Bangkok Hospital vs Bumrungrad?

[Chas]

I am trying to set up a routine procedure at a hospital in Bkk and wonder if anyone has personal experience with Bangok Hospital which has so far come across as very friendly and professional. . and 10,000 baht cheaper that Bumrungrad.

I have gone to Bumrungrad in the past and found them on the expensive side but OK. Have had my annual physical there for the past four years. (Yes I know it can be done locally but I dont want to get this thread cluttered with ratings of San Paulo and Pecharat . . .and call me spoiled but I want an English-speaking doctor.

Bumrungrad has just lost my business because of their absolutely lousy internet department. It took me a week and TEN emails both through their own website and through my email server before I got a hurried apology by phone and finally an appointment. ( Which I will cancel in a day or two.)

TEN emails!!?? . . .what kind of business ignores a good paying customer for a week and pays no attention to its own website appointment setup?

Anyway, Bangkok Hospital answered me within an hour ( that's within ONE HOUR!!) and so did one other hospital in Bangkok ("Piyarat or something like that.") The fact that a doctor replied with a long email and actually proved very helpful impressed the hell out of me.

But I want to get the real scoop on Bangkok hospital and any personal experiences or web locations with customer comments would be welcome.

[Nereus]

I have gone to Bumrungrad in the past and found them on the expensive side but OK.
Bumrungrad has just lost my business .....

TEN emails!!?? . . .what kind of business ignores a good paying customer for a week and pays no attention to its own website appointment setup?

Many Thai busines`s have the same problem!

But I want to get the real scoop on Bangkok hospital and any personal experiences or web locations with customer comments would be welcome.

Bumrungrad sucks, period!

Bangkok General is part of Dusit Medical Services Group, and I have had the same BS with their web site. TIT.

However, my daughters baby was born there and I have had a couple of visits myself, and have to say I cannot fault their medical proceedures.
They have excellent facilities and well trained, english speaking doctors.
They have many Middle Eastern patients and have interperators on staff for them, along with an English speaking interperator if required.
BNH is part of the group and also has a good reputation, but the cost will be the same.

[da]

I want to put in a plug for BNH in BKK its farang friendly, ultra modern clean etc etc. You won't think your in a hospital In Thailand.

[DawnHRD]

Disagree with BNH. My Mum got a wrong result from there when she got breast cancer for the first time. They gave her a negative. If she hadn't been doubtful & gone for a second opinion, she could be dead now.

Afraid I have no knowledge of Bangkok Hospital, but just to confuse you further, I was very impressed with Thonburi when my BF was in there a year ago.

[Terry]

Maybe different hospitals are better at different things!

Both my sons were born In Bumungrad. Mrs.T got superb treatment, with the birth registrations also done.

OK - we paid the top package but I believe it was worth every Satang.

[Mack111]

i used Bangkok Hospital twice and thought them to be good

[Winkie]

I have only praise for Bumrungrad. Fell confi

I've never used Bangkok Hospital, but also have heard many good things about it.

Winkie

[Chas]

Thanks to those who posted here. I have set up with Bangkok Hospital for next week and I will post on how I find the place in comparison to Bumrungrad.

I cancelled my appointment at Bumrungrad ( after ten days of attempting to arrange it! ) I have had my annual physical there for the last four years and I noticed that the general quality of the place deteriorated over that time. ( As the price skyrocketed!! ) The first year it was terrific. Last year it was more disorganized, less professional and I chanced to get an idiot doctor who was barely civil.

Anyway, Bangkok Hospital came in at 10,000 baht cheaper than Bumrungrad for a standard proceedure.

[da]

Disagree with BNH. My Mum got a wrong result from there when she got breast cancer for the first time. They gave her a negative. If she hadn't been doubtful & gone for a second opinion, she could be dead now.

Afraid I have no knowledge of Bangkok Hospital, but just to confuse you further, I was very impressed with Thonburi when my BF was in there a year ago.

Went to BNH for a low risk, non life threatening outcome dependent procedure. On Thonburi I'll second you, been to Thonburi 1 and 2 and I found that for a Thai Style hospital superior to San Paolo or the old Hua Hin Hospital. (Haven't tried the new one under const)

[Nereus]

I post the link below purely as a point of discussion. It could happen,and probably has, in any hospital anywhere. And it has no connection with my previous opinion of Bumrungrad, which was formed from my personal experience with them.

http://www.bumrungraddeath.com/

[da]

Bummer San Paolo has rap to where people check in but they don't check out.

[PeteC]

A bit off topic as refers to Bangkok-Pattaya hospital, but close enough. The same Corp.

Used to be an outstanding place, compassion and reasonable prices. That was around 2003 and before. After that they started building a new multi million dollar wing and the compassion went out the window and the prices rocketed to the moon. Perhaps the same is true of their other branches, including Bangkok, to make sure the share holders get a good return on investiment?

As an example. My partner dropped a full coke can on her big toe and it hit just the right way behind the nail to slightly fracture the bone. You can't put a splint on these things, only tape and wait for it to heal. Cost 2,300 Baht. A few weeks later the nail was turning black and the toe swelling. Drilled hole in the toe nail to let out the bad blood deposited there. Cost 1,700 Baht. A few weeks later, the new nail is growing in and trying to push the old nail off. Doctor gave local anesthetic and pulled off the old nail. Cost 2,700 Baht!, bloody more than the initial fee for the fracture. The bills are loaded with "nurses fees", these nurses stand around and witnesses what the doctor is doing, no more than that. Tape, iodine, pain killers, cotton balls and all that other crap is charged at a cost equal to an American or European hospital.

Take a look at all their hospital branches, and probably others. You will see nurses 5-8 deep at every desk in every department standing around and chatting. I guess they have to hire all the nursing graduates year in and year out, regardles of need for them.

My advice, if anyone is thinking of "medical tourism" in Thailand, do it quick or forever forget about it, at least at the first rate hospitals here. You'll get an equal price and probably better quality staff in your home country. The private Thai clinics here in Pattaya are now packed with expats, who before only went to BPH...go figure. Pete

[Chas]

I just realize that in the rush of the last weeks, I never did say how things turned out at Bangkok Hospital after my rejection of my old standby Bumrungrad.

In short, I was very impressed. Excellent service all the way through from reception to nurses to doctors. Everyone very friendly and professional. The only tiny complaint is that it is hard to find and hard to get around. It seems to be seven different hospitals clustered around the same name. But they help you and get you to the right place by golf cart if necessary. Getting the prescriptions was much less of a hassle. One counter, fast personal service, unlike Bumrungrad's 20 window assembly line.

I liked it a lot though. The bill came through at LESS than I expected
Bumrungrad was charging 22,000 baht, BH quoted me 12,000 and I actually paid about 7,000. How often does THAT happen?

I intend to use BH from now on for my annual physical.

My gripe with Bumrungrad ( apart from cost) was their totally incompetent appointment scheduling website and personnell. Dreadful!

With BH, I had a medical question which I emailed. Nothing urgent, just a concern. They called me within 10 minutes!!! I actually corresponded with a single very nice person the entire time ( I also had to reschedule and they were very accommodating.)

[PeteC]

Point and counter point, Chas...LOL. I paid just a bit less to get her toe nail (finally) removed as you did for a complete physical. I also paid only 300 baht more for 18 months of immunization vaccines for my daughter at the same place, seems out of balance to me. Perhaps something peculilar to BPH due to their new wing. It's just sad that it's so much "in your face" as compared to the way they were before. Pete