NSSF Insurance / Hernia Operation at Calmette Hospital

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kritsana77
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NSSF Insurance / Hernia Operation at Calmette Hospital

Post by kritsana77 »

I have been diagnosed with an inguinal hernia that needs a mesh implant operation. I also have NSSF insurance and would like to possibly have it done at Calmette Hospital. I have my ultra sound scans and certified letter from my surgeon at a good international clinic but might cost some money I would rather save if I went the NSSF route. I also found an agency that will take me to Calmette, stay the entire time and check me out right after the surgery and provide home care for the night. All post-op care will be done at the clinic. If anyone has any experience having this procedure or an operation at Calmette please respond. Thank you.
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Re: NSSF Insurance / Hernia Operation at Calmette Hospital

Post by Anchor Moy »

All I can say is that when we arrived at Calmette Hospital with an emergency apendicitis/ complication with peritonitis/ it was dealt with very professionally by the medical team, and the surgeons had done their training in French hospitals.
Calmette gets a lot of criticism, but I cannot fault them for the emergency procedure that saved a life in this case. It was weird because the doctors and surgeons were at international level, but the rest of the staff were totally TIC.
Sorry, I can't give you specific info on hernia operations, but I can tell you that they do have some good surgeons at Calmette. IME.
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Re: NSSF Insurance / Hernia Operation at Calmette Hospital

Post by daeum_tnaot »

Anchor Moy wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 8:52 pm All I can say is that when we arrived at Calmette Hospital with an emergency apendicitis/ complication with peritonitis/ it was dealt with very professionally by the medical team, and the surgeons had done their training in French hospitals.
Calmette gets a lot of criticism, but I cannot fault them for the emergency procedure that saved a life in this case. It was weird because the doctors and surgeons were at international level, but the rest of the staff were totally TIC.
Sorry, I can't give you specific info on hernia operations, but I can tell you that they do have some good surgeons at Calmette. IME.
How did you/your family pay for this treatment?
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Re: NSSF Insurance / Hernia Operation at Calmette Hospital

Post by Anchor Moy »

daeum_tnaot wrote: Thu Mar 04, 2021 12:36 am
Anchor Moy wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 8:52 pm All I can say is that when we arrived at Calmette Hospital with an emergency apendicitis/ complication with peritonitis/ it was dealt with very professionally by the medical team, and the surgeons had done their training in French hospitals.
Calmette gets a lot of criticism, but I cannot fault them for the emergency procedure that saved a life in this case. It was weird because the doctors and surgeons were at international level, but the rest of the staff were totally TIC.
Sorry, I can't give you specific info on hernia operations, but I can tell you that they do have some good surgeons at Calmette. IME.
How did you/your family pay for this treatment?
Insurance paid, but it was incredibly cheap. The VIP room was about $70 a day for a one week stay, from memory, including nurses, drips and dressings. No food and no hot water. It was very basic. This was about ten years ago at least. I don't remember exactly, but it was very affordable, like about $1000, including the operation, (with anaesthetic ! it was cheaper without ),which was complicated by possible peritonitis. (And left a 6 inch scar to prove it.)

I do remember that we were the only barangs. ( Everyone else seemed to have three generations of family camping in their shared hospital rooms or sleeping in the gardens. Our 'VIP' room was one room, one patient. Lol, I have plenty of stories of how crazy it really was - hammocks and people cooking food over campfires in the hospital grounds.)

We paid about $100 upfront to the admin at the hospital when we arrived for the first examination and ultrasound, but it was a life or death emergency and the medical team were real pros. It took about 30 minutes from our arrival at the hospital to get the patient into the operation theatre, and there was no question of paying beforehand. I know that there's a lot of things not great about Calmette, but they operated first, and we worked out the payment via the insurance company later.
Frankly, it was a fking nightmare at the time, but the surgeons and doctors were great.

