[BenCH]

I did a health check-up at on of BKK's hospitals in January, partly to test it, but mainly to motivate my BF to do it too.

This experience was rather disappointing (you get what you pay for!), insofar as the checks were done in a mass production manner, the nurses did not understand English and at the end the doctor (beautiful young lady ...) did not have the results of the blood and urine analyses available for the final diagnosis and overview. When I received the written report, there were some hints and recommendations resulting from the blood analysis in the sense of diet control, seeking medical attention and repeating blood tests within some weeks. The almost only (very) positive benefit was the outcome of the HIV tests for my BF and myself.

I now just did the annual check-up at home and informed my doctor about the findings of the BKK hospital. After all results were available he gave me the all-clear in all respects (except I should drink less and exercise more ...), explaining that this BKK hospital just gave me the computer findings without a doctor's interpretation, and I would not need to worry.

My conclusion: such check-ups are better than nothing but are computerized mass productions. If you can, however, do and afford a check-up with a (your) doctor at home, do it!!! Even if it costs five times as much as in my case.

Or was I just unlucky and others made much better experiences?

Ben

[homintern]

Wouldn't it be useful to tell us which hospital you attended. Hospitals in Thailand are of widely varying quality ( http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/Weekly/weekly238.htm ), and frankly there'd only be one or two I would bother with for a comprehensive check up

[BenCH]

Wouldn't it be useful to tell us which hospital you attended. Hospitals in Thailand are of widely varying quality ( http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/Weekly/weekly238.htm ), and frankly there'd only be one or two I would bother with for a comprehensive check up

Yes, but there are not many hospitals in BKK advertising check-ups of such kind (or could I say "style"? ) to farangs. And I do not think that it really matters as the problem remains the same. But anyway, it was Bangkok Hospital.

[bkk gwm]

Yes, but there are not many hospitals in BKK advertising check-ups of such kind (or could I say "style"? ) to farangs. And I do not think that it really matters as the problem remains the same. But anyway, it was Bangkok Hospital.

I'm glad you posted which hospital it was. There are other hospitals (BNH and Bumrungrad spring to mind) offering similar check-up packages catering to foreigners, and it would be unfair to them if someone assumed you were talking about those hospitals.

When I lived in BKK, BNH Hospital on Soi Convent was my hospital of choice and I was quite pleased with both the in- and out-patient care I received, and with the medical check-ups. I felt I received more personal attention than previously at Bumrungrad. Your experience at BKK Hospital tends to sound like what I experienced at Bumrungrad, but definitely not like what I experienced at BNH.

[Smiles]

" ... My conclusion: such check-ups are better than nothing but are computerized mass productions. If you can, however, do and afford a check-up with a (your) doctor at home, do it!!! Even if it costs five times as much as in my case.... "

Cannot help gloating (but gently ), but I am able to to come home (to Canada) and hop into my Doc's office for the most comprehensive regular checkup possible, for nothing . . . under our commie pinko fag pussy Canadian universal medical system.
'Murican's ... take a lesson.

Now I admit that if I wanted a knee replacement or a lung transplant it might well take me a number of months more in terms of "waiting" ... but thems the breaks you must be willing to accept for "socialism". Personally, my knees & lungs are A-OK and my Doc fits me in any old time I want.

Cheers ...


PS ... I have also heard that the Thai hospital on Soi Convent is absolutely tops for service, quality ... and price.

[wowpow]

There is an illogical sense of disappointment in having an expensive series of tests and finding out that you are basically OK except for things that you knew you did wrongly - eating and drinking too much and not enough exercise.

I have an annual check up and have used both the Bumrungrad and the Bangkok-Pattaya. I add on an HIV and prostate test. Happily they have not found out anything seriously wrong. They did identify gall stones which I elected to have removed and the surgeon said that there were complications and it was a very good job that I had had them out. I found the staff very polite and helpful and English speaking. You are personally escorted to each test. However there is a certain production line feeling about the process because that is what it is.

I have two friends who were found to have prostate problems which were then successfully treated. You have a far better chance of successful treatment when things are caught early. I knew a delightful Doctor friend and he spoke against regular check-ups and argued that people worry too much. I liked him too much to contradict. By the time they found that he had cancer it was too late for effective treatment.

