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Thai Public Health Min to make ER services available for free


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Ministry of Public Health to make ER services available for free

BANGKOK, 25 May 2015 (NNT) - The Ministry of Public Health has been planning to improve the health care system in Thailand for patients of all backgrounds.


Public Health Minister Surachet Sathitniramai said the ministry is quickly trying to make emergency services available for free to patients at public hospitals nationwide.

A 24 hour-security system will also be put in place to protect medical staff. The move to make an ER unit free-of-charge is said to help lower fatality and injury rates. However, Dr. Surachet added that services at most ER units remain slow due to a rising number of patients.

The ministry is focusing on separating emergency cases from non-urgent ones, to make sure those in critical conditions are treated quickly. People are urged to call 1669 if urgent medical attention is needed.

In large hospitals, doctors in various fields will be on standby 24 hours to treat patients with diseases or conditions requiring specialized medical personnel, such as stroke, birth delivery and blood infection.

Community hospitals are only allowed to provide emergency care beyond normal working hours on a case by case basis. A follow-up assessment will be conducted every two months to further improve the service.

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It all depends on how it it is implemented. In other countries where this has been tried the results have been negative: people have used free ER treatment for non-emergency conditions , resulting in WORSE care rather than better. If it's for a heart attack, stroke or similar emergency, fine...but it's often misused so that patients avoid the need to pay to see a GP. A good idea but needs careful management.

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Quote "The ministry is focusing on separating emergency cases from non-urgent ones, to make sure those in critical conditions are treated quickly. People are urged to call 1669 if urgent medical attention is needed."

So, instead of the medical staff, the "ministry" will determine what is an emergency and what not ? Oh boy....

Cheers.

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The hardest job in any ER is reception and assessment. If they get that aspect right with efficient and professional ER doctors backed up by nurses able to ward off the pleas of the non urgent it could be a good system.

Meantime we wait to see if farangs will have the use of this new safety net ;)

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It all depends on how it it is implemented. In other countries where this has been tried the results have been negative: people have used free ER treatment for non-emergency conditions , resulting in WORSE care rather than better. If it's for a heart attack, stroke or similar emergency, fine...but it's often misused so that patients avoid the need to pay to see a GP. A good idea but needs careful management.

Agree, this will cause problems. And thats why I am loving this little sentence in the article:

A 24 hour-security system will also be put in place to protect medical staff.

Good luck to the person at the door who is going to decide if your medical case is urgent enough to give you free treatment, or that you need to wait and pay for your treatment. I hope they put some armed soldiers there also to protect the guards who need to protect the medical staff.

Even in developed countries where the government has large budgets to educate an already decently educated population people still go to the ER with minor things. Guess how it will go in Thailand...

Btw, I thought medical treatment was for free already in government hospitals (it used to be 30 baht thanks to Mr T, but collecting it was more expensive than the fee), so they only charged for emergency cases?

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If this goes through its one of the biggest things for foreigners so far, well done Junta.. please stay on if you do stuff like this.

Good to see you support a government not based on how they promote the rule of law, education, safety, and human rights, but purely on what is in it for you.

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If this goes through its one of the biggest things for foreigners so far, well done Junta.. please stay on if you do stuff like this.

Good to see you support a government not based on how they promote the rule of law, education, safety, and human rights, but purely on what is in it for you.

Actually this government has done more then the other government .. cleaning up the beaches. Doing something about the taxi's and other stuff. They keep the reds from killing people so I am ok with it.

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In other threads there are always comments complaining about corrupt politicians handing out their money to people to get support and votes.

The other way to buy approval and support is to promise, if once elected and in power, to set up - or keep up already active - programs, which make sure that all kinds of subsidies and support are handed out.
That's the preferred way to go as it is not perceived by most people as being bought (gotcha?) - Additionally, as a bonus, it's free of charge for any politician or leader as it will be paid directly by taxes and other coerced money (e. g. fees for state-delivered services, fines).

