Emergency Services
In an emergency, you need to know that you can count on fast, effective and professional medical help wherever you are on Koh Phangan. Our ambulance service is on standby 24 hours a day and our operating rooms, surgeons and highly trained staff are ready to attend to emergency admissions at any time.
As well as being deployed for emergencies, our ambulance service includes planned transportation to collect or transfer patients.
Should you need to call us for an ambulance, we will ensure that you are given the appropriate level of care. For example, if someone needs a paramedic, nurse or doctor, they will be dispatched too. Our ambulances are fitted with advanced life-support equipment and carry with them our specialist emergency medical staff.
Our ambulance teams are highly trained in all aspects of emergency care, from cardiac arrest to trauma. Our ambulance is a mobile life-support unit which carries specialist equipment, such as oxygen, heart defibrillators, traction splints, intravenous drips, and a range of medications.
If you need to be taken to the hospital, you will be admitted immediately. However, our ambulance team can tests and perform basic procedures at the scene, in some cases in order to stabilise the patient for transportation and in some cases because a minor condition may not need further care.
In some cases, it may be more appropriate to send a doctor for a home/hotel visit. The doctor can meet you at the address at which you are staying in order to save you from trying to reach the hospital when you are unwell. Never hesitate to contact us in case of a medical situation, we will be on hand to help.
We hope you will never need it, but just in case, please do make a note of our emergency number: +66-(0)77-377474
Operation Rooms
First Western Hospital has the capacity to treat patients quickly and with optimal care. Having the two sterile operating rooms carries the benefit of cutting down waiting times for planned treatments, urgent cases and emergencies.
What to expect on the day of surgery.
You will be asked to arrive at the hospital a few hours before the procedure is due to start in order to allow time for preparations such as checking through your information, meeting your anaesthesiologist and changing into a hospital gown.
Your nurse may need you to read and sign some paperwork. Next, your blood pressure, temperature and pulse will be taken along with a medical assessment. Please do feel free to ask your nurse any questions. An IV (intravenous) line will be placed in a vein in arm or hand; this is there to administer medication and fluids during the procedure.
Will I meet my anaesthesiologist before surgery?
Before the surgery you will be visited by your anaesthesia administrator and other team members. Your anaesthesia provider will decide on the best type of anaesthetic for you based on the type of procedure, personal preferences and your medical history.
Will I meet my surgeon?
Yes, the surgeon or member of your surgical team will usually come to see you prior to surgery in order to answer any further questions you may have and may place a mark with a surgical pen on the part of your body to be operated on.
What is my operating room like?
The operating rooms are busy areas with bright lighting. All team members will be dressed the same way as masks and sterile clothing is worn by everyone for your protection. The room is exceptionally clean as it is important to keep the room sterile. The rooms are kept very cool, warm blankets will be provided for you after you have been moved onto the operating table. Your dedicated team will be in the room to keep you comfortable and safe throughout the procedure.
How long will the surgery take?
The length of time in the operating room depends on the type of surgery you are having. The surgeon can give you an estimation of the time required beforehand.
What happens after surgery?
After surgery, you will be taken to the recovery room or directly to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where nurses will keep you as comfortable as possible and monitor you closely. Your temperature, pulse, blood pressure and bandages will be checked and taken care of by the nursing team. Please tell your nurse if you are experiencing pain so that they can help manage this.
Internal Laboratory and Blood Bank Services
Our on-site laboratory is ready to perform tests on clinical specimens and samples so that diagnostics can be performed without sending off to external labs. This drastically reduces waiting times for results and enables our doctors to get to the route of any conditions quickly.
If you are part of a check-up program that uses lab-testing or if your doctor decides that laboratory-based diagnostics are required, samples will be taken by a nurse (e.g blood, urine) and tests will be carried out here at First Western Hospital.
Everything we do is in the interests of making patients as comfortable and stress-free as possible. Furthermore, making a fast and accurate diagnosis can significantly improve the effectiveness of a treatment. We know that by having our own lab facilities we are reducing waiting times, able to make a diagnosis in a shorter length of time and therefore implement any necessary treatment sooner than a hospital who needs to send samples away.
In addition, we also have blood banking services for services in urgent cases such as emergency accidents or surgical cases, etc. Our hospitals are prepared for all blood types to handle emergency blood loss cases.
CT Scan and Digital Imaging X-Ray
CT Scans
Computerised Tomography (CT) scans are used to provide information to doctors to help them diagnose medical conditions.
CT scan results can confirm or disprove a suspected diagnosis. Occasionally they can help identify a condition that was not suspected. Unlike other medical imaging technologies such as X-rays, CT scans can give detailed images of many different types of tissue, including bone, blood vessels, lung tissue and other soft tissues.
Types of CT scan include:
Abdominal – these can be used to identify tumours and diagnose conditions that cause internal organs to become inflamed or enlarged, e.g. suspected appendicitis can be confirmed or ruled out.
Head – these can be used to check for inter-cranial bleeding following head trauma, the brain after a stroke or to look for suspected tumours and bleeding or swelling of the arteries.
Vascular scans – these can be used to assess conditions that affect blood flow to various parts of the body, one of the most common reasons for using this here is to confirm or rule out DVT
Bone scans – these can be used to assess bone disease and injuries, particularly in the spine
CT scans are often used after very serious accidents to look for any internal injury; they’re sometimes also used to prepare for further testing and treatment. For example, because a CT scan can identify both abnormal and normal tissue, it can be useful when planning radiotherapy treatments.
