Surgery at Bumrungrad?
 

Hi, I am an American women who has never traveled to Thailand, and I am seriously considering traveling to Bangkok to Bumrungrad Hospital for plastic and cosmetic surgery. Is there anyone out there who knows first hand what surgery travel to thailand is like? How much time one needs before scheduled surgery, recoop time at hospital, and where they went to totally relax and regroup at a beachfront resort. I also read that even Bumrungrad hospital recommends ending a surgery vacation near the beach...I could use some help chatting with someone who has had this same experience...can't wait to hear from you...

Hi...As for your Bumrungrad Hospital question...I haven't had any medical procedures done there, but on my last vacation trip...Aug 2005...I finally found the time to go into the hospital to have a medical card issued. That way if I get sick in Bangkok and have to be sent to a hospital I'll have already been registered in their system. If you go on tripadvisor.com and go to the UPPER...LEFT-HAND box and type in Bangkok next to the city space...no need to fill in any other boxes...and click... then it will take you to a list of hotels. Scroll down until you find Emporium Suites and then click there and when the page pops up...click on the REVIEW section. There's a woman, from Greece, who recently...August... stayed at the Emporium Suites and writes about having plastic surgery done at Bumrungrad. I made a copy, of that post, for one of my best friends, just last week, who needs a medical-related cosmetic surgery and will possibly have it done at Bumrungrad. She's been to Bangkok before. As for the Emporium Suites, on this last trip, it was one of the serviced apartment buildings that I checked out since I'll be back on vacation there in December for three weeks. I liked it a lot and negotiated a very good deal with the sales manager for a 80 square-meter apartment with a nice kitchen. The place is beautiful and connected to the main shopping mall(Emporium Mall) where I shop anyway and there's a supermarket right there in the mall and also a Bangkok Bank right out the door of the lobby. And the skytrain is right there at the mall. It's VERY convenient. I've been to Bangkok many times and have always stayed in hotels up to this coming trip. If you should have the surgery done, there are other serviced apartments in town. Go on moveandstay.com to get a long list with photos and prices. That website can be a bit expensive, but you can use it, as I did, to select buildings of interest...then contact the building directly. Hope this has helped. Happy Travels!

my wife is a medical professional and we toured bumg. hosp. last year and were very impressed...they are american certified and many of the docs trained in usa and europe....their eqpt is up to the moment new....
the prices are unbelievably reasonable and the care is fantastic...the rooms are as nice if not nicer than her harvard teaching hospital in boston...you get your own nurse to boot...the royal suite is only $300 per day for 3 or 4 rooms...

address your questions to their international department and you will get wonderful answers...

My partner, Bruno, is having surgery on him bum at Bumrungrad. Hope it's successful.

One of the people who travel with us to BKK is going to undergo cosmetic surgery in a matter of weeks. I hope things go well for him.

You know, this post is timely, as I was thinking of having the Lasik eye surgery procedure done there. I have perused the hospital's website, and you really can't beat their prices for medical/dental procedures. If I can make it to BKK in Jan., I will at least go to the hospital and check it out, if not go ahead and have the surgery (on one eye). I also want to check out their dental section-I do know they have an excellent reputation for dental work.

Honestly, I can't believe I'd consider going to the other side of the world for such relatively mundane procedures, but I'm fixated on this hospital now-I'd like to see the type of treatment and post-surgical care that is offered to patients-I'm quite sure it's superior to what you get in this country (however that's an extremely low threshold). I also understand there is an excellent Italian restaurant on the premises as well.

But China-before I would plunge ahead and decide to have surgery there, I really think you need to just take a trip to BKK and Thailand first, to orient yourself and get acquainted with the country and its culture. I think it might be a bit too much culture shock to go there for the first time AND have a surgical procedure as well, without knowing anything at all about the country.

China...don't worry about culture shock. It's Bangkok...not outer Mongolia or something. Since you're going for a medical procedure, I would be more concerned about getting the right doctor for the procedure and having a comfortable place to stay while you're recouperating. The man in the 60-Minutes interview went for a quintruple heart bipass surgery and had never been there before. He arrived, and a couple days later had the surgery and in a two-week period was back home in Louisiana. Happy Travels!

guen is right on....

It may not be Outer Mongolia, but it sure isn't anything like the west, either-so for all intents and purposes it could BE Outer Mongolia (and OM is not nearly as primitive as people think, so that's not really a very good comparison).

China- Bangkok is not an easy city to navigate even in the best of circumstances, and with people who know it well. Particularly if you are going alone, and haven't traveled in Asia before or haven't traveled much internationally, I would not advise you having surgery without paying a visit to BKK first, getting acclimated, going to the Hospital and getting acquainted with the doctors and the procedures there to see if this is really what you want to do-to get the lay of the land, so to speak. I think you'll be a lot less anxious and a lot more confident about what to expect if you do.

