Expert decries medical-hub plan

PONGPHON SARNSAMAK

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- A medical expert yesterday disagreed with government's plan to encourage large private hospitals to go ahead and start profiting from its policy to promote Thailand as an international healthcare destination.

"Why does the government have to put a lot of money and resources into providing medical care for foreigners and rich people, while taxpayers have to settle for poor care? Is this fair?" asked Dr Suthee Rattanamongkolkul, of Srinakharinwirot University's faculty of medicine.

His statement comes ahead of the Public Health Ministry's biggest medical expo, which kicks off today and runs until Sunday at Impact Muang Thong Thani. The ministry has invited about 300 healthcare providers, including state and private hospitals, to set up booths and display the services on offer to investors and other attendees.

Government will allocate Bt3.13 billion to drive this medical-hub policy until 2016 and expects the move to generate Bt200 billion a year.

Suthee said the plan would have a negative impact on the healthcare system and patients, adding that private hospitals' move to promote their services at this three-day event would encourage people to sign up for unnecessary medical care.

"Should medical treatment be provided to patients when necessary or should it become a commodity like other products that you can buy in the market?" he asked.

He also voiced concerns that heavy promotion for medical services among private hospitals would increase the country's healthcare expenditure.

At present this accounts for 4 per cent of gross domestic product.

He said such heavy promotion of healthcare services would also cause patients to have high expectations and hence increase the number of malpractice lawsuits.

Instead of spending a lot of money on this policy, Suthee suggested that the government allocate more to support rural hospitals, which have been running on reduced funds for several years. This would also help nurses get civil-service positions and resolve the brain-drain problem as well as the shortage of qualified nursing staff in public hospitals.

The government should also boost the number of rural doctors and physicians who can provide medical treatment at primary care units and community hospitals in remote areas.

-- The Nation 2012-08-30

Don't these big hospitals already turn in huge profits?

When is the government going to start doing something for its people. It's all money, money money!

I am totally confused now...First it was the decried the Tranpertation FLUB, now its being decried the Medical FLUB.

I wonder how many and what FLUBS will be decried next,

The Dr. is right. The arguments used don't make too much sense, but the point about investing in rural hospitals first, before promoting foreign travel for medical services, makes a lot of sense.

The Dr. is right. The arguments used don't make too much sense, but the point about investing in rural hospitals first, before promoting foreign travel for medical services, makes a lot of sense.

Totally agree. The private hospitals should be self funding. In fact they should contribute some part of their profits to the public health system.

Thailand will never become recognized by the international public as a 'international healthcare destination' whilst Thai doctors / Thai based private hospitals fight to prevent doctors being sued for malpractice.

The so called Thai based '5 star' hospitals make many mistakes, in most developed countries they would have been sued out of existence years ago.

Agree, any investment from Thai taxpayers funds at this stage should be to upgrade Thai hospital and treatment facilities etc., for the benefit of all Thais in all of Thailand, and especially to ensure that all Thais have access to quality health care at very affordable fees for the poor, even free.

Edited August 30, 201213 yr by scorecard

The Hub of Thailand's national health care plan is just big, noisy, and overcrowded govt hospital waiting rooms filled with poor Thais...no money here.

The Hub of Thailand international health care plan is small, pleasant, and well-staffed hospital waiting rooms filled with well-off foreigners...plenty of money here.

Which type of Hub will the politicians really focus their attention on and support, most likely the later. Why? There is money there. Sure, in the first one there are potential votes but no political party wants to make major changes to the national health care plan because it's too dangerous to touch...kinda like the proverbial "third rail."

Just another scam to skim money from the tax payer. Promoting something that doesn't need to be promoted

Thailand LOS - LOH (Land of Hubs)

As you can see from most of the comments made before me, foreigners staying in Thailand do care about the state of the Thai people. They may dislike the way the country is run, but that doesn't mean they dislike its people.

Another hare brained scheme. The private hospitals should be obliged to treat a percentage of modest means Thais first before they embark on additional profit making schemes, since these hospitals have benefited from indirect and direct government subsidies.

Oh wait, they are supposed to do that now, but do not. Ooops I forgot.

It is no coincidence that Hospitals including Paolo, Phaya Thai and others are owned by Thaksin or his associates.

Basically this is shifting 3.13 billion baht of marketing from their profit and loss statements (as an expense) to the tax payer.

Along with fashion city, thai elite card, med hub, kitchen of the world, seriously does this government have a SINGLE new idea that actually they will do, or a single idea from the last few times they have been in power to actually HELP Thailand?

I am completely at a loss to understand how we could end up with such idiots running the country.

I am completely at a loss to understand how we could end up with such idiots running the country.

Umm.....500 baht per chance?