Thailand popular with medical tourists

Maybe good to show a different point of view of Thai private hospitals. Last year I fell backwards with my chair and a flaming pain in my left shoulder as a result. The diagnosis after an X ray made the next day at HuaHin hospital was : 2 weeks in a sling and then physiotherapy. Indeed the pain decreased. After 5 months I stopped doing this on my own initiative. Two weeks later the pain in both shoulders became unbearable. searched the internet with an impressive resume and ended up in the Samitivej Hospital. After two mri scans (almost 40.000 Tbht) the surgeon in question told me that a complete arthropatry in both arms / shoulders was necessary. (= sawing off both heads of my humerus and replaced by metal or plastic heads and repair of the tendons. Costs 1 million baht. (Operation comparable to a hip operation and .... to be repeated again after 10 years. I have never been told this consequence at all in the Samitivej). advice from my Thai partner to the Siriraj Hospital (= government hospital, connected to Mahidol University. The Thai king also stayed here for months) for a second opinion. After really waiting a full day for my turn (among exclusively Thai people) I got I my consultation (in the evening at 7 o'clock !!! with my orthopedic surgeon.
His advice was only to repair my broken tendons (due to my previous fall) in my left and right shoulder and absolutely no sawing off the 2 upper arm bones. Cost 200.000 Thb.
One operation has now been performed, after a waiting period of almost 2 months and under the watchful eye of aspiring surgeons, and the second will follow at the end of November on my other shoulder.
What is actually meant by promoting the accessibility of Thai private hospitals?
Indeed, the expertise of the doctors is at a very high level, as well as the perfect, most advanced equipment. But the art (not skill) to extract as much money as possible from the pocket of the ignorant patient for unnecessary operations is at the very highest level.
Be wary and don't blindly trust an understanding Thai doctor.
Chelsea

Here in the village where I live (North-East Brabant) mistakes and ignorance also occur. Right here, where I was born and raised, I expected that this same hospital, which offered me the same care and expertise for me, would do the same for my mother.

Unfortunately the truth was different. She has worked here for more than 25 years in the local factory, and was now rejected at home with arthritis in her knee after what I thought was a ridiculous WIA test. She was therefore allowed to receive 40% benefit and she would have to supplement the rest with a job. Apply of course. Write a letter every week, because people are considered suitable for professions such as taxi driver, electrician, etc. This was around 2007, and my mother was receiving a so-called benefit through the WIA.

After complaints to her stomach, my mother went to the doctor. My mother had clearly indicated that she could tolerate little or no food anymore. We didn't trust this either, and took her to the doctor. This one told my mother that maybe she was a bit depressed, and should have a better eating pattern. Anyway, my mother indicated time and time again that she was very ill with stomach complaints and nausea. So finally after weeks of research in the hospital. The kind that turns you completely inside out. My mother got weaker and weaker. But they found nothing. Even a CT scan turned up nothing. And the oncyologist sent my mother off on a diet. "Be glad you don't have cancer, ma'am."

My mother had already lost quite a bit of weight, about 15 kilos. She did not trust this and finally decided not to wait again. We couldn't do anything at that time. I was still thinking about a second opinion in another hospital. But she was too disappointed and exhausted for that. She told us that she would like to go to her sister in Bangkok to do an investigation. Immediately treated in a reputable hospital upon arrival. After half a day of research, read half a day, metastatic liver cancer was found. Too late!

This is about 4 years ago when this happened to us, and it still shudders. But I do know that health insurance has become considerably more expensive and that it is only getting more expensive. I mean..how can you get treatment in Thailand and for the same amount you will be sent to the grave here? With the current government session, we are probably just going to pay even more. Everything is cut back, everything for the benefit of the European economy.