Overloaded with patients: Medical Council sets limit for work hours of Thai doctors

By Coconuts Bangkok 

 

File photo of a crowded hospital. Photo: Leikr

 

The Medical Council of Thailand has set a cap for Thai doctors’ work hours, after finding out they dangerously overwork, with some forced to take shifts totaling more than 100 hours a week.

 

According to Dr. Samphan Komrit, the council’s spokesman, the long hours have weakened doctors and put them at risk for contracting diseases at hospitals. Every year, a few doctors have been reportedly in car accidents because they dozed off, while some quit their jobs because of the extreme working conditions, Daily News reported.

 

Full story: https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/overloaded-patients-medical-council-sets-limit-work-hours-thai-doctors/

 

-- © Copyright Coconuts Bangkok 2017-10-18

Too bad they dont discuss any solution. Setting a non-binding cap on work hours at 40 per week does not help much as there appearently is a shortage of doctors (or too many patients).

 

So now what? Doctors work 40 hours a week and half the patients are send home without seeing a doctor? Or every patient just gets half the time with a doctor?

 

One of the problems in the Thai medical field is that there is no vetting process before patients go to a hospital.

 

In my home country you cannot even just go to a hospital to see a doctor (except for emergencies). You first go to your local GP and if your case is serious enough he will make you an appointment.

 

In Thailand over 75% of the patients going to the hospital dont need any medical help worth mentioning. People go there for every headache, sneeze, or trouble falling asleep. That clogs up the system and leads to tremendous overtime work for medical professionals.

Makes sense, so long as there is always cover. And I suppose that would need a pay rise.

16 minutes ago, Bob12345 said:

Too bad they dont discuss any solution. Setting a non-binding cap on work hours at 40 per week does not help much as there appearently is a shortage of doctors (or too many patients).

 

So now what? Doctors work 40 hours a week and half the patients are send home without seeing a doctor? Or every patient just gets half the time with a doctor?

 

One of the problems in the Thai medical field is that there is no vetting process before patients go to a hospital.

 

In my home country you cannot even just go to a hospital to see a doctor (except for emergencies). You first go to your local GP and if your case is serious enough he will make you an appointment.

 

In Thailand over 75% of the patients going to the hospital dont need any medical help worth mentioning. People go there for every headache, sneeze, or trouble falling asleep. That clogs up the system and leads to tremendous overtime work for medical professionals.

Absolutely right. And leads to further infections. Thailand does have the beginnings of a GP system; it needs expanding on.

And the nurses ?

Doctors who had government  financial assistance with their training are required to repay the debt by agreeing to work in a government hospital for a period of I think three years before moving to the private sector if they so choose .

Many young Thai doctors are absolutely marvelous treating dozens of patients and working long hours .They and the nurses  deserve all the help and assistance the government can do to improve their working conditions.

13 hours ago, yellowboat said:

And the nurses ?

Yes, they are also often overworked, and certainly undervalued.
I for one would not mind paying a bit more at my provincial hospital. They provide good service for a nominal price, even at the full OTC rate for foreigners.
I wonder if an increase in the 30 baht rate would help alleviate some of the pressure? I would not for a moment want to see people unable to get medical care that they need, but really have no idea how onerous the 30 baht is for the average Thai.
Perhaps a tiered system where truly poor folks stay at 30 baht, while better off people pay more? 
I suppose then that administrative costs would go up. 
My congratulations to Thailand for trying to deliver health care for all, unlike my home nation of the US which seems hell bent on denying such care to all but the wealthy.
I hope Thailand can find a solution that does not depend on overworking the fine young people who provide this vital service.