The pharmacist will see you now: Has Thailand found cure for hospital overcrowding?

[webfact]

 

At 59, Wan needs to visit a doctor every four months to keep her hypertension and high cholesterol under control. So, she ends up being a factor in hospital overcrowding and has to suffer long queues for treatment.

 

“I turned up at 7am today and waited until 1.30 to see a doctor. Then, I had to wait till nearly 3pm to get my medicines,” she said.

 

Wan ranks among 47 million Thais who are covered by the universal healthcare scheme, under which citizens receive most medical services for free. The main providers of these services are state hospitals, which operate under the Public Health Ministry.

 

Records show that the number of outpatient visits almost doubled from 155 million in 2013 to 300 million in 2017. Queues have thus become longer at state hospitals. This is putting an increasingly severe strain on both patients and medical staff, more and more of whom are complaining of exhaustion.

 

At some overcrowded hospitals, patients are unable to see a doctor without a prior appointment even if they queue up as early as 6-7am.

 

Initiatives to ease hospital overcrowding 

 

The Public Health Ministry and the National Health Security Office (NHSO), which manages the universal healthcare coverage scheme, have tried to ease hospital overcrowding with several initiatives.

 

For example, patients with non-communicable diseases are now permitted to pick up medicines from their local pharmacy instead of a hospital. And some hospitals refer patients with non-serious conditions to clinics for treatment.

 

#news

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/the-pharmacist-will-see-you-now-has-thailand-found-cure-for-hospital-overcrowding/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-07-08

 

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[jacko45k]

And will the pharmacist also insist on BP and weight measurements be taken and expensively  charged for?

[KannikaP]

4 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

And will the pharmacist also insist on BP and weight measurements be taken and expensively  charged for?

It is Bht 50 at my local Govt Hospital. But try different machines cos they all read differently!

I take my own readings every morning, and store them in an app on my phone.

[bignok]

Why take drugs for things diet can fix?

[Pink Mist]

6 minutes ago, bignok said:

Why take drugs for things diet can fix?

Not sure diet can fix heart issues, COPD, and many others. Medications are needed to continue with quality of life.

[mikebell]

With a C in 'O' level GCE General Science, (65 years ago), I am as well qualified as most Thai doctors. I stopped going to hospitals when a doctor diagnosed my long term TGF's ear infection as a STD.  I bought her a new pair of head phones for her mobile + antibiotics from my local Fascinos; cured within 3 days.

[bignok]

Meditation and diet can lower bp. Fix the cause not the symptoms.

[stoner]

4 minutes ago, bignok said:

Meditation and diet can lower bp. Fix the cause not the symptoms.

quality sleep and exercise as well. 

[Denim]

24 minutes ago, bignok said:

Why take drugs for things diet can fix?

I changed my diet and cured my arthritis. Didn't give anything up , just added every anti inflamatory food I could find.

[bignok]

7 minutes ago, Denim said:

I changed my diet and cured my arthritis. Didn't give anything up , just added every anti inflamatory food I could find.

Me too. Fixed my mood a bit as well.

[onthedarkside]

A post has been removed:

 

Comments such as "slow news day" or "clickbait headline" are disrespectful and unwelcome.

[sandyf]

Not anything new, in the UK the government have been using pharmacies for some time to reduce overcrowding in GPs for repeat precriptions.

https://www.rpharms.com/recognition/all-our-campaigns/policy-a-z/future-of-pharmacy

[bkk6060]

Too many Thais I know go to the hospital for basically nothing.  A simple cold or headache go to emergency.  

[VocalNeal]

^ Also in Canada

[ikke1959]

A lot of patient don't need to go the the hospital. I have to go too every 3 months just for new medication and see the doctor not even 3 minutes. no examination nothing.... just no problems ok? see you in 3 months.. That don't need to be done in the hospital. Hospitals should be for serious cases, not bloodpressure, new medications, or what ever. therefor go to the clinic.

