Thailand healthcare service represents one of the most crucial ones in the South East Asia’s region. Nowadays, Thailand belongs to an upper-middle-income country. There are numerous published studies upon the medical facilitiesin Thailand. The majority of key points in those research papers have been associated with respect toits healthcare system, regimens supply, selection, use, regulation and healthcare policy.
The one of the world’s most eminent institutions in Thailand are known toprovide the medical fraternity with top-quality healthcare professionals.
Thailand has a large network of integrative wellness centers and facilities known as Thai massage, the Thai Destination Spa, Medical Spa, wellness and restorative activities, revitalizing activities in the elderly care and health-oriented food.
Thailand healthcare system
The healthcare system in Thailand accentuates the social determinants of health as the legal framework for the advancement of health care measures provided by Universal Health Coverage. The main principle is the need for the adequate access to healthcare services as one of the basic rights of the Thailand population and international patients.
Thailand is a land known by its unique health and herbal ingredients species with high quality standards. The large number of the manufacturers are accredited with GMP, FDA and Ministry of Health.
The majority of hospitals in Thailand have Hospital Accreditation (HA), a 4-stage process that combines self-assessment and peer assessmentto achieve performancelevels against established standards of care and identifymethods of improvement.
There is a great emphasis on the personnel skills in each hospital setting, including patient care, organization and professional interaction amongst departments.
Medical accreditations of Thailand’s institutions
At the moment, Thailand has a modern, state-of-the-art medical program and was accredited in 2002 as one of the leading Asian countrieswith Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation and specialized Clinical Care Program Certification (CCPC). CCPC demonstrates excellence in the integration and coordination of medical care for the treatment of a specific disease. It includes 15 categories of clinical services for certification most commonly for acute myocardial infarction program, breast cancer program, diabetes mellitus type 2, heart failure program, chronic kidney disease,low back pain program and primary stroke center.
Hospitals in Thailand
Hospitals inThailand are focused toprovide their services as multi-level system to ensure an adequate geographical equitywhile maintaining its efficacious functioning.
At the regional level, there are 6 medical school hospitals, 33 regional hospitals and 48 specialized, whilst at the provincial level there are 83 generalhospitals in Thailand (2010), respectively.
The main role of Government Pharmaceutical organization (GPO) is to ensure an appropriate drug supply as well as to maintain price level of the most abundantpharmaceutical supplies in Thailand healthcare system.
There are 28 hospitals that are JCI-accredited since2013 as it follows:
- Bangkok Heart Hospital (Bangkok)
- Bangkok Hospital (Bangkok)
- Bangkok Hospital HuaHin (HuaHin)
- Bangkok Hospital Patayya (Patayya)
- Bangkok Hospital Phuket (Phuket)
- Bangkok Hospital Samui (KohSamui)
- Bangkok InternationalDental Center (Bangkok)
- BNH Hospital (Bangkok)
- Bumrungrad International (Bangkok)
- Central General Hospital (Bangkok)
- Chaophya (Bangkok)
- Chiangmai Ram Hospital (Chiang Mai)
- International Clinic Koh Chang by Bangkok Hospital Trat (Ambulatory Care)
- Metta International Eye Center (Ambulatory Care) (Bangkok)
- Nonthavej Hospital (Bangkok)
- Phuket International Hospital (Phuket)
- Pitsanuvej Hospital(Phitsanulok)
- Praram 9 Hospital (Bangkok)
- Ramkhamhaeng Hospital (Bangkok)
- SamitivejSrinkarin Hospital (Bangkok)
- SamitivejSukhumvit Hospital (Chonburi)
- SamitivejSukhumvit Hospital (Bangkok)
- Sikarin Hospital (Bangkok)
- Vejthani Hospital (Bangkok)
- Vibhavadi Hospital (Bangkok)
- Wattanosoth Cancer Hospital (Bangkok)
- Yanhee Hospital (Bangkok)
Medical Thailand ministries
The healthcare delivery system in Thailand is mainly focused on the health benefits of the patient. Its main attribute is to improve the well-being of the patient itself. The aforementioned public system means that the majority of inhabitants are coveredby insurance for their health services as well as medicines.
The main healthcare body in Thailand is The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) and other legal actors such as governor, local authorities, Tumbon health fund andPublic Private Partnership (PPP). The additional institutions of major importance are Health System Research Institute (HSRI), National Health Security Office (NHSO), Thai Health Promotion Foundation, National Health Commission (NHCO), Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand (EMIT) and Health Accreditation Institute (HAI).
The current population health challenges are mostly due to noncommunicable disease, antimicrobial resistance and road traffic accidents. The major burden ofmorbidity and mortality in Thailand population is due to infectious diseases.
According to the UHC policy, public sector in Thailand aims to enable such access to its population whilst protecting them from unnecessary health expenditures.The emphasis is on ensuring the access to healthcare service to all individuals.
ThailandcontinuestosuccessfullyimplementtheExpandedProgrammeonImmunization (EPI) and is strongly committed to eradicate polio by 2018 and eliminate measles by 2020.
Medical Tourism in Thailand
Within the healthcare tourism, Thailand receives millions of foreign patients peryear particularly in the field of cardiology, oncology, ophthalmology and spinal surgery causing a growth in government funding, private participation, medical tourism and an increased income levels.
In case of foreign individuals requiring medical examination or procedures there are several insurance scenarios. The intentional medical travel procedures coverage is reserved for a travelling for the explicit purpose of doing a procedure overseas. The accidental medicaltravel coverage means if an individual is on travel, there is an accident and primary healthcare coverage. The complication insurance is in caseofacomplication resulting from a procedure.
The list of medical facilities/practitioners in Thailand may be obtained here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/589224/Medical_Facilities_List_in_Thailand_with_JCI_Standard_-_Update_March_2016__1_.pdf.
Future medical perspectives
There is an ongoing Thailand’s Country Cooperation Strategy 2017-2021 (CCS) in association between WHO, the Royal Thai Government and 75 governmental and nongovernmental organizations for the ongoing progress in the healthcare industry. Its aim is to improve the healthcare system, migrant health, implement national health policies, strategies and plans.
The main issues for future health sector reforms are to maintain balance of revenue and expenditure, to gain additional revenues as well as long-term financial sustainability. The main advantage of Asian region is the importance of the investment of foreign healthcare and pharmaceuticalindustries in the Thailand medical sector. The medical tourism industry in Thailand has a tremendeous growth potential due to the government’s support and the development of medical services and facilities.