I just wanted to put this out there for anyone who may be seeking medical treatment in Bangkok: I had a very good experience at BNH Hospital, located on Convent Road in Silom. Yes, they are expensive but in this case I definitely got what I paid for! If you can afford it or your insurance covers it, I would highly recommend going to them for any medical issues. I am briefly outlining my experience with the diagnosis and treatment of an ovarian cyst below in case anyone wants to know more.
I had been experiencing moderate abdominal pain on and off for many months and had put it down to various reasons: indigestion, lactose intolerance, a stitch from running too fast, just one of those things, etc. However, after it occurred three days in a row this February, the husband and I decided it was time to have it checked out. Our insurance carrier recommended BNH Hospital, as did many Thai colleagues. So off we went to meet a GP on Sunday morning.
The hospital lobby resembles a hotel more than a regular hospital. It's clean, spacious, and very calming. It's the kind of hospital I'd generally make fun of ("What is this, a spa or a medical facility?!") but to be honest, the soothing atmosphere really helped later in the day. The folks at the information (reception?) desk at the entrance had us sign up, answer a few basic questions about what was wrong, and led us to the waiting room. We had only a 10-minute wait before meeting the doctor. Unfortunately, it was not "nothing" as we had been hoping. The doctor felt a large "mass" in my abdomen during his examination and proceeded to look rather worried. I was sent for a pregnancy test immediately, after which I was escorted for an ultrasound. After this, we were led to the Women's Health Centre to meet a gynaecologist.
Of course, I was in a complete panic by this time, so the calm demeanor of the staff and the pretty gardens next to the exam rooms were very welcome. The results from the ultrasound were given to the gynaecologist very quickly and we were able to meet him after a brief wait. He confirmed the presence of a large fluid ovarian lesion (I wasn't able to feel it because it was fluid!), and recommended a pap smear, CA 125 test (cancer marker), and CT scan. The pap smear and blood test were conducted immediately, and I came back the next day for the CT scan. The entire experience was scary and awful, of course, but it would have been far more horrible without the kind English-speaking nurse who explained each step to me, the clean surroundings, and the fact that my gynaecologist met the radiologist as soon as it was over and confirmed the fact that the cyst was completely fluid-filled (good news because cancerous cysts are usually solid or complex).
Still, I wasn't out of the woods yet. Because my cyst had grown so large, I needed surgery to remove it without which I was at risk for rupture or ovarian torsion. The husband and I scheduled the procedure for 10 days later, giving me enough time to wrap up work commitments and free up 6 weeks for post-op recovery. My gynaecologist was going to perform the surgery and he took the time to explain everything quite clearly. I really liked the fact that he was very upfront with me without creating panic. He said the mass was "most probably" benign but that it was only possible to confirm this once the pathology lab was able to examine the cyst. He also explained why a laparoscopy was not possible in my case, as well as why he recommended a spinal block over general anesthesia. Once we confirmed the surgery, a hospital representative asked us about our insurance details and said they would get in touch with the company to sort out the details.
Ten days later, we were back in the hospital, checking into a clean, spacious room. The comfy sofa was great for my husband to crash on. There was even an in-room dining menu! The process was very smooth, and surgery prep went off without a hitch. The nurses are friendly and competent for the most part. There were a few communication hassles due to the fact that not all of them speak fluent English, but miming usually helped things out. My surgical procedure went off smoothly, although the anesthesiologist threw a small spanner in the works just before the procedure by suggesting that general anesthesia may be more suitable. However, having done my own research and being convinced of my surgeon's rationale, I opted for the spinal block.
I was in the hospital for three days after surgery and had a good experience, overall. They weaned me off the heavy-duty painkillers very quickly (a little too quickly for my taste to be honest) and the doctor came by every day to check up on me. I wasn't harassed continually throughout the night as is the case in some hospitals; instead, the nurses would come at regular, well spaced out intervals to check my blood pressure and temperature. The food was decent enough, too. After all, how exciting can anyone make bland soup? Their "real" food was very good though - excellent roast chicken and pad thai!
My only (small) complaint was that I had to remind them to give us fresh sheets and towels a couple of times, but it was a really small thing compared with the otherwise excellent level of care in the place. All in all, I was a very well looked after patient all the way up until the smiling hospital attendant helped me from the wheelchair into the car that was taking me home - and beyond, in fact! I have been back once for a dressing change, and will return once again after a few weeks for an ultrasound.
