Bangkok Phuket Hospital Group- Part 1(English Version)
I have some important information to share with you and which is useful to everyone! In early March 2009 I had the opportunity to make a complete health-check at Bangkok Phuket-Hospital, Phuket.
For this, I purchased a membership card called CHIVAWATTANA that contains a health check package for 3 years with a single purchase. With its promotion, CHIVAWATTANA membership card “Perfect Diamond” costs Thai Baht 30,000.-, this time comes with another card as a bonus. Me and my friend decided to buy this card and use the services where the most important buying decisions was that we can use the card throughout Thailand at Hospitals belong to the “Bangkok Hospital Group” as we are travelling frequently throughout Thailand due to our training and consulting business.
On my first health check, I discovered some health issues which need periodical checks to track the illness which was detected. My visits in Phuket were not impressive, but we do understand that staff tried hard to please us on several occasion especially they know that their service quality needs improvement. At one time, I had to wait for 2 hours in front of emergency room as I need to inhale the medicine. When I followed up with the nurse, the nurse did not have my record!!!!
The second visit at Bangkok Hospital in Bangkok was extremely disappointing. The operator was very confused and unknowledgeable about the procedure in dealing with CHIWAVATTANA card holders, another operation was rude when I called to ask about the direction to the hospital. When I arrived at the hospital, the receptionist greeted me “You come to check your cancer” ???? My goodness I just found out that I have cancer!!!!
But from what I know I do not have cancer!!! I did feel like crying! Even after they confirmed that they are wrong, they not offer one word of apology. We were sent to see the doctor and the doctor said she cannot access our files or history at their own sister-hospital in Phuket. As a patient, I really don’t see the point why we had to see the doctor, what would she know even we had the result of the check-up. Would she be able to analyze we are better or worse without having patients’ history / record?
The doctor actually tried to click on the computer and she was mumbling why there were no our record. Finally, she said that she wondered why we need to meet up with her. After speaking for several hours to the head of customer service I can only say that I have no confidence anymore with this hospital.
They cannot access our history from their sister hospitals as it was promised when we did spend the money for the member card. Again, as frequent travelers, we make decision to buy this card because we will be able to use the service throughout Thailand within their sister-hospitals. If patients’ information is not linked, why the card is designed for the patient to use any hospital within the Bangkok Hospital Group, in the medical science, patients’ information is very so important for doctor’s analysis – really in my case, the CHIWAVATTANA Card is what for?
As a patient, I can only feel that the card is for the hospital to make money out of the patient, while the patient has to suffer from the unethical system that does not support the comfort and SAFETY of the patient. I can only recommend the following:
1. If you buy this card, please ensure you are in good health. So, after each check, then there is no need for the hospital to care for you any longer because you are in good health.
2. Even the advertising gives the impression that you can use the card in all hospitals in the same group (Bangkok Hospital Group) you better go to the same hospital where you did buy the card to ensure there will be some data to compare how the sickness developed over time. (The facts must be mentioned to patients!!!).
3. If you have a serious sickness, you just have to go to other hospitals to get a treatment because the patients’ information could not be linked (This should be informed, so that the patients can plan their lives better). I talked for hours with customer service! They verbally informed that they understand that we have been misinformed, that we have been sold something which is not working right now!!!!!!!!!!! I only can say, Bangkok Hospital, you only have “outer beauty”, but filled with “unethical practices”.
Nate-tra Dhevabanchachai, Honorary Advisor / Director, Mai-BS (THAILAND) http://mai-bs.com Nate-tra Dhevabanchachai, Program Director at Travel Industry Management Division and Acting General Manager at Salaya Pavilion Hotel and Training Center at Mahidol University International College http://www.mahidol.ac.th
Good, Bad, Ethical and Un-Ethical Services and Practices in Thailand 
I used to have an issue with Bangkok Phuket Hospital as well. The Medical Certificate for the insurance did not correspond with the actual facts as in Patients file which resulted me loosing over Baht 50,000.- The medical certificate did show that the illness was ‘chronic’ (NOT TRUE) and the problems existed since 6 months (Again, WRONG INFORMATION and a obvious lie!)!!
The insurance company refused to pay becasue of this wrong information since i was only a member with this insurance for the past 4 months!
I still keep the copy of both, the medical certificate issued to the insurance company and a copy of actual medical file!! I should have sued them and make it public as well.
For me, this hospitals does not have any ethics and values at all!! They even refused to even give me a discount!! It was all their fault! The Management is arrogant and bad and only care about high revenues from foreigners and middle eastern medical tourists. The management of this hospital does not have any sense for customer service, kindness and understanding.
There was one Gentlemen called Mr. Kenneth who as a kind of customer service agent taking care for foreigners. He did understand my point and fully agreed that the hospital is at fault. I think he lost the job right after this!
Just another pretty-face hotel. Thanks for the info ka. Very useful.