The most positive, most efficient experience I have ever had at a medical facility.

Last week I had the best, most positive and efficient experience I have ever had in a medical facility.

I came back to the US through Bangkok and had an appointment for a megaphysical at Bumrungrad Hospital. Ranked #100 in the world by Newsweek. Beautiful, modern facility.

The entire physical took 6 hours. When I arrived on time for my appointment, my wait time to be checked in and set up my account: 2 minutes.

Then to the next floor where all the procedures took place. Was given hospital garb and a key to a locker in the dressing area. Came back out, ready for the first station. Wait time: 3 minutes. By the way, they had given me a pager like you get at a restaurant. When I was finished at one station, within 3 minutes, the pager went off, and the assistant assigned to me was right there to take me to the next station. There was rarely a wait time longer than 3-5 minutes.

Altogether, all kinds of blood work, cancer markers, urinalysis, stress test, EKG, abdominal scan, chest xray, eye exam, and more. After the stress test and EKG, the wait time for the heart doctor to come in and go over the results: less than 3 minutes.

The last stop at the end was with the doctor who would go over all the results from everything, all the lab work, the scan...everything. There was about a 20 minute wait here, so there is a snack bar with sandwiches, salads and more...all included. It was like, hey, there's gonna be a wait here, so we're gonna feed you while you wait.

For 13 years my PSA has been on an uphill climb. 10 years ago it spiked, but then came down. But I have had 3 prostate biopsies in Nashville, the most recent one 4 years ago. All negative. I always would tell my doctor and also my urologist that there must be another reason for the high PSA, so what is it? Never got an answer...until last week. I recount all of that to the Thai doctor, who explains very simply that it's because my prostate is 58 grams, and normal is 35-40, but as long as it's not causing any difficulty, there's no reason to do anything at this point. They could determine that from the abdominal scan. So why couldn't doctors and urologists here in the US tell me that? The last doctor I saw, with Ascension St. Thomas in Nashville, didn't even bother checking my prostate after seeing my PSA.

During the entire experience, I saw at least three doctors: eye doctor, cardiologist, and general practice at the end. In addition, the specialist who did the stress test and EKG, and another who did the abdominal scan (possibly also a doctor). Other professionals who drew blood, etc.

Total cost without insurance: about $1,000. My insurance paid half.

On the Newsweek rankings, there are only 18 hospitals in the US ranked higher than Bumrungrad, and the only two in the southeast are Duke Medical and the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. Not Vandy, and not UAB.

Why can't we have nice stuff like this here? Maybe it exists, but I haven't hear of anything around middle Tennessee. Maybe it exists.

I have heard of some places in the US where you can get this kind of one stop shopping. I know of nothing around middle Tennessee. I wonder what the total cost of all these procedures and all the office visits with all the professionals would be in Nashville. I was already hating my recent experiences here in middle Tennessee, especially after my long time general practice doctor retired. He was probably one of the last in the area who wasn't part of big corporation.