Hua Hin Hospital, and others: Recommended?

aa · Amateur Joined: 01 Mar 2007 Posts: 46 Location: Hua Hin

I've accepted a job teaching English in Hua Hin, starting soon. My employer, as required by law, pays half of Social Security, which includes health coverage on the public system.

It seems you get a health card, and you get to choose among a selection of local hospitals to register with:

(In Prachuab Kirikhan Province:)
Hua Hin Hospital
Thanarat Hospital
Prachuab Kirikhan Hospital

After hearing stories of abject horror about public hospitals, especially "30 baht" hospitals, I'm wondering if these hospitals are "good enough". I mean, up to a more-or-less Western standard. If I get seriously ill, would I want to check into one of these places.

I'll buy private coverage if I have to, but only if absolutely necessary, because my income will be so low to start with.

I'm in my 30's and in excellent health overall, but I do kitesurf so there is a possibility I will be injured doing that.

I have seen positive reports about Hua Hin Hospital on this forum, and I'm aware that it is being upgraded to a hospital "fit for the King", but it's not ready yet, and I don't know if that would bump it off the list anyway.

Any advice, warnings or comforting experiences?

GLCQuantum · Specialist Joined: 20 Feb 2007 Posts: 161

Make sure you check the details of your Health Coverage extremely carefully. I mean, read through EVERYTHING!!

Just because they say you have health insurance doesn't exactly mean that you are covered. You may be covered for a headache but when it comes to anything even remotely serious you might find out your stuffed and end up with a poorly wallet. (believe me, been there done it!!)

I've been to Hua Hin hospital for minor injuries, stitches, x-rays, injections, heart rate machine etc and they have been satisfactory to date, friendly and helpfull staff and if you are in real pain they don't hold back on the morphine Mr. Green

Unfortunately, until Hua Hin hospital has been completed there is not a Western Standard Hospital in Hua Hin.

I've heard there is a hospital on Petchkasem Road called Sao Paulo but I believe they only cater for poorly dogs and rats. thumbs up

DawnHRD · Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 1:03 pm Post subject:

GLC,

I would not put one of my dogs in San Paolo! Shocked

BTW, I've decided if I get sick & can't be transferred to Petcharat (Petchburi) or Thanarat Army Hospital (unlikely as I have no Thai connections), then I'll take my chances in the vet's clinic. Better standard of care & more affordable. Twisted Evil

BTW, OP, my last personal experience of HH Hospital was a year ago. They may have got better since then, but from that experience I would avoid them as well.
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Wanderlust · Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 1:48 pm Post subject:

I would imagine any bad experiences of HH Hospital in the last year or 2 should be tempered because of the improvement work being carried out, which will inevitably disrupt things and cause other problems. I have met the man who is in charge there and he assured me that he was working on all fronts to make it a top class facility for all, not just the royal family, and he was aiming it to be as good as, if not better, than the best hospitals in Bangkok. I think it is due to open fully before the end of this year. My only previous experience as a patient there was too long ago (4 years) to base anything on, but for the record I was quite impressed - I had injuries resulting from a motorbike accident needing stitches in numerous places and the treatment and care was excellent, while the cost was very low.

aa · Amateur Joined: 01 Mar 2007 Posts: 46 Location: Hua Hin

That's good to hear, Wanderlust. I really hope the new hospital is as good as hoped.

But let's say I do buy low-cost private insurance (I'm looking at a 1.5M baht plan for 1400B/month). If everywhere in HH is to be avoided, then would I try to ship off to Bangkok if I get sick?

I don't doubt for a second people's negative experiences with San Paulo, but I do have an older friend who was hospitalized in San Paulo for several days this year and had a good report. I guess it's really hit and miss. Perhaps your luck depends on what doctor you wind up with - there must be a lot of variation in quality.

barrys · Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 4:02 pm Post subject:

Thanarat is the military hospital in Pranburi and has a very good reputation medically, though the facilities are not particularly luxurious.

You can get Emerald cover from Bupa at around THB 11,000 per annum if aged in your mid-30s - more than adequate cover for someone who's otherwise in good health
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DawnHRD · Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 4:38 pm Post subject:

^^^ I'm at a loss as to how wrong & dangerous diagnosis or lack of what we in the West would consider basic nursing care, such as washing patients & administering oxygen can be down to the rebuilding work, WL. Shocked

_________________
"The question is not, can they reason? Nor, can they talk? But, can they suffer?" - Jeremy Bentham, philosopher, 1748-1832

Make a dog's life better, today!

Wanderlust · Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 5:43 pm Post subject:

I didn't say rebuilding, I said improvement; part of the whole project is the retraining, replacing and hiring of new staff, as the director was not happy with what he saw when he arrived to oversee the project, which of course visibly is a new building project, but there is a lot, lot more to it than that, with state of the art computer systems being installed and new procedures being introduced to improve the service as well. Until everything comes online there will be other problems, particularly a year or more ago as that would have been when staffing and training was the major issue from what he told me.