I'm sure that things have changed a lot since then, and these olden days memories might not be valid for the OP, (or the prices), but this is why I still have a great affection for Calmette Hospital and those who work there. :Rose:
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Re: NSSF Insurance / Hernia Operation at Calmette Hospital

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kritsana77 wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 8:26 pm I have been diagnosed with an inguinal hernia that needs a mesh implant operation. I also have NSSF insurance and would like to possibly have it done at Calmette Hospital. I have my ultra sound scans and certified letter from my surgeon at a good international clinic but might cost some money I would rather save if I went the NSSF route. I also found an agency that will take me to Calmette, stay the entire time and check me out right after the surgery and provide home care for the night. All post-op care will be done at the clinic. If anyone has any experience having this procedure or an operation at Calmette please respond. Thank you.
Some years ago I was diagnosed with an inguinal hernia, I was sub contracting for a main contractor that needed a job completed so they could get paid. The work was full on and needed to be completed that day being the end of the month. It was later in the evening I had a feeling of being unwell, I put it down to the rush of work. Later I sat at the computer then I started too have a annoying bit of discomfort in the lower region of my stomach. I had little sleep.
My doctors were closed now being the weekend, but I managed to be seen at a walk in emergence doctors whom on seeing told me to go to the hospital with the letter he had provided me. On arrival at the hospital I was met by doctors who said I was going to have an emergency operation. I was home by the following day, but not back at work for two more weeks.
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Soriya
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Re: NSSF Insurance / Hernia Operation at Calmette Hospital

Post by Soriya »

kritsana77 wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 8:26 pm I have been diagnosed with an inguinal hernia that needs a mesh implant operation. I also have NSSF insurance and would like to possibly have it done at Calmette Hospital. I have my ultra sound scans and certified letter from my surgeon at a good international clinic but might cost some money I would rather save if I went the NSSF route. I also found an agency that will take me to Calmette, stay the entire time and check me out right after the surgery and provide home care for the night. All post-op care will be done at the clinic. If anyone has any experience having this procedure or an operation at Calmette please respond. Thank you.
Cant help you on any thing you have asked, but i would be interested to hear how much it all costs with nssf.
Anyway hope all goes well.
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Re: NSSF Insurance / Hernia Operation at Calmette Hospital

Post by timmydownawell »

Tip: take your passport when you check in so they can hold it hostage until you pay. I didn't have mine when I went for a two night stay. The Canadia Bank ATM swallowed my ABA card and they wouldn't let me leave to get cash from my safe at home because they thought I would skip out on them. Ridiculous. Had to call a friend to stump up some cash. Bit of a comedy of errors really.
You must walk in traffic to cross the road - Cambodian proverb
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Re: NSSF Insurance / Hernia Operation at Calmette Hospital

Post by Kuroneko »

Anchor Moy wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 8:52 pm All I can say is that when we arrived at Calmette Hospital with an emergency apendicitis/ complication with peritonitis/ it was dealt with very professionally by the medical team, and the surgeons had done their training in French hospitals.
Calmette gets a lot of criticism, but I cannot fault them for the emergency procedure that saved a life in this case. It was weird because the doctors and surgeons were at international level, but the rest of the staff were totally TIC.
Sorry, I can't give you specific info on hernia operations, but I can tell you that they do have some good surgeons at Calmette. IME.
Agree, a Khmer friend of mine was admitted to Calmette for an emergency appendicitis with complications in May last year. After the operation she stayed in the hospital for one week. The total cost was about $300.

