Bangkok Hospital Udon Thani

[socksy]

Sorry Paul - was this Hospital near the seaside as it was her "gull bladder"? Only joking.

[bumper]

My wife only has to go sign up for the thirty baht plan. As long a I'm alive she will have Bupa. But after that she can't afford it.

She told me that two weeks ago. Has she went yet no.

[pauludon]

Sorry for the misspelling

[trubrit]

Okay this is Bangkok Hospital but in my experience they are not alone .
A couple of days ago my 16year step son got involved in a fight at school and got a bloodied nose. His teacher took him to Bangkok hospital where he was cleaned up and sent out again in just an hour .the bill showed 700bht medical services, which is reasonable I suppose, but added to that was a charge for prescription of 'medication" of 1,00bht.Photo attached.

For a bloody nose?
In my long experience here in Thailand whenever you go to a hospital or clinic they either dish out pills like smarties or stick a bloody needle in your posterior .It's not the cost that amazes me as it was covered by the school insurance, but the practise. No wonder our medical insurance cover costs so much. :-"

[joepai]

The reason they do (have been told by a Doctor) is that a Thai will not feel 'looked after' unless they leave the hospital with their bag of smarties - the more different colours the better

[socksy]

Maybe they prescribe them hoping that one will in fact work. I've had the same experience and had some that I never even used. I know the Doctor wants Thai patients to be looked after but what about foreigners. Recently I had to go back to hospital two weeks after breaking ribs. I was told no food or water after 8 pm the night previous which I complied with. I had only returned from the UK three weeks previously where I saw the expert Doctor in relation to my Diabetes which he agreed was totally under control. On return to Bangkok Hospital they discovered my blood/sugar level was high. Trying to convince them that it was due to me having to 'fast' from 8 pm and having no breakfast/insulin before my 9 am appointment was virtually impossible and told them my UK consultant was extremely happy with my condition. They wanted to admit me to a ward but eventually I managed to sign a disclaimer, went home and resumed control myself. Hate to think of the cost if I was admitted and for how long.

[bumper]

The real money on a Dr's visit is in the Pharmacy. I've asked the Dr. to write prescription before they did it. Of course they will tell you their medicine is better even down to Tylenol. It's a crock.

There a private business and are there to make money.

[trubrit]

The real money on a Dr's visit is in the Pharmacy. I've asked the Dr. to write prescription before they did it. Of course they will tell you their medicine is better even down to Tylenol. It's a crock.

There a private business and are there to make money.

Agree Ray, but there is the ethics to consider of prescribing medication that is unnecessary. We are talking about shoving chemicals into our system, not chocolate drops.All my son needed was a bit of cotton wool up his nostril.
I could understand if the Dr's fee was larger.Many of these meds are less effective if taken too frequently, and have unpleasant side effects.

[trubrit]

Out of curiosity I have just Googled the five medications he was given.
1. Paracetamol. A pain killer.
2. Sumidin.(Serrapeptas)For the treatment of obesity.
3. Amexytcillin.For Pneunomia, bronchittis & gonorrhea.
4. Lorita (lortad) A narcotic.
5. Pseudoephedrine.An anti histamine for allergies.
The first is about the only one there may be some justification for I would think .Many names are generic specific to Thailand and of course may have multiple uses besides that listed on Google , but a bloody nose? He is not fat, nor has he got the clap, as far as I know. :-"

[jackspratt]

There a private business and are there to make money.

That seems to precisely describe the US health system - pre-Obamacare of course.

[Balthasar G.]

3. Amexytcillin.For Pneunomia, bronchittis & gonorrhea

Your stepson might not have told you the full anamnesis ...

[Stantheman]

3. Amexytcillin.For Pneunomia, bronchittis & gonorrhea

I might see the Doctor wanting to use this one as a preventive measure as it is a general antibiotic for infections. Saying this I also think antibiotics are over used and personally would not take unless an infection occurred.

[bumper]

3. Amexytcillin.For Pneunomia, bronchittis & gonorrhea

I might see the Doctor wanting to use this one as a preventive measure as it is a general antibiotic for infections. Saying this I also think antibiotics are over used and personally would not take unless an infection occurred.