Anyway, I hope that none of you ever face any health issues at all - but in case you do and you are in Thailand, BNH Hospital should certainly be on your list of shortlisted healthcare facilities. (Also, if you're a woman and have recurring/constant abdominal pain, please have it checked out sooner rather than later!)
I had been experiencing moderate abdominal pain on and off for many months and had put it down to various reasons: indigestion, lactose intolerance, a stitch from running too fast, just one of those things, etc. However, after it occurred three days in a row this February, the husband and I decided it was time to have it checked out. Our insurance carrier recommended BNH Hospital, as did many Thai colleagues. So off we went to meet a GP on Sunday morning.
The hospital lobby resembles a hotel more than a regular hospital. It's clean, spacious, and very calming. It's the kind of hospital I'd generally make fun of ("What is this, a spa or a medical facility?!") but to be honest, the soothing atmosphere really helped later in the day. The folks at the information (reception?) desk at the entrance had us sign up, answer a few basic questions about what was wrong, and led us to the waiting room. We had only a 10-minute wait before meeting the doctor. Unfortunately, it was not "nothing" as we had been hoping. The doctor felt a large "mass" in my abdomen during his examination and proceeded to look rather worried. I was sent for a pregnancy test immediately, after which I was escorted for an ultrasound. After this, we were led to the Women's Health Centre to meet a gynaecologist.
Of course, I was in a complete panic by this time, so the calm demeanor of the staff and the pretty gardens next to the exam rooms were very welcome. The results from the ultrasound were given to the gynaecologist very quickly and we were able to meet him after a brief wait. He confirmed the presence of a large fluid ovarian lesion (I wasn't able to feel it because it was fluid!), and recommended a pap smear, CA 125 test (cancer marker), and CT scan. The pap smear and blood test were conducted immediately, and I came back the next day for the CT scan. The entire experience was scary and awful, of course, but it would have been far more horrible without the kind English-speaking nurse who explained each step to me, the clean surroundings, and the fact that my gynaecologist met the radiologist as soon as it was over and confirmed the fact that the cyst was completely fluid-filled (good news because cancerous cysts are usually solid or complex).
Still, I wasn't out of the woods yet. Because my cyst had grown so large, I needed surgery to remove it without which I was at risk for rupture or ovarian torsion. The husband and I scheduled the procedure for 10 days later, giving me enough time to wrap up work commitments and free up 6 weeks for post-op recovery. My gynaecologist was going to perform the surgery and he took the time to explain everything quite clearly. I really liked the fact that he was very upfront with me without creating panic. He said the mass was "most probably" benign but that it was only possible to confirm this once the pathology lab was able to examine the cyst. He also explained why a laparoscopy was not possible in my case, as well as why he recommended a spinal block over general anesthesia. Once we confirmed the surgery, a hospital representative asked us about our insurance details and said they would get in touch with the company to sort out the details.
Ten days later, we were back in the hospital, checking into a clean, spacious room. The comfy sofa was great for my husband to crash on. There was even an in-room dining menu! The process was very smooth, and surgery prep went off without a hitch. The nurses are friendly and competent for the most part. There were a few communication hassles due to the fact that not all of them speak fluent English, but miming usually helped things out. My surgical procedure went off smoothly, although the anesthesiologist threw a small spanner in the works just before the procedure by suggesting that general anesthesia may be more suitable. However, having done my own research and being convinced of my surgeon's rationale, I opted for the spinal block.
I was in the hospital for three days after surgery and had a good experience, overall. They weaned me off the heavy-duty painkillers very quickly (a little too quickly for my taste to be honest) and the doctor came by every day to check up on me. I wasn't harassed continually throughout the night as is the case in some hospitals; instead, the nurses would come at regular, well spaced out intervals to check my blood pressure and temperature. The food was decent enough, too. After all, how exciting can anyone make bland soup? Their "real" food was very good though - excellent roast chicken and pad thai!
My only (small) complaint was that I had to remind them to give us fresh sheets and towels a couple of times, but it was a really small thing compared with the otherwise excellent level of care in the place. All in all, I was a very well looked after patient all the way up until the smiling hospital attendant helped me from the wheelchair into the car that was taking me home - and beyond, in fact! I have been back once for a dressing change, and will return once again after a few weeks for an ultrasound.
Anyway, I hope that none of you ever face any health issues at all - but in case you do and you are in Thailand, BNH Hospital should certainly be on your list of shortlisted healthcare facilities. (Also, if you're a woman and have recurring/constant abdominal pain, please have it checked out sooner rather than later!)
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