Just looked up the old post:
Kuroneko wrote: Fri May 01, 2020 10:33 am
La Quenta wrote: Fri May 01, 2020 9:40 am
Is "A doctor's knowledge here is somewhere between a western trained nurse and hospital cleaner" an accurate assessment? Or just a bit of humour to exaggerate the poorerhealthcare standards?
That's just a common bar stool banter phrase of little substance reiterated by people that have little connection with healthcare provision. When I came here over 20 years ago the the healthcare services I run were pretty primitive, but services have increased exponentially over that period. While healthcare provision can be quite variable, particularly in the provinces, in Phnom Penh for example there are some top notch services. I personally use Central Hospital and have witnessed their surgery as well as other procedures which are all of good standard. http://www.central-hospital.com/ch/aboutus

Calmette hospital which often gets a bad press from some expats produces good results. While I have had little to do with that hospital over a number of years, as an example a friend was recently referred there with an acute appendicitis resulting in Volvulus (twisting of the colon) which was dealt with promptly and effectively.
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Re: NSSF Insurance / Hernia Operation at Calmette Hospital

Post by kritsana77 »

Anchor Moy wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 8:52 pm All I can say is that when we arrived at Calmette Hospital with an emergency apendicitis/ complication with peritonitis/ it was dealt with very professionally by the medical team, and the surgeons had done their training in French hospitals.
Calmette gets a lot of criticism, but I cannot fault them for the emergency procedure that saved a life in this case. It was weird because the doctors and surgeons were at international level, but the rest of the staff were totally TIC.
Sorry, I can't give you specific info on hernia operations, but I can tell you that they do have some good surgeons at Calmette. IME.
The same thing happened to me in October. However, I went to Khmer- Soviet Hospital with my NSSF card and passport. They did save my life and I was lucky I had a supervisor/friend to bring me there and deal with the staff because if I was alone I don't know what would have happened. In fact, they did not even want to do the surgery if my supervisor was not on the hospital premises. My supervisor could not stay with me the entire time and I do not have a girlfriend or wife. The post operation care was awful. They left me in a hallway until my friend could get me a shared room with three other patients. The friends of these patients gave me water and a fan and I will always remember their kindness. That is why I am hiring an agency to go with me and may do my post operation care at home or an international clinic. If you are in the same type of situation I am in, I suggest you do the same if your only option is going to these government hospitals using NSSF insurance. Lastly, I am looking to see if any responsible men or women would like to set up a "buddy system" for emergencies such as these. Maybe 3-5 of us can meet for dinner and exchange mobile numbers. Please pm me and thank you for your comments.
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Re: NSSF Insurance / Hernia Operation at Calmette Hospital

Post by Jerry Atrick »

kritsana77 wrote: Thu Mar 04, 2021 12:47 pm
Anchor Moy wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 8:52 pm All I can say is that when we arrived at Calmette Hospital with an emergency apendicitis/ complication with peritonitis/ it was dealt with very professionally by the medical team, and the surgeons had done their training in French hospitals.
Calmette gets a lot of criticism, but I cannot fault them for the emergency procedure that saved a life in this case. It was weird because the doctors and surgeons were at international level, but the rest of the staff were totally TIC.
Sorry, I can't give you specific info on hernia operations, but I can tell you that they do have some good surgeons at Calmette. IME.
The same thing happened to me in October. However, I went to Khmer- Soviet Hospital with my NSSF card and passport. They did save my life and I was lucky I had a supervisor/friend to bring me there and deal with the staff because if I was alone I don't know what would have happened. In fact, they did not even want to do the surgery if my supervisor was not on the hospital premises. My supervisor could not stay with me the entire time and I do not have a girlfriend or wife. The post operation care was awful. They left me in a hallway until my friend could get me a shared room with three other patients. The friends of these patients gave me water and a fan and I will always remember their kindness. That is why I am hiring an agency to go with me and may do my post operation care at home or an international clinic. If you are in the same type of situation I am in, I suggest you do the same if your only option is going to these government hospitals using NSSF insurance. Lastly, I am looking to see if any responsible men or women would like to set up a "buddy system" for emergencies such as these. Maybe 3-5 of us can meet for dinner and exchange mobile numbers. Please pm me and thank you for your comments.
I would not want hernia surgery/any surgery in Calmette. Too many people I knew/met went there with innocuous complaints and rather promptly died.

Personally, either Japanese or Vietnamese hospital or clinic.
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