My UK Doctor was very impressed with the Bumrungrad's check up and asked to keep the report. I had their top of the range one that time. Personally I have no problem with going through a computerized mass production as long as it gives me the correct results and a Doctor's interpretation. BenCH should have had a consultancy after the tests but apart from that I wonder why he feels it's worth paying 5 times the price at home for the same/similar results?

[Smiles]

Agree with Wowpow ... this topic (excluding my Canada-pumping) is essentially "About Thailand" and should be posted/moved into the main Forum

Cheers ...

[wowpow]

What better way for a Government to spend the money than to take care of the health of the people it forces money from? Actually you are paying for it it's just that it is through your taxes. Why only mention Canada? (I'm thinking of your objections to my postings on exchange rates omitting Canada) Nearly all the wealthy European countries have National Health Services (yet another great British invention) and even Thailand now has the 30 baht scheme which for all it's shortcomings is a great boon to poor Thais.

[Smiles]

What better way for a Government to spend the money than to take care of the health of the people it forces money from? Actually you are paying for it it's just that it is through your taxes. .

Absolutely it is not "free" ... but it is universal, which means essentially that no one here gets turned away, and that the service is the same for rich or poor or those on welfare. My middle class taxes pay for others' health benefits, and I don't begrudge a penny.

But you are quite correct ... taxes pay for it, and income taxes in Canada are quite high.
I certainly understand that most countries in Europe have universal health systems, and have had for a very long time ... I simply was talking about the system I'm most familiar with.

Cheers ...

[BenCH]

I was obviously not clear enough: in the final "consultancy" I was told by the doctor that everything seems OK, but I should drink less and exercise more. In the written report there was one recommendation to redo blood tests within 2 - 4 weeks, another one to redo it in 2 - 3 months and seek medical attention and a third one to do it again in 6 months - all not connected to the same issue. There were two recommendations regarding diet (reduce fatty, oily food and cut down purine food). Nothing too serious, but still a little worrying and further actions needed.

My doctor's finding: no need to redo blood tests, everything within reasonable limits. Computerized statements are "hairsplitting" or individual results not taken into overall context (HDL vs LDL cholesterol). My present eating habits are OK. I do not need to seek further medical attention.

Of course, I could have gone back to BKK hospital in January and maybe their doctors would finally have given all-clear too, who knows? But a visit there is very time consuming and not too pleasant. My BF, by the way, got a phone call from the same doctor two hours after we left giving him (in Thai) the findings of the blood test including recommendations for his diet. Why did I not get the same treatment? Language?

I repeat, however, it is better than nothing and I would do it again if I had no alternative. Thanks, by the way, for mentioning good examples of other hospitals.

PS: I overlooked that the main forum is about all things Thai, not all things Gay Thai. Sorry for posting it here!

[mrsydney]

Well i go to see the DR it costs $33.70 for his 15 min rushed appointment.
No wonder the casualty sections of our hospitals are full where you get free consultations after waiting for a few hours of course.
Why bother to tell us about your bad treatment and not tell us the hospital.? I myself will go to a hospital and get a check up when im there.
The DR s here in Sydney dont do this.I want a full check up.
I remember a few years ago they use to mass advertise the full body laser scans which can detect any problems early but the NSW State Govt banned them from advertising because of health risks.
My eye was very sore the other day so i was passing the hospital at 4am in the morning so rather than make an appointment to see my local DR duing the day and pay the 33 dollars i just popped into casualty section of the hospital.The triage nurse is telling me this is not serious and i should really be seeing my local DR.I started telling her im in massive pain.Next thing they have a wheelchair for me and are looking in machines at my eye.Turns out i had conjuctivitus.Didnt have to pay anything ,but if i went to the medical centre its 33.70 for his bullshit opinion.

[homintern]

I reject completely the notion that because the advertisement is aimed at Westerners the service "must be" comparable to every other hospital that offers such a service. I would go to BNH on Convent Rd with confidence. I simply wouldn't bother with any of the others, although they have their followers, and a very few of them may even offer a comparable level of service. There are a number of airlines that aim their advertisements at travellers to Thailand. There are only a handful on which I would choose to travel, and I'm certainly not so foolish as to assume that they have comparable service or safety records, just because they are touting for my business