Hospital Guarantee

Our Commitment and Guarantee

At PIAC we stand by the service that we offer believing in quality, client satisfaction and that we have a responsibility to our clients long after they have returned home. PIAC provides our clients with the assurances that they are not putting themselves at unnecessary risk by travelling overseas for surgery.

Clients are advised that risks are inherently associated with any surgery, and that clients should be fully informed of those risks prior to electing to undertake surgery at PIAC. Information on surgical, anaesthetic and other risks are detailed in our information pamphlets on procedures which are available from PIAC. Clients should also fully discuss these risks with their attending surgeon.

If clients are healthy without prior medical conditions and have realistic expectations, follow their surgeon’s advice and recovery instructions, then clients should be pleased with their results. If, in the case that a problem does arise as a direct result of the surgery or hospital admission that requires corrective surgery, PIAC has a guarantee policy and review process.

Review Process

If a client has a complication then PIAC should be immediately advised including full details of that complication along with any evidence such as photos, medical reports or statements.

A review committee consisting of the attending Plastic Surgeon, PIAC Senior Plastic Surgeon and the Medical Director of Phuket International Hospital will review the complication.

The review committee will review the evidence and make a determination. This determination will essentially be

That the complication is related to surgery, hospital treatment or admission
That the complication is related to unrealistic expectations of the client, previous medical or pre existing conditions, the client not fully following post operative or surgeons instructions
That the complication is not related to surgery, hospital treatment or admission
After a determination of the above, the amount and extent of responsibility between PIAC and the client will be allocated. In some cases, responsibility will be 100% allocated to PIAC, in others, 50% to PIAC and 50% to the client, and in others 100% responsibility to the client. Allocation of responsibility will be made on a case by case basis.

PIAC will notify the client of the determination in writing.

If a client disagrees with the determination, they should immediately notify PIAC, in writing, providing the reasons why they disagree with the determination.

Conditions

Clients should be aware that:

All post-operative advice provided by surgeons, including medication recommendations, restricted activities, follow up care must be followed
Compression garments where recommended must be worn according to the surgeons instructions
Post operative stays in hotels must be in an approved PIAC hotel
In cases that a client considers to be an emergency, such as acute pain, acute swelling or infection, the client should seek immediate medical assistance from a licensed medical practitioner. The client should obtain a medical report or statement detailing the diagnosis, treatment provided and cost of treatment and forward this information to PIAC. Clients should, when practical, immediately notify PIAC that emergency assistance has been sought. Failure to notify PIAC in a reasonable time will result in cancellation of the guarantee
PIAC will not reimburse treatment costs that have not been pre approved in writing by PIAC.
Generally, except in the cases of emergency or acute complications, no determination will be made by PIAC for 6 months following surgery. This is to allow ample time for the minimisation of any swelling and to allow normal healing, scar minimisation etc
No procedures, except in emergencies or acute complications, may be performed by another surgeon without the consent of PIAC. Failure to pre notify PIAC will result in cancellation of the guarantee.
Significant risk factors that maybe taking into account when making a determination on high risk surgery cases

Patients with any of the following risk factors should ensure that this information has been provided to their surgeon before undertaking any surgical procedure and declared fully and truthfully on the pre admission form, including but not limited to:

Patients who smoke or are alcohol or drug dependent
Patients outside a healthy BMI range
Patients with diabetes or thyroid disease
Patients with blood pressure disorders including hypertension, limb ischemia, varicose vein or hemorrhoids
Patients with heart conditions including valvular disease or ischemia
Patients with renal conditions including chronic renal failure or stone
Patients with urinary conditions including benign prostatic hypertrophy, stricture of the urethra
Patients with liver conditions including cirrhosis or hepatitis
Patients with lung conditions including COPD, asthma or TB
Patients with gastrointestinal conditions including peptic ulcer
Patients with marrow conditions including dysplastic marrow
Patients with nerve conditions including sensory, motor or autonomic disturbance
Patients with muscle conditions including weakness, myasthenia-Gravis or Guilain-barre syndrome
Patients with uterine conditions including dysmenorrhea and endometriosis
Patients with joint conditions including arthritis
Patients with eye conditions including glaucoma
Patients with psychiatric conditions depression, schizophrenia or anxiety
Patients with systemic conditions including autoimmune disease allergy or cancer
Patients with degenerative conditions to the spine, bone, joints, eye or brain
Patients with keloid scarring problems
Patients with vascular or heart problems
Patients who take medications which could interfere with recovery
Patients who are allergic to medications or other non disclosed allergies
Patients who are HIV positive, or have hepatitis or syphilis

Exclusions

Clients should be aware that the following exclusions will not be covered by this guarantee

Non-surgical procedures, laser or dental procedures
Inherent risks associated with surgery which are not a result of surgery error, including but not limited to: capsular contracture and skin rippling (in the case of breast implants), numbness and changes in sensation, asymmetry
Changes associated with weight gain/loss or pregnancy since the surgery
Applicable only to patients who have stayed in Phuket Province and the minimum recommended amount of nights recommended to recovery of the named procedure
Case where patients who have been identified and advised that
they are high risk
surgical outcomes may not be fully attained as expected by the patient
prior to surgery, the surgery technique used, or any other factor provided to the patient which may result in a complication. This particularly applies to patients who insist on having a procedure, when they have been informed by the surgeon that the results may not be optimal
Any revision surgery or secondary surgery not originally performed by PIAC, or any corrective surgery originally performed by a non PIAC surgeon
Smokers who do not cease smoking 4 weeks prior to, and 4 weeks after their surgery
Clients who drink alcohol 1 week prior to their surgery and for the complete post-operative period until they have ceased their course of antibiotics or as advised by their surgeon
Clients who have a psychiatric or mental health condition or who are taking any form of psychiatric or mental health related medication

Determination

If after determination, and taking into consideration the conditions and exclusions above, PIAC guarantees in the case of surgery, hospital treatment or admission error, that PIAC will in pay in full or on an agreed costs shared basis with the client

for all hospital, admission, surgical and other costs associated with the corrective surgery.
in the case of Agency and PIAC website referred clients who are non residents of Thailand, for the return airfares from the nearest capital city or international airport in economy class and original booking code. Travel should be in the same season of travel (low season, low shoulder, shoulder, high shoulder, high season). Any additional airfare costs must be paid by the client.
in the case of Agency and PIAC website referred clients who are non residents of Thailand, for hotel accommodation for the time required to be in Phuket for corrective surgery. The hotel will be selected by PIAC. Any additional hotel costs, including upgrades to a higher standard or class or hotel, including room upgrades must be paid by the client.
PIAC will not be responsible for any expenses for the patient’s companion or family.

Note: All corrective surgery procedures must be finalised within 1 year of the original surgery