I'm an American businessman, working in Bangkok for the past 7 years. Bumrungrad has been my primary health care provider - both for routine outpatient clinic appointments as well as one surgery. Inexpensive AND efficient - totally foreign concepts to most Americans when it comes to medical care! They draw patients from all over Asia, not unlike the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota (my home state). They'll give you all the information you need to know about duration, timing, and recovery - email to [email protected]. (No, I don't own stock, but I wish I did...)

Good luck!

I also don't own shares, but, it is brilliant. I think there are 2 reasons, not just that they have the expertise but when you 'mix' that expertise with a genuine caring nature it makes a superb cocktail.

A lot comes down to the simple smiles, the friendly happy attitude, it's difficult to feel 'ill'. When I told the denatl surgeon how I really hated having denatl treatment she said "Me too, paticularly the drilling, so don't worry, I understand how you feel'!! Wow, wish some dentist years back had said that, I put my mouth in her hands ( she liked that ), nice friendly nurse to assist, great!

But I always find that at the top hospitals here, nothing is a fuss or worry, service with a smile!

Just a point to remember and that is 'recovery time', depending on what you have done it might not be possible to 'fly' for a certain amount of time so do check that all out from the start and then set yourself up somewhere nice to relax afterwards.

Spygirl ( welcome back, where have you been ! )

Here is the link for their Eye laser Refraction Center:

http://www.bumrungrad.com/htm/eng/ma...c/eyelaser.asp

For their main homepage this link skips all the flashy pages and takes you to the main information:

http://www.bumrungrad.com/htm/eng/main.asp

Spygirl...The outer Mongolia comment is only an expression. I don't know how foreign or not Outer Mongolia is. I'm just trying to point out that if a person is going to Bangkok for a medical procedure,not only for a vacation, then he/she basically needs to 1)find the right doctor 2) find a decent place to stay 3) taxi to and from the hospital 4) recover....and then either go home or hire a driver, if he/she would like, in order to see some of Bangkok...that is if taking the skytrain is too much for him/her mentally or physically. It doesn't seem that difficult of a situation to me. Happy Travels!

many procedures require you to stay out of the water and away from sun for some periods afterwards...just a warning....especially for cosmetic things...

bob:
troublemaker here....no more incantations please!!!
guenmai:
fml j b..."fight to the death" ha, ha, ha
Aloha!

HI---i did not know this word so i looked it up...i guess i do not understand for what you are admonishing me??

bob:
ask gpanda for the defintion..I am sure he will come up with something :)
Aloha!

Hi JamesA-thanks! I've been gone, in Europe and other places, but here I am-yet again, with Asia on my mind!

And thanks for the link-I like what I read! How about that choice of hospital rooms-very reasonable for the deluxe! (you don't need that for lasik I know-but you never know for future reference!)

I've not bought my ticket for BKK yet-still not sure I can go, but get this, even now, if I go to buy a rt ticket from LAX-BKK-the fare is only $818.00-this at the end of Dec., first two weeks of Jan.-all taxes included! Cannot beat that, eh?

The rooms are very good, my local insurance allows me pretty much a suite in any hotel in Thailand and covers a deluxe room at Bumrungrad if I needed it, they are 'so' cheap, note Bumrungrad handles most medical insurance operators and most good hospitals throughout Thailand are fully organised on the medical insurance set ups, Blue Cross AIC widely accepted.
Bumrungrad also has excellent catering, I 'think' there is even a Starbucks on premises or certainly some similar quality coffee place, Italian restaurant I now hear.

Thailand hospitals also readily welcome 'companions/partners' and certainly for someone having surgery they happily accommodate companions/partners sdharing rooms, I would go so far as to say it is almost encouraged, no restricted visiting hours or such so this means you can have the company of companion/partner/friends which to me really helps when someone is either ill or things like surgery to have loved ones staying or in an out all the time.

I think the rooms also have full UBC Cable which gives 60 channels including Movies, CNN, Discovery Channel, ESPN, National Geographic etc etc.

I meant any 'hospital suite'!

I did a google search last night on "Bumrungrad dental work" and came across a ton of postings on Lonely Planet Thorntree. They even have an entire "FAQ" dedicated to the subject. Apparently there are many good dental places in Bangkok with Bumrungrad being at the top. There were even detailed prices listed on the Thorntree.

I didn't have enough time to check and see if the Thorntree has more than just dental clinics in Thailand.

On reading some other google links: Apparently, India is also competing for patients. One woman told of a medical visit to India which included travelling and staying at a beach facility run by the hospital - it was part of the recommended "recovery" procedure! LOL!

It's not just great medical/dental work and facilities, it's also the wonderful way in which patients are treated that is mentioned time and again. (And, of course, the inexpensive prices!)

As for going to Thailand on an initial exploratory trip or not, it all depends on your personal comfort level. Bangkok is a big city, just like all big cities. If you are comfortable in a big city, then you don't need an initial exploratory trip. If you are not, then you may want to find out distances, travel time, mode of travel to and from wherever you will be staying and Bumrungard before you make the important surgery trip.

