Doctors and Hospitals

[mimpimanis]

Surya Husada in Denpaser. Better check the spelling of the second word, am sure Mimpi would know.

Yes that is another branch of the Surya Husada I mentioned in Nusa Dua. However they also have a three tier pricing structure. I was referred there from Nusa Dua for my eczema and the cost to see a dermatologist was about Rp500,000 if I recall right. I ended up at Erha clinic in Denpasar where I paid Rp70,000 for the consultation.

[mimpimanis]

I had a visit to Kasih Ibu today to check out my knee that is hurting following a fall about 1 month ago.

Rp250,000 consultation (KITAS price)
Rp15,000 admin fee
Rp100,000, xray
Rp89,000 10 x pain killers
Rp454,000 Total

And I still dont know what is wrong

I hope those pain killers are strong for that price!

[JohnnyCool]

So, any suggestions for reliable places where Hippocratic oaths actually mean something and where a sick foreigner is not screwed for all he's worth as standard practice?

I can't think of any (in Bali, that is).
The closest might just be the main Sanglah Hospital, even though it's a hell-hole.

Note that I think there are three main sections:
1) The general, public area (usually a nightmare to register, etc)
2) The Emergency/Casualty section (with its own version of triage)
3) The International wing (expensive and questionable reputation)

Finding a parking spot is often a giant undertaking. That's not usually the first thing on your mind when you're feeling very sick or have an injury. Catch a taxi and walk the rest, if you can. If you can't, somebody will probably bring a stretcher (if there are any left). If you're in big pain, bleeding a lot or have broken something, go straight to the Emergency/Casualty section. If you're a religious person, pray hard and don't tell God any more lies.

Somebody mentioned Surya Husada Hospital, which "specialises in more than the run-of-the-mill illnesses". Well, maybe it does, but when I went there about three years ago for a quote (sorry, "consultation"), for a ganglionic cyst on my hand, I paid hand over fist (no pun intended) for sweet FA. I got to talk to a couple of "doctors". They weren't 100% sure so I had to wait for a "specialist", then the head "doctor" of the hospital.

A ganglionic cyst, for those who don't know, is not usually a big deal. It used to be called a Bible bump in the olden days because a "cure" was to bash it with the biggest book you had lying around. The biggest book was a Bible.

The SH "doctors" told me I would need a general anesthetic to remove the cyst. They also told me that before that, I should take nil by mouth from eight hours before. I told them I'd think about it. They then gave me a price list for the accommodation charges in the hospital. I forget exactly, but they were, shall we say, exorbitant. Around Rp 6 million/day (not including the "surgery", "doctors", etc).

I will never forget the next part. They wanted to sign me in immediately and "operate" that afternoon! What about "the nil by mouth" thing?

I told them to get off my case and left, fuming at the obvious attempt to milk me for what I was worth.

As chance would have it, I had to go to Australia a couple of weeks later. My GP (General Practitioner), sent me to get an X-ray and ultrasound of the cyst. After that, he removed the cyst under local anesthetic in his surgery. Took about 30 minutes. Total cost to me was approximately Rp 500,000.

Make what you will of this but as far as I'm concerned, I would never go to Surya Husada, unless someone takes me there when I'm unconscious.

[donfuego]

So would you guys insist on taking the plane to Surabaya in case of emergency or serious illness, or better head straight for Singapore?

As the sound of it, prices seem equal or worse than a private Clinic or Practice, but if I understand it correctly, there are no western ones anymore??

[Blondie]

I have a running joke ( well sort of a joke) that I want to get a medical bracelet made that says

"If found unconscious - Take to Airport"

N

[begonia]

I have a running joke ( well sort of a joke) that I want to get a medical bracelet made that says

"If found unconscious - Take to Airport"

N

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[donfuego]

Any opinions regarding Surabaya hospital or clinics? Are they better, equal or worse than in Bali?

[tintin]

Any opinions regarding Surabaya hospital or clinics? Are they better, equal or worse than in Bali?

They certainly cannot be worse (I have in mind SOS Clinic)

[timdog]

Any opinions regarding Surabaya hospital or clinics? Are they better, equal or worse than in Bali?

They are certainly better, and the prices better. Surabaya is a big city with a wealthy resident population. Private hospitals there need to offer respectable standards to stay in business, unlike the "foreigner clinics" in Bali which have an endless supply of sick and desperate incomers to fleece (I'm sorry, I mean "treat").

The good places in Surabaya are The Surabaya International Hospital, Siloam, and Mitra Keluarga. There are others too, but those are the ones I or close friends have direct experience of. I'd be happy to use any of them, and as none of them has such horrors as multi-tiered pricing, they certainly are cheaper than Bali.

If you were looking at having, say, a non-emergency minor opperation, or a lot of diagnostic tests, you almost certainly would save money - and get more reliable standards - by going to Surabaya. It's only a 40-minute flight, and if you get a decent fare you could get there and back for less than it would cost to see a GP at BIMC...

[donfuego]

Thanks for this info. I will keep this at hand.