Hospital apartments, and political unrest

Bangkok Hospital Medical Centre is now offering full-service apartments for the families of medical tourist who travel to Thailand for medical help.

In the latest move to up the ante in the increasingly competitive market of international medical care, the hospital says the apartments -- complete with cooking facilities -- will make it easier for families to travel to Bangkok for treatment. Rates start at $77 (US) a night for a studio. The apartments are located within the hospital complex, making visitations easier.

Bangkok Hospital serves almost half the 1.2 million medical tourists who visit Thailand each year. It also offers complimentary visa extensions, should a patient's hospital stay extend longer than expected.

Meanwhile, Bangkok's other major international hospital, Bumrungrad, has posted a notice on its website in the wake or recent political turmoil there asking and answering the question, "Is it safe to travel to Bumrungrad now?" Their answer:

We believe it is. The recent political demonstrations are taking place in another section of the city and have not impacted our hospital’s operations nor access to our hospital from the airport or from nearby hotels. We agree with advisories issued by some embassies recommending that visitors to Bangkok avoid the areas where demonstrations are taking place. However, we know of none of our international patients who have been impacted by these demonstrations.

The fact that they felt the need to address the issue, however, shows one of the risks of medical tourism: it can involve travel to less-stable countries for care.

Comments

[Brent]

While it is true that medical travel involves certain risks, many of the established medical tourism service agencies in North America offer multiple destinations around the world. Additionally, the principles of the these companies have traveled extensively to the destinations that they offer and are very aware of political, economic, and cultural conditions and risks involved.

MedRetreat, a U.S. owned and operated medical tourism service agency was to help protect the American health tourism consumer when traveling abroad to receive medical procedures.

Your welcome to visit at http://www.medretreat.com

[Medical Tourism]

But the beauty of medical tourism is that if, say there is some conflict-related or any other problem in one country, you can always go to another and still get the cost and quality benefits. The quality of medical tourism in Thailand, India, Mexico, etc. are more or less the same and top medical tourism companies usually have operations in at least a dozen countries. Also, these medical tourism companies have thier ear to the ground and will advise you on which country is the safest at that time.