Applying for insurance at Phuket hospitals - Phuket International and Provincial

The story is long, since at first my son was in a hospital in Phuket, then he was transferred to the capital Bangkok. Therefore, I split the story into two parts, deciding to tell separately about each hospital and the conditions of stay in it. Perhaps this information will be useful to someone. Before you go to the hospital, you can roughly imagine what awaits there. Well, in advance, you will get a subjective idea of ​​Thai medicine.

The content of the article

How ERV insurance worked

Life hack. If you buy using the link, it will be 12% cheaper and you will be given the option "Telemedicine" as a gift. This is an online consultation with Russian doctors, you can always find out whether to go to the hospital, clarify the prescription of a Thai doctor, ask about medications, etc.. detailed instructions.

ERV insurance with a 12% discount>

Insurance in all 3 hospitals worked perfectly. I myself am still surprised. It's great that I made the right decision and bought ERV. Yes, it is not cheap, but I saved a lot of money on it in the end.

I recommend buying it at least for children. How many times have I already advised it, everyone was satisfied. They are the best in Tae now.

My feedback on the work of the insurance ERV and its assistance, you can read the link. There is about the work of insurance, as well as the whole story in brief, for those who care about the choice of insurance and it is not relevant to read the whole story.

Phuket Provincial Hospital

The hospital has other names: Phuket Public Health Center or Bor Jor Hospital. But most often it is called Phuket Provincial Hospital, in fact, on its website it also sounds like that.

Reception at the doctor

On December 31, Yegor's temperature went up to 39 and he began to cough, whether he got infected, or something else. We decided to wait until morning to take a look. On January 1st, it didn't get any better, so in the morning I called the phone number listed on the ERV insurance policy and told me what had happened. They asked only the number of the policy, the date of arrival and departure, they did not ask for scans of the passport. Asistens reacted quickly, after 20 minutes they called back and sent an SMS with the address of the hospital, it turned out to be a hospital with as many as three names.

Since I ordered a taxi through GrabTaxi, and the application knew such a hospital, I simply told the taxi driver to go by GPS (he stubbornly did not want to understand the name). Honestly, I was embarrassed that we were sent to such a hospital, I thought that, by analogy with Samui, it would be Bangkok Hospital or Phuket International Hospital at least (well, judging by the reviews).

Upon arrival, it became clear that this is mainly a hospital for Thais (state?), Since I did not see foreigners in it. But there was an English-speaking employee who looked after us (he spoke well, by the way). However, like all hospitals in Tae, Provincial looked better than some similar institutions even in Moscow, not to mention the regions..

The first thing that alerted me was that there was no letter of guarantee from the insurance company, although 2-3 hours had passed since my call. I called the insurance (how to make cheap calls from Thailand to Russia) and they assured me that there should be a letter of guarantee. I asked to check the Thais again. After 10 minutes, the hospital said that the letter had arrived. It's great that there was no need to leave a deposit, neither a passport, nor money. Admission and medications are immediately guaranteed by the ERV insurance company.

I didn't really like that the doctor looked at the child superficially, hardly listened, offered no tests, just prescribed antibiotics and two antipyretics. On the one hand, I can understand him, Yegor was still energetic then, you cannot imagine future bronchitis. But in principle, this is a standard situation for Thailand, prescribe antibiotics at a high temperature and wait a few days.

The bill for a visit to the doctor, weight / height measurement by a nurse, 4 syrups (antibiotic, paracetamol, ibuprofen, bromhexine) was 3024 baht. Everything was paid for by the insurance ERV, that is, we just took and left the hospital.

Provinvial Phuket Hospital

Provinvial Phuket Hospital

There are ATMs, a playground, in general there is a lot of space

There are ATMs, a playground, in general there is a lot of space

But still pretty simple

But still pretty simple

Prescribed medication and dispensed immediately

Prescribed medication and dispensed immediately

On the map

Phuket Provincial Hospital

Phuket Provincial Hospital
A little-known hospital in Phuket among the Farangs, but it seems to have a high rating. It is also Phuket Public Health Center or Bor Jor Hospital. Located outside Phuket Town.
More details.

A little-known hospital in Phuket among the Farangs, but it seems to have a high rating. It is also Phuket Public Health Center or Bor Jor Hospital. Located outside Phuket Town. More details.

Phuket International Hospital

Let me remind you that if you are traveling to Thailand, then you definitely need to make travel insurance, since medicine in Thailand is very expensive. I got 2 million rubles, but the insurance paid for everything. I have very useful post on the topic of insurance, with a rating of insurance for Thailand and all the nuances: how to use, how to choose, etc. Be sure to read.

Insurance rating>

Doctor's appointment and hospital

After 2 days, it did not get better, I called the insurance company again and said that I needed a second appointment. Only this time I asked which hospitals they were still sending, since I didn't really like Provincial. Not quite willingly, but sent to International, saying that they had a lot of clients served in Provincial and were happy. Perhaps they were right, but more on that below..

Grabtaxi and we are back in the hospital. There are a lot of foreigners here, in general there are a lot of people, there are Russian-speaking employees. But again there was no letter of guarantee. I had to call again and ask to send a letter of guarantee. Who is stupid at this stage, I still do not understand, Thais in the insurance department of the hospital or asistens. Some years ago there was a situation with another insurance, the hospital, after the doctor's appointment, asked me to send a scan of my passport to an e-mail, and I did it 3 times, and they could not get it until I tried to send it from Google (that is, not Russian mail). The passport was not taken as a deposit again, although another Russian couple was issued next to me and they were asked for a deposit (passport or 5000 baht), they did not see what kind of insurance they had.

