A Trip to Royal Angkor International Hospital - Siem Reap, Cambodia
Unfortunately while travelling to Cambodia on a study abroad trip, I became very ill and decided it was a good idea to seek healthcare. Considering that Cambodia is about as far away from Chicago, USA as you can get, it was smart to ensure I hadn't caught anything out of the ordinary.
The hotel I was staying at recommended the city’s hospital, which is part of an international network with Thailand. A phone call from the hotel to the hospital was quickly answered and they offered to send a doctor over right away to see me. It was explained that blood work may be necessary, which would require a visit to the hospital anyway, so I decided to go to the facility instead. I was already impressed - housecalls don't really happen anymore in the states!
Without exaggeration, this may have been the best healthcare experience I have ever had. The staff was professional, kind and attentive, and there were no issues with our foreign health insurance (a quick call to the health insurance company was necessary). The wait time was very short, less than 5 minutes. The doctor and nurses spoke broken English, so with minor effort we were able to communicate with each other.
After a short discussion of my symptoms and screening of my vitals, the doctor explained the problem in detail (sinus infection, laryngitis) and asked to do blood work to ensure there was nothing wrong. The wait seemed short, only about 45 minutes, and he went through, line by line, explaining what he was looking for in the blood work and to explain the meaning behind it all. His level of professionalism, the cleanliness of the facility, and the overall speed in which I got care was above and beyond anything I would expect to receive in this unfamiliar setting.
I was then prescribed a total of 6 different medications, from antibiotics to throat lozenges, which I was able to pick up in about 20 minutes at the on-site pharmacy. With a smile, they packaged everything in a nice little gift bag made of recycled paper (It even said “Get well soon” along the bottom!). With a total final bill of $419 for my 2 hour visit, I left feeling piece of mind knowing I would soon feel better and was amazed at the quality of care I received in Cambodia.
This is really a world-class facility with wonderful healthcare professionals. I hope if you travel to Siem Reap, Cambodia, you don’t need to make a stop at the hospital, but if you do, just know that you’ll be in great hands and they will likely accept your insurance.
by Melissa Coglianese