What to expect during a CT scan
While the CT is a safe procedure and the radiation doses are very low, it should not be used as a regular check-up tool but rather on the advice of your physician for specific problems. While the CT scan itself usually takes no longer than 5 minutes, with preparations included, it can take around 30-40 minutes. According to which part of your body needs the scan, you may be asked to put on a hospital gown in a private area. You will also be asked to remove any glasses, contact lenses, jewellery, dentures and hearing aids.
Next, you will be asked to lie down on the scanner table. This slides in or out of the scanner ring. Your radiographer will position the table so that the part of your body needing the scan is in the middle of the scanner. You may be asked to momentarily hold your breath or not to swallow at certain times during the scan. You can trust the radiographer to do the rest of the work for you the most important thing is for you to lie still so that the image is captured effectively. You will probably notice some whirring noises while you’re inside as the scanner does its job.
The scanner will be operated from a control room by your radiographer. He or she will be able to see, hear and speak to you at all times during the procedure. Once the scan is complete, the scanner table will move back out and you will be helped down. You will usually be able to go home as soon as you feel ready.
The results will soon be reviewed by our radiologists and the findings given to you/your doctor usually on the same day.
Digital Imaging X-ray
X-rays use radiation to create an image of inside the body, at First Western, we use Digital Imaging X-rays which are more advanced and faster to produce results than the traditional X-ray. Bones are very hard and dense which means that they show up very clearly on an X-ray, therefore, X-rays are most commonly used to diagnose bone-related issues. Although blood vessels and organs are not so clear on an X-ray, they are visible; therefore a chest X-ray can help examine the heart, major arteries and lungs. Some of the problems that X-rays help identify include:
- Breaks or fractures
• Dental problems
• Thinning or weakening of the bones (osteoporosis)
• Bone infections (osteomyelitis)
• Abnormal spinal curvatures (scoliosis)
• Benign or malignant bone tumours
• Heart conditions
• Lung conditions
Types of X-ray include:
Barium enema – this procedure involves barium solution being pumped into the bowel and can be used to diagnose such as chronic constipation or blood in the faeces.
Angiography- is a type of X-ray used to create images of blood vessels called angiograms which show blood vessels. A dye is first injected into the area which helps X-ray ‘see’ the soft tissues.
To help make the blood vessels show up, a contrast medium is injected into the appropriate area. A contrast medium (dye) highlights the blood vessels as it travels through them, problems like blockages can be identified as the way in which the dye moves through the blood vessels is studied.
Intravenous urogram (IVU)- can be used to diagnose problems with the urinary system. During an IVU, a contrast medium such as iodine solution will be administered by injection into your veins and move into your kidneys and bladder thus enabling X-rays of your urinary system to be taken.
What to expect during an X-ray
A typical X-ray procedure usually takes around 20 minutes. Depending on which part of your body needs the X-ray, you may be asked to put on a hospital gown in private and remove any jewellery.
Once inside the X-ray room, your radiographer will either help you get into the correct position or you may be asked to sit on a chair or lie down on an X-ray table so that an image of the appropriate part of your body can be captured. Your radiographer will ask you to stay still and may ask you to hold a deep breath for a moment in the case of a chest exam.
The scanner will be operated from a control room. He or she will be able to see, hear and speak to you at all times during the procedure. Once the scan is complete, the scanner table will move back out and you will be helped down. You will usually be able to go home as soon as you feel ready. The radiographer will be operating from behind a screen but you will be able to hear each other speak at all times. They may ask you to move into different positions in order to gather more images from different angles. If this is difficult for you then you will be assisted.
The results will soon be reviewed by our radiologists who specialist in using medical images to make diagnoses and you will usually hear your results within X days.
House/Hotel Visits
You do not need to be homebound in order to receive a house-call from First Western Hospital. Anyone can arrange a house-call if their insurance covers it or they can pay privately.
We can send a physician go to any address in Koh Phangan to conduct an examination, give diagnoses, prescribe and deliver appropriate treatment and if necessary, arrange an ambulance service.
If you are a patient or a patient’s caregiver and would like First Western Hospital to see you at home or your hotel, please Contact Us.
Check-up Programs
How often do you take your bike or car to be checked and serviced? How often do you have a medical check-up? We know that busy professionals find it hard to make time to check their health; we have programmes that cater to all lifestyles and age groups.
There is also a variety of reasons you may need a check-up such as gathering documentation and medical clearance for:
- Driving licenses
- Health insurance
- Visa applications
- Work Permits
- PADI scuba diving courses
- Offshore employee health screening
In addition to necessary screening, there is also a range of voluntary health check-up programs.
What to expect at a check-up
For some tests, you may be asked to consume nil by mouth for 8 hours ahead of your appointment. Otherwise, the initial consultation will be the same regardless of the program you decide to opt for:
- You will be asked to fill out a questionnaire on your medical history, lifestyle and family history.
- One of our expert advisors will help you choose the check-up program that best meets your needs
- Your height and weight will be measured
- You will have a consultation with one of our doctors
- Your eyesight will be tested
- A nurse will take samples and pass them to our lab for testing
While you wait for the results of your tests, you can relax in the comfort of our coffee area.
Some test results will need 3-5 days to be processed. Once the results are back, you will meet with your doctor who will talk you through your test results, answer your questions and discuss what those results mean.