The problem of course is that they are used so widely here they eventually lose their effectiveness. School nurse was with the your son as I understand he original message. The schools insurance footing the bill?

Personally I ask what each medication use is. Tylenol, that is where I always draw the line.

Trubrit have you thought about contacting Kurt and asking him what is going on?

I doubt there will be many justification in most of those meds.

But, as a parent I would want to know why they were prescribed. Certainly before I gave them to him. Fights and a bloody nose part of growing up. Doesn't sound like a trip to the hospital wasn't needed in the first place.

Who knows what the doctor was told. Personally if I were you I would want to know.

If you find out you can share if you wish. Maybe it will be to personal to the family.

But, something isn't right. Finding the root cause would be important to me.

John has helped me out in the past in getting the bill down.

I don't know what situation Kurt is in. But, he has always been helpful to me in the past. But. I'm sure he has limits to what he can do.

Good Luck

[Khun Paul]

A few years ago, I did a news report on the over-use of Antibiotics and the figure was truly enormous. There isd no doubt world-wide the over-prescription of antibiotics will slowly and in some cases is making getting better harder as the little buggers( the bugs ) become immune to the drugs .
herre they even have antibiotics for eating crap food, what mote can you say.
Coming from a family of doctors i was told that any course of antibiotics kills not only the bad bugs but the good ones as well. therefore for at least 3 months, after a course the whole body and the digestive system is at risk, until you have built up a batch of good bugs. Simplified I know but here with the doctors prescribing vast quantities and rarely check on the outcome it is no wonder so many here are ill permanently.

personally I self medicate unless I am unable to determine the cause and symptoms, i take antibiotics for only the serious stuff and then judiciously

[trubrit]

Actually this incident sums up the many frustrations I have here in Thailand .First let me say I am not complaining about the total cost. I understand that to become a Doctor takes many years of learning and is expensive to do, without income, whilst those less devoted can be earning a salary from the moment they leave college .Therefore I expect to pay a higher sum for their services when practising eventually.I wouldn't have objected if the Dr's fee was triple that charged or if the hospital charged more for the services provided.No, it's the dangerous and totally unnecessary over prescribing of medication to boost the bill that worries me.To give an anti biotic in case of infection, not to cure one is irresponsible. Why stop there? Give him abortion tablets in case he gets pregnant, or any other" in case" scenario. Yes we have injections against epidemic diseases spreading, that's understandable, but for a bleeding nose?As for the suggestion of taking it up with anyone at the hospital. :-" I am in it deep with the missus for even taking the photo. Why I want to make trouble seems to be the consensus of opinion .Doesn't surprise me though, that's the normal reaction I get when querying anything to do with the kids, from why hasn't he been at school for a week(The other grades are having tests) to, why doesn't he wear a helmet when riding the motor bike (he's not going far) Hence my frustration. Doesn't stop me from thinking though, thankfully this forum gives me an outlet to vent them .Just learnt he has got to go back for another appointment this Sunday. Suppose can expect to see another collection of brightly coloured sweeties put into there own little carrier bag by the pharmacist .

[bumper]

Understood same at my house. Any chance the school nurse might need the other meds, for someone else?

[trubrit]

Understood same at my house. Any chance the school nurse might need the other meds, for someone else?

No , he brought them all home, suppose there will be another bag full Sunday.

[parrot]

I must be out of touch with modern medical techniques.....I didn't know people went to hospitals for bloody noses.........although I've just googlediscovered that you shouldn't lean back to stop a bloody nose - for fear of choking on your own blood. Well, that always worked for me....probably a hundred or more times when I was a kid.

[trubrit]

I must be out of touch with modern medical techniques.....I didn't know people went to hospitals for bloody noses.........although I've just googlediscovered that you shouldn't lean back to stop a bloody nose - for fear of choking on your own blood. Well, that always worked for me....probably a hundred or more times when I was a kid.

I personally wouldn't have taken him there, but I presume the school aware of it's obligations were protecting themselves as the incident occurred on their premises .

[Udon Map]

For a bloody nose?

I agree. Way too many pills given out here. I find it no different at Bumrungrad; notwithstanding that I'm very happy with the care I've received there on the three occasions I've visited for non-trivial emergencies.