Pattaya International Hospital - any experience?

I recently went to Bangkok Pattaya Hospital for a follow-up visit to have a minor dressing changed on an injury I had to my thumb, which I had had treated there a few days before. The dressing change cost me twice as much as I had paid for my regular visit to the dentist there for a de-scale, clean and polish. After I asked for and checked an itemised breakdown of the bill it was evident that every pharmaceutical product, medication, etc, from surgical gloves to cream, bandages and saline solution, was not only being charged for in full even if only a small portion was used (a full litre of saline solution to wash out a small cut on a thumb??), but was also being charged at between 3 to 8 times the normal retail price.

Although I am quite happy with the dental and opthalmic treatment I have had at Bangkok Pattaya, at least so far, and with their charges for these, if at all possible I would go to Bangkok for serious in-patient treatment, particularly given the experience of some friends of mine, and some posters here, at Bangkok Pattaya, where this treatment would be covered by my medical insurance.

Whilst at Bangkok Pattaya I noticed another farang there being treated for a foot / ankle injury; he was put in a wheelchair and wheeled from the Emergency Room to the cashier - once there, and the bill settled, the wheelchair was taken away! This seemed to sum up the hospital's attitude perfectly.

As minor accident / outpatient treatment is generally not covered by insurance (and where it is , it is both very limited and very expensive), I would be interested to know if anyone has any recent experience of treatment / costs at Pattaya International Hospital (Soi 4).

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Pattaya International is our hospital of choice in Pattaya. My partner was in a motorcycle accident and we took him to Pattaya International. Within 30 seconds of arrival he was on a bed with a doctor and nurse working on him. No broken bones..just lots of road rash. The total bill including Xrays, cleanup of roadrash, bandages and prophalactic antibiotics was 2,000baht. There was never any question as to where the money was coming from to pay the bill until we were ready to check out of the hospital!!!!!! He went back everyday for a week to have the bandages changed and a check up by the doc.

As I have said in other post Bangkok Pattaya Hospital has only one interest...making money. They will diagnose anything and do whatever surgery to make a baht. And if you show up with out proof of the ability to pay they will watch you die.

Never forget that Bangkok Pattaya is the hospital that refused service to a farang English teacher that had been hit by a truck and lost his ID. They threw him in the back of a pick up truck in which he bled to death on the way to the public hospital in SiRatcha. You had better be damn sure that if you end up there you have cash, credit cards with high credit lines or proof of insurance in your pocket....and hope like hell that who ever takes you to the hospital has not picked your pocket on the way to the ER.

[thrillbill]

...interesting that Bumegrad (sp)Hospital in Bangkok charges (in general) less than Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital;yet, they are known for their good medical care all over the world. But, with any international hospital you need to do some research and find doctors that have good references. Sometimes that is hard to do, but you can go on line and check up on their background. For example, I needed to see a sports doctor and Bumegrad had a sports doctor that practiced in the States and had gone to Harvard... He (Dr. Mason) WAS on the ball and knew his stuff...; meanwhile the doctor I went to at Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital was not "tuned into" my injury. Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital DOES have fine doctors and dentists but you need to know who to see. Definately since the hosptial has added the new wing, the staff there will try to get every baht out of you. I know a few expats that have quit going there because they have been guided the wrong way with unnecessary tests, appointments, medicine... the list goes on. Too bad Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital doesn't realize that we expats are not STUPID and can figure out their motive. We do have a network to compare what is going on there.

I find a big difference between BANGKOK HOSPITAL in BANGKOK and Bangkok Pattaya Hospital eventhough the same logo is present. An infected middle ear a few months ago was a problem so I went to Bangkok Pattaya Hospital. The proposed bill for an ear tube and treatment was over 19,000 baht! :angryfire: I returned to Bangkok to the Bumrungrad Hospital and was treated by Dr. Chira of ENT for ear tube, antibiotics and some other minor procedures with a TOTAL bill of 8,540 baht. :sunny:

As a medical professional I saw the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital fee was totally out of line for what was needed as proven by the fee charged at the best hospital in Bangkok! ...nuf said!! There are several other GOOD hospitals in Pattaya! TJ

[bao-bao]

If Bangkok Hospital Pattaya seems more expensive just keep in mind that SOMEONE has to pay for their 17,532 logo beach umbrellas along Beach Road! :cheers:

I mentioned this to a friend recently, who told me that he had been quoted 40,000 baht for a colonoscopy at Bangkok Pattaya and 15,000 at Pattaya International. I didn't look into it any further (!).