospital  taken with my Samsung S3 . Near Sutus Court.

 

Because of language difficulties it might be worthwhile in some circumstances to take a selfie on your mobile to show them the problem so they can direct you to the right doctor. I took this photo of a girl's knee to ask for an estimate to remove the scar..

 

 

[thaiprince]

I went to Pattaya International this most recent trip for STI check up. Cost me 3400 baht for them to do the test (including 100 for them to email me results instead of me sitting around)...I had the exact same privacy issues where they just basically told the entire waiting room I am doing an HIV and STI test. It would have cost about 800 baht less if it wasn't my first time as you have to pay a doctor consultation fee (even though you never see a doctor).

 

From the minute I entered the hospital to the time I paid to leave was probably about 15-20 minutes. Including my fake name and fake hotel registration.

 

Afterwards it took about a week which included me emailing them about 5 times. At this point they only sent partial results, and I emailed another 5 times over the next 2 weeks and they finally replied with full results. I guess it's my fault for not sticking around for the results after all I had a pretty good idea it would be like pulling teeth to get the emailed results.

 

Overall a decent experience and you can get an STI package for about 1000 baht less but I wanted the full check up done.

[mr21]

Great info on the prices charged and your experience there as a patient....thanks for sharing this with PA

[simguy_jp]

I think it was a job well done by them. Since you are an American and not use to the the whole public health care system being diagnosed out in the open is not unusual. Also everything written in Thai as you mentioned seems appropriate. If you were from Thailand back in the US and went to a hospital would you expect everything to be written in Thai???

Sounds like you got taken care of well to me.

[sunsandsurf]

thanks for TR

[andy666]

While scrolling down reading your report i was scared there would be a pic of your buttocks lol

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Joey_J]

Ripped up my toe on an escalator.

 

Limped on over to Pattaya City Hospital. It was crowded at ~1:30pm on a weekday.

 

Total time in the hospital ~ 3 hours. About 2.5 hours of that was waiting around.

 

The procedure was almost exactly like the OP stated.

 

After my diagnosis (but before the stitching was performed as I sat on the clinical table) a lady in business clothing appeared and presented me with an estimate to be paid in cash NOW!

 

4,000 baht.

 

I told her I may have to hit the ATM (which I saw just outside the front door) to get the cash and she repeated "NOW!"

 

Ohhhh Kayyyy. I dug in my wallet and I had just enough cash to pay. She took the cash, handed me my receipt and walked away.

 

Another nurse came in do the procedure. She warned me that the shots to numb my toe may hurt a bit. I figured I'm a tough guy...do your worst. She punched my toe with the needle and I flinched hard and let out a yelp like a little girl. The kid on the next table actually looked up from his phone a bit startled.

 

I think the nurse was a bit peeved because when I flinched I think I splashed a little blood above her mask area on her face. She gave me an unhappy look and went to clean her face off.

 

When she came back she hit me with three more strong jabs of the needle in quick succession. Quite painful.

 

Anyway when all was said and done I ended up getting a refund of some of the cash and it ended up being closer to 2,500 baht.

 

One thing to be aware of if you don't speak Thai is that you will have to do some waiting after going from window to window and you'll have to listen CLOSELY for the butchered pronunciation of your Western name.

 

They wanted me to return everyday for bandage replacement but I am wondering how much that'll cost me.

[stillakid]

It would be very interesting to compare the prices at Pattaya City Hospital with those at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya.

 

I recently had to "visit" an emergency room in a USA hospital.  $1600 (57,000 baht) just to be in the ER.   Then procedures and medications, etc after that.

 

You could have gone to a Thai government hospital.  You might have waited all day with no privacy in a very crowded room.  But you might only have to pay a few hundred baht, if that.  Generally, the clinical treatment is good, just the niceties that we all expect in the west will not be there.

 

FWIW

 

Stillakid

[kikielee]

Always had fantastic service at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital........

[Billyboy294]

In 2012 I went to Banglamung Hospital for X-rays of my knee and back. The place was very busy s i asked how long to wait .I was told about 1 hour but it was over 3 hours  before i saw a Doctor  but there are shops (7/11) and cafes to get some refreshments which helps pass the time.

 

Cost to see the Doctor 200 Baht , cost for 4 X-rays 600 baht.. I was given prints of the X-rays and also a CD with them.. I told the doc i only wanted the X-rays to take away and not discuss them after,

 

I think possibly Farangs would now be charged more.

 

 

This year i went to Pattaya City Hospital for more X-rays I was told about 800 baht for one. I asked for two of my back and two of my knee but they obviously saw something on my lungs/ stomach so they took two of them also.

 

Cost for seeing the doctor who spoke English before and after (briefly) the X-rays 500 baht.

 

Cost for 8 X-rays 3000 baht. I was not given prints of the X-rays but was give a sheet with a brief diagnosis of each X-ray. Also a CD with this and the X-Rays. Total time about 1hr 20 minutes.

 

There is double charging here.

[jerry]

Thanks for writing down your experiences but i think i stay with Bangkok Pattaya hospital . Might be a bit more expensive but way more professional .