Healthcare in Cambodia

I spent the last twenty years working in the operating room of some of the best hostiles in America. At absolute best heath care here is 1960. At worst the doctors by their medical degrees. Thailand has first world heath care and it’s cheap. Personally I’d go to Chiang Mai. It’s cheaper and less fake Thai smiles. Cheers, Crazydog

health care costs in Bangkok have risen in the past 4 to 5 years for sure; yet they are the best in the world in terms of infrastructure, medical expertise and post care & follow up.  many of the Thai doctors catering to westerners have graduated from the UK, US and Chulalongkorn University.

in Chiang Mai the only hospital i'd suggest catering to westerners is Ram Hospital; i did have a very good experience there 2 years ago after a surgical procedure and other treatments.  costs were half of those of Bangkok hospitals.

Chiang Mai is also world famous for dentistry and related treatments.

in Bangkok there are 5 to 7 top notch hospitals - among them the top two are probably BNH and Bumrungrad - they are the most expensive but you'll aslo get the best treatment.  they do offer discounts on some surgeries and other treatments during some periods of the year ( month of August is one of them ).

Pattaya Memorial Hospital is ok; better to go to the new Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital - Bumrungrad are supposed to open a branch there but i don't know if they did.

i just arrived to Phenom Penh and its seems that dentistry is widely available and at very affordable costs - last night two clinics quoted $8 for cleaning and tartar removal - so its affordable -

A Cambodian friend recently needed an appendectomy. She went to Royal Phnom Penh Hospital (Thai owned) for the operation and post-op recovery (4 days). The facility is new and is comparable to any hospital I have been to in the U.S. in terms of cleanliness. The total cost (including surgery, pre-op examinations and consultation, medications, private recovery room, all staffing costs, and food) was just over $2,700. I am very glad that this kind of high quality hospital is now available in Cambodia.

Hi there, my experience with healthcare in Cambodia was horrible. I had a hand fracture and I went to different clinics: Nagaworld clinic, in which at first I was put a hard cast covering the whole forearm and wrist, the same day, the night of New Year Eve, I had to go back to Sos clinic, in which there were no patients, no nurses , only one,no doctors, only one on duty and who was afraid to remove my cast and even telling me off because  it was late (apparently I woke him up). After this, I had to go back several times to Sos clinic and nagaclinic, and no doctors were capable to give me the exact diagnosis or treatment. They just said sprain....... Even I did more tests like MRI and scanner and nothing....also went to calimatt hospital and my last option was Royal Phonm Penh hospital, this one was very clean ....yes, very new... Yes.... But no patients, no movement of any normal hospital..... Doctor told me you have nothing...go back home..... But I was in pain and I couldnt move my left hand at all....... The conclusion is that the healthcare in Cambodia is really poor, at the same time pretty expensive, and it doesn't matter if you choose public or private clinic , the doctors are NOT qualified at all, the healthcare system is just burocracy and big money. You will lose your money and your health.... Can you believe when I was at the doctor he was asking me and watching me .... But doing NOTHING, even I saw a nurse hiding like....ohhh I don't care what your problem is... This is Cambodia ......... Gladly I had to leave the country with my broken hand and then in Spain I got the correct diagnosis and treatment very fast. 🙇 thanks

Last year I went to the International Hospital in Siem Reap to get a MRI from a old back injury . After being told they don't have a MRI machine I ask to have a trigger point injection . The Doctor had no idea what I was taking about after 15 minutes of explaining and showing him where to do the injection I was told that's beyond his expertise and sent me home with meds and $200 less in my pocket . The next day after a flight to BKK and one hour at Bumrungrad I took a taxi back to the airport pain free. Even though the Hospital says Bangkk on the sign out front they have no affiliation with any hospital in BKK any longer is what I was told . My advise don't get sick in Siem Resp !

Put it like this:  I collapsed in the street in Sihanoukville at 10pm one night and no, I was not drunk. My friend ran 50 metres up the road to CT Clinic and asked for  assistance.  They demanded $1000 just to turn out.  We phoned a friend who rushed round and carried me to my friend's apartment. 

A dear and very fit friend of mine suddenly had difficulty breathing.  She was obviously succumbing to lung cancer.  The local doctor decided that her daily dose of cod liver oil and malt, that she had taken since childhood, had contanimated her lungs.   So, if you want expensive quackery, you have come to the right place.  If you are ever in need of healthcare, I suggest you cross the border.

For expats it's actually not that grim. There are quite a few hospitals with western (mainly American) doctors, or at leas western trained doctors, or western administration.

The locals are far worse off if they have no money. Except for Sihanouk Hospital, they're stuck with local hospitals and clinics.

At the following hospitals and clinics I would actually have no concerns about getting the right treatment, and if it's not available, to get proper informed to go to Singapore or Thailand for treatment.

In Phnom Penh:
* Royal Phnom Penh Hospital
* Embassy clinic
* Sihanouk Hospital

In Kampot:
* Sonia Kill Memorial Hospital

In Siem Reap:
* Royal Angkor Hospital

In Battambang:
* Handa Medical Clinic

But in Sihanoukville it's not at all advisable to get sick. If it happens, and you're unable to travel, better pay for medevac to Phnom Penh if your health is important to you...

