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Growing surgery cases means getting people interested in surgery all the way to surgery day without dropping out, not just finding more interested people. Planned procedures such as LASIK, cataract, hernia, haemorrhoid and fibroid surgery are high-value services that patients take a long time to decide on, comparing several hospitals.
Surgery patients have more questions than most: do I really need it, what will it cost in total, will insurance pay, can I pay in instalments, how long is recovery, and which doctor should I choose? Many compare hospitals for weeks or months. This guide covers the surgical patient journey, where hospitals lose cases, how to fix it, and the role of a surgery concierge.
The surgical patient journey, and where cases are lost
| Stage | What the patient wants to know | Often lost when |
|---|---|---|
| Learning surgery may be needed | Is it really necessary; are there alternatives | Information found is unclear or frightening |
| Comparing | Total price, doctor, technique, recovery and reviews | No price, or only a starting price without inclusions |
| Consultation or assessment | Which method suits me; what insurance pays | Long waits for an appointment, or unclear answers on cost |
| Deciding | Can I afford it; how much leave; who looks after me | Nobody follows up; no instalment option |
| Surgery day and after | How to prepare; what happens on arrival | A confusing day, or no follow-up appointment |
The biggest loss is between consultation and decision. Patients who have been assessed but not followed up go back to comparing and choose whoever answers their last question first.
Six ways to grow surgery cases
- Make prices clear: packages stating what is included (surgeon, theatre, medicines, follow-up) and when extra costs apply
- Check insurance before booking: ask for policy details at first contact, especially now that Thailand’s standard health insurance includes co-payment
- Offer instalments: for self-pay patients, 0% instalments remove the lump-sum barrier
- Make the first assessment easy: shorter steps and waits, online booking, or a preliminary review of existing results
- Answer into the evening: many surgery patients research after work; a team or system that replies then keeps cases from going elsewhere
- Follow up every consultation: someone owns each assessed patient who has not yet booked, and answers their remaining concerns
What is a surgery concierge?
A surgery concierge looks after surgery patients from first interest to recovery, like a relative who knows how hospitals work: comparing options, checking insurance, arranging instalments, coordinating appointments and looking after the patient on the day. For hospitals, it is a patient acquisition channel that sends only cases ready to proceed.
| Hospital does it in-house | Working with a surgery concierge | |
|---|---|---|
| Finding patients | The hospital’s marketing team | The concierge markets to patients |
| Answering and screening | Centre staff or call centre | The concierge answers and screens before referral |
| Insurance and instalments | Finance and admissions | The concierge coordinates before booking |
| Surgery day | Hospital staff | Extra staff to look after the patient |
| Cost | Marketing budget and staff | A fee per completed case, as agreed |
Many hospitals do both: their own marketing for services that are already well known, and a concierge for procedures they want to grow or patient groups they do not yet reach.
HDcare is HDmall’s surgery concierge service. It has looked after more than 6,000 surgery patients booked through HDcare and generated over THB 300 million in sales for more than 30 private partner hospitals. Its team answers patients 09:00–01:00 every day, handles insurance checks and 0% instalments, and can send staff to look after patients at the hospital on the day. Patients can browse surgery packages on HDcare on HDmall.
Measuring surgery case growth
| KPI | What it measures |
|---|---|
| Consultation requests per month | By procedure and channel |
| Request-to-assessment rate | People who contacted you and were assessed |
| Assessment-to-surgery rate | The stage where most cases are lost |
| Time from first contact to surgery | The shorter, the fewer cases lost |
| Cost per surgery case | Marketing spend and channel fees divided by completed cases |
| Post-surgery satisfaction | A leading indicator of reviews and referrals |
Frequently asked questions
How can a hospital grow surgery cases?
Make package prices clear, check insurance before booking, offer instalments, make the first assessment easy, answer into the evening, and follow up every assessed patient who has not yet booked, because most cases are lost between consultation and decision.
What is a surgery concierge?
A service that looks after surgery patients from first interest to recovery: comparing options, checking insurance, arranging instalments, coordinating appointments and looking after them on the day. For hospitals it is an acquisition channel that refers only cases ready to proceed.
How does HDcare work with hospitals?
HDcare markets to surgery patients, screens cases ready to proceed, helps with insurance and 0% instalments, refers patients to partner hospitals and can send staff to look after them on the day. Terms are agreed with each hospital; contact the team through the form on this page.
Which procedures suit surgery marketing?
Procedures patients can plan and decide on themselves, such as LASIK, cataract, hernia, haemorrhoid and fibroid surgery, endoscopy and some orthopaedic surgery. Emergency cases are not decided by marketing.
Do insured and self-pay surgery patients need different marketing?
Yes. Insured patients want to know what insurance pays and what they must pay, so help them check cover early. Self-pay patients care more about the total price, what the package includes and instalment options.
Sources
- HDmall, surgery packages on HDcare
- ttb analytics, Thai private hospitals at a structural turning point (ThaiPublica, 27 July 2026, in Thai)
