Medical Tourism In Thailand

Thousands of Americans and Europeans are realising that they can get medical care overseas for a fraction of the price they pay at home - without any compromise on the quality of the medical care they receive.

The Asian edition of Time magazine is running an article about medical tourism in Thailand and Asia in their current issue. (The article seems to have appeared in the US version of Time back in May). It's an excellent insight into why so many people are starting to come from America and Europe to get treated here in Thailand and elsewhere in Asia. Here's the opening couple of paragraphs of the Time article:

Whiplash was just the first agony that Kevin Miller, 45, suffered in a car accident last July. The second was sticker shock. The self-employed and uninsured chiropractor from Eunice, La., learned that it would cost $90,000 to get the herniated disk in his neck repaired. So, over the objections of his doctors, he turned to the Internet and made an appointment with Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok, the marble-floored mecca of the medical trade that--with its liveried bellhops, fountains and restaurants--resembles a grand hotel more than a clinic. There a U.S.-trained surgeon fixed Miller's injured disk for less than $10,000. "I wouldn't hesitate to come back for another procedure," says Miller, who was recovering last week at the Westin Grande in Bangkok.

With this surgical sojourn, his first trip outside the U.S., Miller joined the swelling ranks of medical tourists. As word has spread about the high-quality care and cut-rate surgery available in such countries as India, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, a growing stream of uninsured and underinsured Americans are boarding planes not for the typical face-lift or tummy tuck but for discount hip replacements and sophisticated heart surgeries. Bumrungrad alone, according to CEO Curtis Schroeder, saw its stream of American patients climb to 55,000 last year, a 30% rise. Three-quarters of them flew in from the U.S.; 83% came for noncosmetic treatments. Meanwhile, India's trade in international patients is increasing at the same rate. [Read full article]

I've (thankfully) not had any major surgery at a hospital in Thailand, but over the last year I've been in and out of three of the main hospitals here in Bangkok. Just yesterday I was getting my teeth fixed at Bangkok Hospital - for 3 cavities to be filled (ouch) and a teeth cleaning, I was charged 7000 Baht, which is about $190 US. Previous to that, I had to visit Rutnin Eye Hospital, which is Bangkok's eye specialist medical centre. I have something peculiar going on with my eyes which means I need more than just regular eyesight checkups. And before that, I've also been to Bumrungrad Hospital for blood tests and innoculations.

In all three cases, these hospitals are immaculately run - they are temples of cleanliness and modernity, and frankly, in a lot better state than the hospitals I've seen in the UK. Bumrungrad is the hospital which has won all the plaudits and is the most famous hospital here, but for my money Bangkok Hospital provides the better service, as well as being somewhat cheaper. Rutnin also provides exemplary service for eyesight consultations. Naturally, in all the hospitals the doctors speak excellent English and also have comprehensive translation centres too for Arabic languages.

Obviously my own very minor procedures at these hospitals cannot be used as a vouchsafe for major surgery - but I would certainly say that savvy backpackers coming to Thailand should consider getting teeth and eye checkups while in the country because it will be a lot cheaper than at home - and, of course, it's a lot cheaper to get glasses made here too. Cosmetic surgery is also meant to be much cheaper in Thailand too.

For those facing a huge bill for larger medical procedures, I would suggest you browse the websites of the above and at least get in contact with them to find out what the cost and process of your operation would require. TripAdvisor.com also has several threads on their forums about other peoples' experiences of Bangkok hospitals in general and Rutnin Hospital and Bumrungrad in particular which are definitely worth checking out.