There are actually three sides to the medical tourism story. The first is the endless positive hype coming from the promoters of Thailand as a health care hot spot. Second is all the FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt) cultivated by detractors who want you to stay home and suffer quietly with your home country's health care system. Third and somewhere in between is the reality of receiving medical care in Thailand as a medical tourist. That reality is, in general, a lot closer to the hype than it is to the FUD. But there are some common themes in the media repeated over and over again that are really just myths and here we are going to bust them.
Myth #1: The medical staff at all the big hospitals speak English
Sadly, this is untrue. Many doctors at the major private hospitals in Bangkok have trained and practiced in English speaking countries so they are fluent and communication is normally not an issue. But many other doctors are not fluent in English. Furthermore, the nurses and technicians in most hospitals, even the ones most popular with medical tourists, have a rather basic (at best) command of the English language.
Myth #2: There is no follow-up care if you get medical treatment in Thailand
This myth seems to be popular with western doctors spreading FUD about medical tourism. Understandably, they are not pleased when a patient presents themselves with complications after returning home from surgery abroad. But this is not because follow-up care isn't available at the medical tourism destination. It is the result of the patient not planning for it and instead cutting short their medical holiday to return home quickly. Most patients don't plan for complications so they do not allow adequate time for follow-up care at the hospital that performed the procedure. Obviously this is an issue with patients, not care givers, since patients cannot be forced to extend their stay in case complications arise.
Myth #3: If you are the victim of malpractice in Thailand you have no recourse
This myth is promulgated largely based on the fact that the Thai courts don't award money for emotional distress. If you are the victim of malpractice you can receive money for your costs to fix the problem. It isn't easy and it takes a lot of time, just as in western countries. There is an existing government organization called the Thai Medical Council which is the first stop in making a complaint against a doctor or hospital. If that produces no results, or moves too slowly (a common complaint), then you can take it to the courts. As a foreigner, that process will be nearly incomprehensible so you will need a competent Thai lawyer (foreigners are not allowed to practice law in Thailand) and it is unlikely you will find one that will work on contingency (since awards are limited to cost only). You will also need to make some appearances so you will need to make additional trips to Thailand as the case proceeds. In the end, the court will award damages if it agrees with your complaint. A recent example was the award of 12 million Thai baht to a couple who sued for 350 million baht because the hospital failed to inform them that their child would be born with Down syndrome. Note the difference in the amounts - you can sue to inflict punishment but the courts will only award what is determined to be necessary costs.
Wrapping it up, if you are contemplating a trip to Thailand for health care you should not fall for the three common myths. Do your homework on the medical practitioners who will treat you to ensure there are no communication issues, including speaking with them on the telephone (usually possible). Plan for sufficient time on your medical holiday for follow-up care in case there are complications. And don't count on extracting a windfall settlement if something goes wrong. If things are bad enough you can receive compensation but know that it will only be for costs - no monies for emotional distress should be expected.
