Thailand - Bumrungrad Hospital

An aerial view of Bumrungrad from our penthouse apartment in Central Bangkok.
(Click to view the detail)

Everyone that is anyone in Medical Tourism or even remotely interested in the topic has heard of Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok. I have been treated at this hospital after a fall in Bangkok. First, I should tell you, I was in and out of the ED, having paid my bill and received my prescriptions at discharge, in 47 minutes. My bill for EVERYTHING was $49.70 USD. No I did not mislocate the decimal point. I was with a colleague, Larry Preston, FHFMA who went through the entire ordeal with me. We were greeted in English, found them to be HIPAA compliant, and the staff spoke English well enough to take my history and provide appropriate treatment.

We selected Bumrungrad not because of its notoriety, but because its location was an alley away from our apartment. In a city of 9 million+, there is something to be said about not having to face the traffic on the one-way streets in Bangkok when you are in pain and your knee is subluxed.

Let's show you the new International Building.
Jackie Hodges, MBA RHIA and Maria Todd, MHA PhD

First things first, coffee anyone? This is in the Lobby in the reception area at both the new wing and the older section of the hospital. What was interesting is that the pricing for Starbuck's Coffee is not reflective of other price values in Thailand. Oh, and bring Baht, the stored value card doesn't work here. I just love it when American hospital administrators and others ask me if the hospitals have sealed floors in Thailand. Yes, and they are spotlessly clean too!


(Click photo to view the detail)
The international reception area is inviting and has a lot of Arabic speaking clientele, so signs are not only in Thai and in English, but also in Arabic.
Click photo to view the detail)

Next let's take a look at the Patient Access / registration desk. Click the photo to enlarge for detail so that you can see the signage and the lollipop camera used for HIPAA security identity and other details often lacking in US hospitals.
The dramatic lighting is just a small part of the ambiance of this beautiful facility. While touring the facility, we noticed many modern technological amenities we've never encountered in US hospitals. Some were installed with an eye for energy conservation and a "green" building environment.


The visitor cafeteria is actually a food court. Although we've seen food courts in US hospitals, this was unparalleled in both food quality and dining area ambiance.