Further, despite the large flow of people, Yegor was weighed, his temperature was measured and he was received by the doctor. She spoke English so-so. But at the same time I liked it more than the doctor from Phuket Provincial Hospital. I listened attentively, said that it was necessary to do a blood test, an X-ray due to suspected pneumonia, and an IV due to dehydration. That is, everything is as it should be. Somewhere in total, 2-3 hours after our arrival, all the results were already ready, and Yegor was lying under a dropper.

After seeing a doctor at Phuket International Hospital

After seeing a doctor at Phuket International Hospital

Actually, after that we were hospitalized with a diagnosis of bronchitis and dehydration. By the way, there was no pneumonia then., Dengue also, bronchitis and some kind of infection (possibly whooping cough). Well, about whooping cough, this is already my conjecture, it hurt the cough was nasty, although without whistles and relatively productive. In any case, Egor was prescribed an antibiotic that is also prescribed for whooping cough, so the doctor did not really talk about this topic, he said that since the antibiotic takes into account this infection, then it does not matter.

Prescribed antibiotics Azithromycin and Klaforan, expectorant Carbotstein, inhalation in a nebulizer with Ventolin, droppers with dextrose and antipyretic paracetamol with iburprofen. The attending physician was Dr. Chart (Chart Suriyawuthitham), as I understand it, he is praised in Phuket. It also seemed to us adequate at first..

For 5 days in the hospital and 1 day in intensive care, they counted 134 thousand baht. I think the reanimation has gobbled up most of the amount, the bills there are generally unrealistic, about 50-100 thousand baht per day. The insurance ERV paid for everything, they just gave me my passport and they took us to the airport.

Of the pluses

The ward resembled a decent hotel room: a large area, air conditioning, a bathroom with a shower, refrigerator, TV, kettle, cups, folding sofa for the accompanying (them), towels and soap accessories, including a toothbrush. In addition, a nebulizer built into the wall, an electric bed (tilt and height adjustment). The cost is 1800 baht per day. I remember that even before the fall in the ruble exchange rate, we paid 6,000 rubles per day in the Morozov hospital for a separate ward and did not even have half of the above..

ERV insurance with a 12% discount>

The nurse came every 2-3 hours to give medicine, take temperature, or on call if something was needed. Food is also brought and taken away to patients. And my wife and I went to a cafe on the first floor.

Well, and most importantly, hospitals in Thailand, like in many other countries, operate in the format «hotel». The child can be accompanied by at least two parents, guests can come, you can freely come / go, no shoe covers / dressing gowns / quarantines. That is, the human conditions in which «Nice» cheer.

Ward at Phuket International Hospital

Ward at Phuket International Hospital

There is a TV, a refrigerator, a sofa for parents,

There is a TV, a refrigerator, a sofa for parents,

Each ward has its own toilet and shower

Each ward has its own toilet and shower

The cost of individual wards, you can take a higher price

The cost of individual wards, you can take a higher price

Phuket International Hospital

Phuket International Hospital

Several floors, access, except for the hospital, is free from the street

Several floors, access, except for the hospital, free from the street

Public toilet in the hospital

Public toilet in the hospital

Department of Pediatrics, hospital

Department of Pediatrics, hospital

Small green area where you can take a walk with your child

Small green area where you can take a walk with your child

Looks pretty cute and encouraging

Looks pretty cute and encouraging

Looks pretty cute and encouraging

Looks pretty cute and encouraging

Special cars for children where you can hang a dropper and go for a walk

Special cars for children where you can hang a dropper and go for a walk

Downstairs Cafe Menu

Downstairs Cafe Menu

Of the cons

Not serious, since you can bring your own food. Hospital diet food is not particularly suitable for a child. Some cheap powdered juice or hot chocolate from a bag, rice with vegetables with soy sauce or seasoning, boiled mung bean for some reason strongly sweetened, fried eggs were overcooked. I know that many people feed their children and Coca-Cola from sneakers, but we do not give this, and besides, the hospital is, after all, a diet.

ERV insurance with a 12% discount>

But it is much more important that we had a whole saga with doctors regarding expectorant / antitussive drugs. First, Egor was prescribed Carbotstein, which is a mucolytic. A few days later, we complained that the child had too much mucus, he was constantly coughing, could not stop, and even vomited. The doctor suggested a remedy to give a remedy for vomiting ... Logic kick-ass! We tried to explain again, and the doctor prescribed a cough suppressant Levopront.

I confess that I did not immediately realize that something was wrong. But I'm not a doctor either! Any normal pediatrician will tell you that antitussives (Levopront, Sinekod, Stoptussin, etc.) should not be given with a wet cough, you can get pneumonia instead of bronchitis, and categorically should not be given simultaneously with mucolytics. In principle, it is not recommended to give mucolytics to small children, because they stupidly may not have enough strength to cough up the increased volume of secretion. I have a habit of double-checking everything, but this time I realized myself too late. There was a complication and bronchitis still turned into pneumonia, the secretion was pumped out 3 times, as it clogged all the bronchi and the child almost suffocated. As a result, a day in intensive care and transportation by plane to Bangkok to the hospital Samitivej (continuation of a story).

Hospital food is more suitable for adults than children

Hospital food is more suitable for adults than children

Hospital food is more suitable for adults than children

Hospital food is more suitable for adults than children

Resuscitation in Phuket International Hospital

Resuscitation in Phuket International Hospital

On the map

Phuket International Hospital

Phuket International Hospital
One of the most popular hospitals in Phuket for farangs. Located on the highway near Big C and close to Phuket Town.
More details.

One of the most popular hospitals in Phuket for farangs. Located on the highway near Big C and close to Phuket Town. More details.

P.S. If you contacted Phuket International, write in the comments how it went. Maybe it's just that we are so unlucky.