Now back on topic. As usual I couldn't read anything anywhere in the short article about the expected amount and what the plans are to finance this additional services. Are they paid with additional taxes, additional fees on non-emergency services or other means of money redistribution (maybe "solidarity toll" paid by private hospitals; This always sounds attractive to any good-doers, doesn't it)?

Don't get me wrong, I'm all in for any kind of freebies, keep them coming: Free HIV tests, free vaccination/cure for any disease (e. g. ebola), free ER services 24/7; The more the better.

Just keep in mind before getting too excited about this additional benevolent state services: If you can't tell who is the sucker on the table, it's usually you.
Now you can start celebrating .

Edited by Andreas2
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1669? I thought they were changing the emergency number to 191, which it already is for police emergencies ( Police (General Emergency Call), 191. Ambulance and Rescue, 1554. Fire, 199)

Amazing, baffling, beautiful, aggravating, sweet, insane Thailand.

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I am going to govt hospital as needed with X-rays, treatment, etc. all for 30 baht. They gave me public hospital insurance card to use each time. Only other charges are for medicine which is cheap as well. Quality of service not as good as Bangkok and other private hospitals and wait lines can be long but worse problem is nobody or very few speak English.

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If this goes through its one of the biggest things for foreigners so far, well done Junta.. please stay on if you do stuff like this.

Good to see you support a government not based on how they promote the rule of law, education, safety, and human rights, but purely on what is in it for you.

Actually this government has done more then the other government .. cleaning up the beaches. Doing something about the taxi's and other stuff. They keep the reds from killing people so I am ok with it.

I am very happy you are ok with cleaning up beaches, something with taxis, and stopping reds killing people, i am only not sure how this applies to free ER services.

(btw, bringing health care within reach of poor people was also a Taksin policy with the 30-baht medical fees. So now he should come back in power maybe if he keeps on doing stuff like that? Maybe its best to stick to the subject and not making every subject a red vs yellow vs green topic)

Edited by Bob12345
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If this goes through its one of the biggest things for foreigners so far, well done Junta.. please stay on if you do stuff like this.

Good to see you support a government not based on how they promote the rule of law, education, safety, and human rights, but purely on what is in it for you.

Actually this government has done more then the other government .. cleaning up the beaches. Doing something about the taxi's and other stuff. They keep the reds from killing people so I am ok with it.

I am very happy you are ok with cleaning up beaches, something with taxis, and stopping reds killing people, i am only not sure how this applies to free ER services.

(btw, bringing health care within reach of poor people was also a Taksin policy with the 30-baht medical fees. So now he should come back in power maybe if he keeps on doing stuff like that? Maybe its best to stick to the subject and not making every subject a red vs yellow vs green topic)

You started that mate, I was just happy that the junta did this and you came back about the other stuff not me. But seeing is believing still have to wait if this will apply to foreigners.

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Quote "The ministry is focusing on separating emergency cases from non-urgent ones, to make sure those in critical conditions are treated quickly. People are urged to call 1669 if urgent medical attention is needed."

So, instead of the medical staff, the "ministry" will determine what is an emergency and what not ? Oh boy....

Cheers.

A triage nurse.

Best thing is to make all treatment free in government hospitals, and prohibit private hospitals from running A&E departments.

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In other threads there are always comments complaining about corrupt politicians handing out their money to people to get support and votes.

The other way to buy approval and support is to promise, if once elected and in power, to set up - or keep up already active - programs, which make sure that all kinds of subsidies and support are handed out.

That's the preferred way to go as it is not perceived by most people as being bought (gotcha?) - Additionally, as a bonus, it's free of charge for any politician or leader as it will be paid directly by taxes and other coerced money (e. g. fees for state-delivered services, fines).

Now back on topic. As usual I couldn't read anything anywhere in the short article about the expected amount and what the plans are to finance this additional services. Are they paid with additional taxes, additional fees on non-emergency services or other means of money redistribution (maybe "solidarity toll" paid by private hospitals; This always sounds attractive to any good-doers, doesn't it)?

