Follow up blood test at St. Mary’s Hospital Korat
After my complete physical exam at Phyathai in Bangkok I had planned to get a followup blood test to recheck my blood sugar levels. Phyathai’s lab tech had noted that my blood sugar level was dangerously high and I was at risk of full blown diabetes. That was a bit of a shock to me because I don’t have any of the habits or characteristics of someone prone to diabetes. And the doctor had said it was only a little high. Nevertheless I did make some minor changes to my diet and after three months I wanted to check my blood sugar level again.
After my experience at Phyathai I had decided I would probably not visit there again. So I did a little research and found that St. Mary’s Hospital in Korat has some good recommendations from other expats. It’s a little closer as well, by about 30 to 40 minutes, and an easier drive in that direction. This visit would also serve as a research trip to identify another candidate hospital for next year’s complete physical exam.
St. Mary’s looks nice from the outside. And the facilities inside look fairly modern and clean. The health screening area received me and entered my data in their system. I told them all I wanted was a blood sugar test. No problem. They sent me off to get jabbed and told me to come back in about an hour to speak with the doctor about the results.
I was hungry, of course, because it’s a fasting blood sugar test and I had not eaten since the night before. So after the jab I went to their little coffee shop and had a snack. That part is ok, not as nice as some of the other private hospital eating areas, but good enough I guess.
After the hour’s wait I got in to see the doctor and talk about the results. He took the time to look over the complete exam results booklet from Phyathai that I brought along. The results of this day’s blood sugar level were well within normal range at 95. He commented that the range Phyathai was calling normal was too narrow, that 101 is not dangerously high but within normal range by St. Mary’s standards. I spent about 15 minutes with him while he reviewed the rest of my previous results and made a few comments.
Total cost:
Blood test – 90 baht or less than US$3.00
Consultation with doctor – 100 baht or about US$3.00
I was pretty happy with the results and my time spent there and the ridiculous bargain price. But then the ugly part came into view. I stopped in the bathroom to find moldy tile, puddles of water, and no paper towels or hand dryer. If you are familiar with Thailand you probably notice the lack of paper towels or hand dryers in public restrooms, although in newer restaurants and shopping malls they have them now. But in a hospital, a dirty bathroom with no sanitary way to dry your hands is inexcusable. It’s an alphabet soup of diseases in there.
Conclusion, I probably won’t go back due to cleanliness concerns.