PPSI Commitment and Guarantee
At PPSI 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. PPSI provides our clients with the assurances that they are not putting themselves at unnecessary risk by traveling 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 PPSI. Information on surgical, anaesthetic and other risks are detailed in our information pamphlets on procedures which are available from PPSI. 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, PPSI has a guarantee policy and review process.
Commitment and Guarantee
If a client has a complication then PPSI 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, PPSI 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 PPSI and the client will be allocated. In some cases, responsibility will be 100% allocated to PPSI, in others, 50% to PPSI 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.
PPSI will notify the client of the determination in writing.
If a client disagrees with the determination, they should immediately notify PPSI, in writing, providing the reasons why they disagree with the determination.
Conditions
Clients should be aware that:
- Compression garments where recommended must be worn according to the surgeons instructions
- 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 PPSI. Clients should, when practical, immediately notify PPSI that emergency assistance has been sought. Failure to notify PPSI in a reasonable time will result in cancellation of the guarantee
- PPSI will not reimburse treatment costs that have not been pre approved in writing by PPSI.
- Generally, except in the cases of emergency or acute complications, no determination will be made by PPSI 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 PPSI. Failure to pre notify PPSI will result in cancellation of the guarantee.
Significant risk factors that may be taken 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 PPSI, or any corrective surgery originally performed by a non PPSI 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
- Clients who notify PPSI of a concern or complication 12 months after their PPSI surgery date
Determination
If after determination, and taking into consideration the conditions and exclusions above, PPSI guarantees in the case of surgery, hospital treatment or admission error, that PPSI 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 PPSI 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 PPSI 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 PPSI. Any additional hotel costs, including upgrades to a higher standard or class or hotel, including room upgrades must be paid by the client.
PPSI 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.