Good luck!

hawaiiantravler, you into bloody marys already? the game is tomorrow. incantation=portugese hocus pocus? :-)and whats with the fml jb? enlighten me, onigaishimasu.

having visited the site in bkk, i would go there...but india---that is a stretch in my mind....

ohayou gozaimasu kuranosukesan
fml jb...female james bond...hai
Aloha!

My wife and I were in BKK last month and had appointments at the Bumrungrad dental center. We both needed to have crowns, but we discovered that it would take 10 days minimum to have the full procedure so we ended up only having our teeth cleaned. The cost was about US$75 for both of us.

We had been snorkeling in Kota Kinabalu a week earlier and I managed to get water trapped in my ear. My hearing in one ear was progressively deteriorating to the point where I became nervous enough to call my insurance company in California. After speaking with a nurse from the insurance company she suggested I go to a hospital immediately. Blue Cross recommended three hospitals in BKK, one of which was Bumrungrad.

I called the hospital on a Sunday moring and got an appointment with an ear specialist that same afternoon! The doctor inspected my ear, took me to another room and sucked some wax out and I was good to go. Total cost (without any insurance involvement) was US$31.

They have a McDonalds on site also.

ah sooo. imua, guenmai.

Ha...ha...ha...,Kuranosake....Oh, read my comments that I just posted under the Boston GTG thread. I just arrived to Cambridge a few hours ago, to the hotel where the GTG will be tomorrow. Happy Travels!

I am a registered dental hygienist, in practice for 40 years. America has an international reputation amoung dental circles as being amoung if not * the * best dentistry in the world. From my own experience having treated many people from all over the world, I see that some countries do dentistry that is definitely below standards. By US standards of dentistry. I would strongly discourage anyone from having dentistry done in Thailand, or anywhere else in Asia for that matter. I did see that it was posted that some of the MDs were US trained. I don't know about the dentists.

Another here to remind you that after facial cosmetic surgery specifically - no sun for at least 3-months. So while relaxing on a beach or hotel pool sounds nice you'll have to keep a hat on head and over your face if you recline.

Stitches are usually removed 1-wk after surgery and thereafter if the doctor says so and you feel up to it, can probably return home.

But I'd arrive at least 2-3/days prior to get over jet-lag, then the surgery (1-day and overnight at hospital) then recoop period. Normally, you should be fine thereafter to get out (with scarf, sun glasses and a hat) around town or to a beach resort. Two weeks should be sufficient in consultation with your surgeon.

lol, I like spygirl, she holds no punches..

anyways. I think some are confusing Thailand's hospital/medical system with 1 very upscale privet hospital which most of the best doctors in the capital city/country have an office at. I believe every doctor in thailand must also give a good part of his/her time to the public hospital. EX-pats in the know go to public or university hospitals where bumrumgard doctors (and other privet hospital doctors) have a practice and pay peanuts for world class service.

I'm not to sure if many fodorites would go to public thai hospital. they are crowded, old, and seem to close on sundays.

honestly my mother and I have had so many bad experiences in USA hospitals. that if I'm forced to go into one I always feel like passing out and get bad flashbacks.. So obviously I hold litle to no respect for USA doctors.

plastic surgery and dentistry at least in the privet hospitals have very good reputation.

As far a dentistry goes I may not fault the asian dentists too much since people (well at least in poorer parts of thailand) tend too go too the dentist only when their teeth are truly a wreck.. preventative maintenance is not practiced.

orgy, I think we all know that Bumrungrad holds to a different standard that Thai hospitals in general (and different from US hospitals). The thread was really just about Bumrungrad and not Thai hospitals in general.

I'm all in favor of people saying what they think, even if it is unpopular (you do that, I do that, lots of us do that) but I do object to personal attacks and nastiness.

Hawaiian Traveller and Mrs. HT...Where are you two in this discussion ? Maybe who've already left for vacation? Happy Travels!

Aloha Guenmai:
Glad to see you got back safe. we're just sitting back and watching it all go by.....ahhhhh living in paradise!
Aloha!

.....what Kathie said...
Perfect!

Where's Kuranosuke in all of this madness? Maybe he's traveling. Happy Travels!

hahahaha....maybe kurano is still celebrating the big win over the weekend.
Aloha!

thanks, HT and Guen!

guen and ht, i've been a bit busy, and my dsl has been acting up lately.

i think mealea and kathie hit it on the head with spygirl. while spygirl often has good info, her hard delivery, and constant beating negates/taints her useful info. however, no one said you have to be nice on this forum.

ht, good game, but worried about the pukas on defense. old uncle dickie waiting for us in sj.

lyndie; i'm really bummed about brunos bum. hope it goes ok.

i think orgy and spygirl are related, but orgy is more subtle. nah... i'm just messing with ya. :-)