The following is a guest post that was sent to me by Aoife Murray of RevaHealth.  I thought it was relevant because I can attest to the fact that health care in Thailand truly is first rate.  In fact, I get most of my dental and eye work done there routinely and have had occasion to use the emergency room at one of Bangkok’s top International hospitals and compared to the U.S. it was a wonderful experience.  And I’m not just saying this because my wife is a Thai nurse!

Going to hospital whilst traveling in one of the lesser developed parts of
the world is something that people normally try to avoid doing. Most people
would wait until they got home to seek delicate elective surgery. I on the
other hand decided to undergo a surgical procedure in Bangkok.

This decision may strike you as foolish at first, but despite being at the
heart of South East Asia in what is generally thought of as a developing
country, the Thai medical system is of a very high standard. Not only is it
the medical hub for patients throughout the region, but hundreds of
thousands of people fly there each year to have elective surgery, from laser
eye treatments to breast implants and facelifts. There are lots of reasons
why they come to Bangkok, but invariably quality of care and value come top
of the list. Simply put, medical care in Thailand is amongst the best in the
world and is available at rock-bottom prices.

The Thai government sees health care as the logical next step for its
hospitality industry. As the number of holiday makers going to Thailand
reaches saturation point, tourism growth has to come from other sectors. The
provision of healthcare to international travelers requires what Thailand
already has in abundance: good flight connections, plentiful accommodation
and, above all, staff who are understanding and friendly. Gleaming
hospitals, which could be mistaken for 5 star hotels, not only have luxury
rooms with all the possible amenities, but also feature suites, restaurants,
shops and cinemas. Menus from the finest restaurants in town are placed in
the best rooms. Going to hospital doesn’t mean you have to stop having fun -
this is Bangkok after all!

I should explain how I ended up in this situation – a cyst appeared on my
left temple three years ago and I had it seen to at home. The plastic
surgeon lanced and squeezed out the contents with all the skill and
precision of a builder popping a boil on his bottom. This had the temporary
effect of reducing its size to that of a small pimple. Unfortunately, while
I was backpacking in Laos, it decided to swell again, this time to the size
of a dime. This seemed like the ideal time to get it sorted out once and for
all. Surgery in Bangkok was the best option; I’d get the best medical
attention for a fraction of the cost, without having to sit on a waiting
list for six months.

I turn up at the Mission Hospital in Bangkok at 10 o’clock on a Friday
morning with no appointment. Two hours later I was exchanging pleasantries
with my surgeon. He quickly inspected the offending lump, letting me know
that a simple operation was all that was needed to completely remove it. He
took his time to ensure I knew exactly what the procedure would entail and
his demeanor was reassuring. We agreed on surgery at 11am the following
Monday. The cost, including consultation, HIV test and all surgery fees,
came to $250, about a third of what it would be at home.

When the time came I was given a pair of blue pyjamas that were obviously
one size fits all, including sumo wrestlers! I made my way to the surgery
room and lay down on the operating table. A nurse shaved any hair beside my
cyst and gave the area a good swabbing with iodine. My doctor walked into
the theatre fully gloved and masked. Just in case I was in any doubt he ran
me through the whole procedure again.

Several painless injections later I couldn’t feel the needle anymore. A
green cloth with a round hole in the centre was placed over my head, leaving
just the cyst exposed. The only clue I had as to what was going on was a
slight application of pressure followed by an occasional tug. The surgeon
constantly enquired as to whether I was feeling any pain or discomfort.
Every time I heard the snip of scissors I was sure he was finished, but then
I would feel a quick tug and know he was still cutting or stitching. How
long does it take to remove a cyst? Thirty minutes apparently. Quick
swooshes, like thread being pulled through leather, told me it was all over
and that stitches were pulling the flaps of skin back together.

Thirty minutes later I was out on the street flagging a taxi. All said and
done I spent 2 hours waiting for a consultation and an hour in surgery. Not
bad for $250!

The article was written by Caelen King, CEO of RevaHealth.com, a search
engine that makes it easy for consumers to find and compare healthcare
clinics anywhere. Caelen founded RevaHealth.com in 2006 when he realised
that those researching healthcare clinics abroad were finding the internet
to be a less than useful tool. Traditional search engines return too many
irrelevant results, meaning that potential patients must spend hours
trawling the internet to find relevant clinics. RevaHealth.com only returns
relevant information, saving people time and money in finding the best
healthcare clinics for their needs. Revahealth.com currently features over
130 dental clinics and over 80 cosmetic surgery clinics in Thailand.

Popularity: 14% [?]

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