Edit: Reading through the above posts, it seems that Royal Angkor has changed ownership, and is no longer Thai owned. They've also removed that information from their website. So be cautious! The only decent hospital in SR might no longer be that decent!

BDMS on CNN. . . Went to the Royal Hospital connected with Bangkok Hospital. Saw two Thai doctors and one Cambodian. Had a rash diagnosed as Candida by the Royal/BDMS  (“confirmed by lab work”). Wrong diagnosis and wrong meds. Went to a Dr. at Bumrungrad in Bangkok who said it was nothing more than a heat rash and the meds. prescribed by the Royal/BDMS were wrong and only exasperated the problem. Now living in Siem Reap so any  MD recommendations are welcomed..

Have seen so many cases of prickly heat misdiagnosed and over treated with tablets.  Cold showers followed by a good dusting of 'cooling powder' with aloe vera (from the supermarket) will do the trick.

I got an xray and stitches in hangdong,  chiangmai for $22,  clean,  friendly and fast,

there's a Bumrungrad Hospital in Phnom Penh; a branch of one of the best hospitals in Bangkok.

gulfport 30 April 2015 00:14:47  ""i just arrived to Phenom Penh and its seems that dentistry is widely available and at very affordable costs - last night two clinics quoted $8 for cleaning and tartar removal - so its affordable""

Where are the$8 Dental clinics,please?
Street address?

Thanks, David

im not an expert on Khmer healthcare infrastructures; although in case of need i'd certainly give preference to any Thai managed hospital or branch.

hey David,

sorry for late reply.  anyway around street 172 going towards the Riverside its full of dental clinics catering to foreigners.  the price list is almost the same everywhere and they all have high tech equipment.

zirconia crowns price range is about $120+ each.

Just don't assume any of the staff have a degree in dentistry...

Come to Sen Sok International University Hospital for consultations for free of charge !

On line consultation is available by  skype alisher_makhkamov

If you would like to get hepatitis you can go to cheap one

Hepatitis has nothing to do with the price of the treatment, but with the hygiene of the place....

I went to Sakal Dental Clinic on May 26 2015, for a cleaning/scaling for only 13$ and a check-up (included, but on their price-list it says for free if you don't want the cleaning). The clinic looks like it is catering to Westerners, has an English-speaking receptionist and A/C; everything looks clean, but not very modern, once you're inside the treatment room. There's a price list in English on the reception desk with the most common treatments listed in dollars, and it is centrally located, about halfway between the Central Market and Sisowath Quai ("Riverside"). I passed by that morning and walked in with no appointment and was treated right away, by Dr. Bonavong Chuon.

Pros: The treatment (simple cleaning/scaling) felt exactly as at home (Switzerland). I don't go to the dentist very often, but I'd say the tools he used were up-to-date, and it wasn't more or less comfortable or painful as the last time I remember.  All this for 13$, (plus the 1$ tip I gave the receptionist), that's great value for money.

Cons: The dentist gave some weird advice on brushing technique and told me because I didn't brush properly I was about to loose all of my teeth. I might add here that I'm 43 and I have all my original teeth but one, and only one has a filling which I got when I was 16. He told me that this one was rotten and would need a root canal treatment soon, but he didn't ask me if I wanted an X-Ray image, and I doubt that they have an X-ray machine. So for these two reasons I made an appointment in Bangkok for a second opinion (I had my connecting flight back home in BKK the next day), and I went to the Bangkok Smile Dental Clinic at Sukhumvit Soi 21. There, they said that my brushing technique and my teeth were fine, and I got a 5$ X ray of the other tooth, and they said there's a good chance it can be saved. Also, their clinic is really on another level, it's top-notch and extremely professional. A scaling costs about 30$ (1000 Baht), I guess the other treatments are priced accordingly relative to Cambodia.

My opinion: If you have a chance to go to Bangkok, get your teeth treated there. If it's more than a simple scaling, it's worth it. It's still cheap, but the whole setting is just much more modern and inspires confidence. Also, they use laughing gas in Thailand, and I asked the receptionist in Phnom Penh, she didn't understand what I was talking about. I forgot to ask the dentist about it, but for me that makes a big difference...

All right, just because one dental clinic in Phnom Penh has messed up, the advice is to go to Thailand instead...?!

Why not just go to Roomchang?

That is true, it was just one clinic, and they haven't really messed up. But, from this experience, and from what I've heard from quite a few other people, if you want a quality dental treatment for a low price and you don't really know what clinic to choose, Thailand might be a better bet. That is, for those travellers and expats who travel through Bangkok anyway, and I guess a lot of them do.

What and where is Roomchang?

Roomchang is not low price, but surely cheaper than a trip to Thailand!

Location can be found in the health directory.

ROOMCHANG ... location street 182 and Noredom. There is a tall white office building approx 10 stories high opposite a large School just off Noredom ... I have used this dental source and so have many who recommend it highly for reasonable prices , impeccable cleanliness , good dentistry ... Their equipment looks on the leading edge too ... You can call or walkin and sometimes have an immediate appt with openness of all cost quoted to you . so many things you may want to go to Bkk for , however Dentistry does Not need to be One.....

Personally I keep my travel insurance which covers accidents up to date with WorldNomads a most excellent company.

For anything serious I go to SOS, yes they are expensive but if its something serious you want it attended to professionally.  For less serious issues I go to a Vietnamese clinic as they have proper training and plenty of modern equipment

cheers