PIC GROUP CELEBRATES ITS 45H ANNIVERSARY

Always a fascinating person to speak to Dr Sunya Viravaidya Chairman, CEO and Medical Director, gave me a couple of hours of his very valuable time to discuss the PIC Group and in particular The Pattaya International Hospital, now celebrating 45 years of servicing the community here.

From the minute you walk into the reception of The Pattaya International Hospital you are aware of it being a friendly welcoming space, certainly far less austere than the NHS hospitals I remember from the UK . There are interpreters on hand to help patients of all nationalities and smart,efficient receptionists to quickly process you through to the relevant departments.
Nurses are friendly but also serious and attentive and when you meet the Doctors – and I have had the opportunity to interview quite a few – they speak English and even more importantly understand English very well. This means that they can ask pertinent questions as to what ails you and although obviously very knowledgeable are extremely friendly and approachable
This attitude comes from the top and permeates the entire hospital – Dr Sunya speaks excellent English – unsurprising really as his father Dr. Samak and mother, Dr. Ella both graduated from Edinburgh University and he himself from the faculty of medicine in Melbourne University. He has also has a charming sense of humour which immediately puts you at ease and is certainly not a man to rest on his laurels being always interested in and devoting time, effort and money to cutting edge procedures that can aid and improve the quality of his patients’ lives.

An ongoing program of investment, over 20 million baht, is enabling purchases of new machinery echocardiograms,ultrasound, dialysis machines and new treatments all instigated by Dr Sunya for the hospital. He is particularly keen on purchasing state of the art equipment from Taiwan as they are now widely acknowledged to have the best standards of healthcare in the world.
I had also heard that a pet topic of his is that of anti-ageing and Pattaya is certainly a hub for like minded people to show interest in this. I asked Dr Sunya what he would advise and his first recommendations were expected: regular check ups, medical and dental, nutritious food, plenty of exercise, but more interestingly, he went on to discuss some newer treatments that he has taken it upon himself to research. This is not simply because he wants to promote himself – although he is certainly a great physical endorsement of these procedures but because he believes that a doctor should be practical as well as “book learned”.

Doctors who simply quote medical textbooks such as the ever popular Harrison’s without showing any logic or opinion based on experience, have no place at Pattaya International Hospital. They will not make it to his wall of Superstars for as well as investment in machinery Dr Sunya certainly invests in his people and takes great delight in constantly challenging them.
He believes that Doctor’s must speak from personal .informed perspectives especially when explaining to patients about some of the newer treatments such as those relatively new to the hospital such as PRP, Growth Hormone and the prescribing of Metformin. This is a Diabetic medication FDA approved and therefore inexpensive with proven results not just for sufferers of type 2 diabetes but also for the treatment of hypertension or weight gain, by the improvement of blood sugar levels.
However Dr Sunya’s favourite machine as far as I could tell is the Bio Laser. It is

extensively used in Taiwan as it improves the function of the cells by increasing oxygen and therefore promoting better blood flow. It can help with the circulation as blood becomes less viscous and flows more easily.even into the smallest capillaries. Therefore it is especially good to combat chronic pain and help migraine sufferers and stroke victims.
Dr Sunya tells me that clumping of blood slows the flow and therefore leads to problems, so by reducing the coagulation and improving circulation of oxygenated blood, the entire body can benefit. He even mentions an 86 year old monk that he has been treating for years who amazes everyone when a sample of his blood it taken as it really defies what they would expect from a man of his advanced years. .
After all as Dr Sunya says……………………”Seeing is believing”.