Phuket International Hospital has produced an elaborate coffee-table book, Healthy Living in Phuket, with over 100 pages of information about healthcare and living in Phuket and Thailand. It covers everything from snake bites to sexual encounters, and gives both the positive and negative aspects of life on this tropical island. If you're thinking of moving to Thailand or coming for any medical procedures the book is required reading. The hospital produced the work as a community project. It is supported by advertising, which explains the low cost of 450 Baht.
Most visitors taking medical vacations are here for minor items, like general check-ups, or dental- and eye-care examinations. They take just a day out from their time touring or beachcombing to visit a hospital or clinic for an overall health check. Most hospitals don't even require appointments for these visits. You arrive early in the morning and a few hours later leave with a report giving you a breakdown of what's right and wrong.
If you choose one of the more expensive packages you can expect an in-depth examination, which will normally include a discussion with a specialist about how you can maintain or improve your health.
Others come for more elaborate procedures. Knee and hip replacements are common. And a great benefit here is that if you opt for a hospital in a tourist area you can enjoy all the benefits of a Thai resort for convalescence.