In my country you first have to go to the clinic to see a doctor and he/she decides if you can go to the hospital. Than you have to make an appointment for the doctor at the hospital, not as here in Thailand just walk in, is impossible. Exception are of course accidents, and serious illness, but than you can go to the emergency room. And not for a scratch. Would save a lot of money and time and stress for the doctors.

[ezzra]

Simply put, medical services for free is not sustainable anyway you look at it as sooner than later it will give way under the pressure, what to do? good question, until not long ago, Australia used to provide medical services for free, not anymore, now you have to chip in if you want to see the doc, and unless you're a pensioner you will be out of pocket for a consultation and meds.

[h90]

3 hours ago, bignok said:

Why take drugs for things diet can fix?

No no there is no lifestyle fix....eat your mcdonalds, don't think too much and eat your pills.

If you talk about lifestyle change, eating healthy, doing exercise you are labeled right wing....

(/sarcasm)

[stoner]

3 hours ago, bignok said:

Me too. Fixed my mood a bit as well.

well..... :)

[bignok]

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

Too many Thais I know go to the hospital for basically nothing.  A simple cold or headache go to emergency.  

Westerners go for flus. Why? Vitamins and rest is what fixes flus.

 

 

[Bkk Brian]

18 minutes ago, bignok said:

Westerners go for flus. Why? Vitamins and rest is what fixes flus.

Not if you get pneumonia brought on by flu.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/aboutus/transparencyandgovernance/freedomofinformationfoi/influenzadeathsintheukbetween2012to2022

[billd766]

4 hours ago, jacko45k said:

And will the pharmacist also insist on BP and weight measurements be taken and expensively  charged for?

It is free at the local state hospital I use.

 

If I am only going to top up my meds, my wife takes me after lunch (I don't drive any more) when most of the crowd has gone. 

 

I get put in a wheelchair, my hospital card is taken for registration and the reason for the visit, a nurse comes to me to take my BP, I tell her my weight and get parked near a fan and simply wait my turn.

 

The doctors fee is 50 baht and the meds are NOT that expensive.

[billd766]

4 hours ago, bignok said:

Why take drugs for things diet can fix?

Diets cannot fix BP problems, neither can they fix lower lung infections, pneumonia or long term Covid.

[billd766]

4 hours ago, bignok said:

Meditation and diet can lower bp. Fix the cause not the symptoms.

It doesn't do much when your BP is low anyway.

[SoilSpoil]

4 hours ago, bignok said:

Why take drugs for things diet can fix?

Any snake oil perhaps?

[Bangkok Barry]

30 minutes ago, bignok said:

Westerners go for flus. Why? Vitamins and rest is what fixes flus.

 

 

In the UK, to get a certificate excusing you work for a week?

[Guderian]

The British system seems more effective, nobody answers the telephone  or replies to e-mails, so it's impossible to get an appointment.

[SiSePuede419]

Uhhhh, build more hospitals? ????

[Sydebolle]

The answer is partly in the tremendous complicated and incompetent bureaucracy. Identify yourself upon arrival at the hospital and get a barcoded wristband which creates/accesses medical history as well as what is needed this time round. At the end, see the cashier, get the (overpriced) medicine if applicable and on departure your wristband is cut off and destroyed. 
If you see all those endless photocopies (don't forget to use blue ink for verification signature) and tons of files being driven around from A to D, back to C and onto F just to end with B (where it actually should have ended two hours ago) ......... 

[Bangkok Barry]

I also have to go to my local Homo Sapiens Maintenance and Repair Centre to see my drug dealer, who then sells me a further four months supply which controls blood pressure etc. Once a year I have a blood and pee and diabetes check, and everything has been stable for years. Seeing the doctor to get my new supply is a waste of her time and mine and I've told my wife what an inefficient system it is. She says it's the Thai way and I reply yes, that's the problem. Maybe now things are changing. Thailand often does catch up with the outside world, eventually.

 

One thing I learned over the years is to not do it the Thai way and turn up at dawn and wait with the multitude for hours. I go after lunch when there is hardly anyone left in the queue. Fortunately, the locals haven't got the common sense to not all turn up at once, and long may it remain that way.

[smedly]

there is no need to see a doctor for this type of medication