Don't get me wrong, I'm all in for any kind of freebies, keep them coming: Free HIV tests, free vaccination/cure for any disease (e. g. ebola), free ER services 24/7; The more the better.

Just keep in mind before getting too excited about this additional benevolent state services: If you can't tell who is the sucker on the table, it's usually you.

Now you can start celebrating .

Tell about this extra financing ?

Thaksin brought in the 30b health care, the Abhisit Govt made it free because it was costing more to collect than it was bringing in, the Yingluck Govt then reinstated the 30b charge and now it will be abolished for A&E patients.

So there will now be money saved from not collecting and administering the 30b fee for A&E patients.

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Quote "The ministry is focusing on separating emergency cases from non-urgent ones, to make sure those in critical conditions are treated quickly. People are urged to call 1669 if urgent medical attention is needed."

So, instead of the medical staff, the "ministry" will determine what is an emergency and what not ? Oh boy....

Cheers.

A triage nurse.

Best thing is to make all treatment free in government hospitals, and prohibit private hospitals from running A&E departments.

Got to think a bit farther than that.

To start with elective treatments should be at the cost of the patient. There should also be the option of charges where other specialist care that could be had elsewhere is chosen to be done at a public hospital.

I give you an example of this; I had the option of having an operation done at a private or public hospital by the same surgeon, I chose to have it done at a public hospital. In that circumstance I did not expect to have it done free because it was a public hospital, nor should anyone else in similar circumstances.

Private hospitals need A&E for they may be the closest to an accident and a life could be saved by using them. There are also those who would choose to use a private hospital in an emergency, for instance those who had insurance that would cover their treatment, or those who were under a particular doctor at a private hospital for something like a heart condition.

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There is no mention in the OP that this will apply to non Thais, the reference to availability to "people of all backgrounds" almost certainly means 'regardless of social status and financial means'. Non Thais being treated for free is just wishful thinking, it would never happen.

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If this goes through its one of the biggest things for foreigners so far, well done Junta.. please stay on if you do stuff like this.

Good to see you support a government not based on how they promote the rule of law, education, safety, and human rights, but purely on what is in it for you.

Actually this government has done more then the other government .. cleaning up the beaches. Doing something about the taxi's and other stuff. They keep the reds from killing people so I am ok with it.

Really. Where? Maybe things are much better at the "Bangkok Beach" down near the klong on Silom, but the situation is as bad as before on Phuket. The cost of transportation in the Andaman region is actually increasing with Phuket's land transportation leading the way.

The opening up of the ERs will be an unmitigated disaster. It had been planned under the previous government but was held up because of concerns, some justified and some unjustified. It will encourage people to use the ERs for basic care. I anticipate that the Thai private hospitals will turn away patients who may need critical care , simply because it will hit their bottom line. The hospitals forced to provide the ER care will seek to recoup their money by charging for options. As long as there are 2 competing health care systems the proposal can't work effectively.

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If this goes through its one of the biggest things for foreigners so far, well done Junta.. please stay on if you do stuff like this.

Junta cheerleaders never miss an opportunity to put in a good word for their heroes regardless of the topic. Just surprised he missed the chance to slag off Thaksin.

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Why not setup Urgent care clinic's Where patient's can go say if running a fever they go there if it is more serious sent to hospital. Or if you cut yourself urgent care is where you go but cut off hand then emergency care. Also might want to make it against the law to not pull over for emergency vehicle with siren and lights flashing The first 20 minutes can mean life or death.

Edited by Strangebrew
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1669? I thought they were changing the emergency number to 191, which it already is for police emergencies ( Police (General Emergency Call), 191. Ambulance and Rescue, 1554. Fire, 199)

Amazing, baffling, beautiful, aggravating, sweet, insane Thailand.

1669 is for ambulance or rescue foundation.

I have been told that if one calls 1669, explains the injury/condition/situation, the operator then decides whether to send an ambulance, rescue foundation team, or both.

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