Thai Health Min dismisses state hospital financial rumours

[webfact]

Health ministry dismisses state hospital financial rumours
By THE NATION

 

Dr. Piyasakol

 

BANGKOK: -- PUBLIC HEALTH Minister Dr Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn has dismissed widely circulated posts on social media that claim state hospitals are suffering from major cash flow problems.

 

“Information in the social-media posts is incomplete,” he said yesterday. “The problems are far from being as serious as what have appeared on social media.” 

 

Piyasakol convened a press conference to dismiss the rumours that went viral on social media earlier this week.

 

The federation of regional and general hospitals posted on its Facebook page that 18 out of 1,000 public hospitals were in the red in the last quarter of 2016 and the first quarter of 2017, and they lacked liquidity because of inadequate financial support from the government.

 

The post reached a huge audience after a senior member of the Medical Council shared it, with a message: “Toon, Please Help”. Bodyslam frontman Athiwara “Toon” Khongmalai has lately joined charity runs that have raised massive donations for two hospitals. 

 

“Just five state hospitals have had cash-flow problems and their liquidity crunch is not as serious as social posts have claimed. I can tell you this because we have updated information in hand,” Piyasakol said. “We have checked the financial figures of state hospitals every month.” 

 

According to Piyasakol, Phra Nangklao, Phayao, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Phichit and Somdej Phraphutthaloetla hospitals have liquidity issues. Their deficits range from Bt3.6 million to Bt59.59 million. 

 

Piyasakol’s information is different from what has been circulated on social media. The social posts have claimed Phra Nangklao Hospital suffered from the Bt354-million deficit. 

 

“You can’t look at just what bills hospitals have to pay. You have to take into account its assets too. For example, after it bought Bt2 billion worth of medicine, it is Bt2 billion in debt but medicine can be sold,” Piyasakol said. 

 

He said his ministry had been working hard to reduce the financial problems of state hospitals. He pointed out that Phra Nangklao Hospital’s net working capital had risen during the past five years. 

 

Phra Nangklao Hospital director Dr Virul Pornpatkul told the press conference that although his hospital operated in the red, its income had increased. 

 

“No matter what our financial figures are, we will continue to serve the people,” he said. 

 

Piyasakol said his ministry would not allow any hospital to close down because of financial problems. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30311423

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-04-06

[maoro2013]

Something wrong? It just isn't true.

[darksidedog]

The major problem in trying to decipher what is true here or not, stems from the fact that Thai politicians are not exactly renowned for telling the truth.

They are far more likely to say what they think people want to hear, or which hides or mitigates their incompetence.

[little mary sunshine]

Please make up your mind....financial crisis on

Wednesday, fine on Thursday....

[mtls2005]

Healthcare reforms of the future:

 

mobile health check-ups delivered via tanks

 

recovery cruises on submarines 

 

tumor detection via GT200

[Retiredandhappyhere]

Yet more "misunderstandings".  Seems to be a common occurrence here.   Perhaps it's a medical condition?

[Muhendis]

Things are not so bad in comparison with the UK NHS.

[elgordo38]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

 

“Information in the social-media posts is incomplete,” he said yesterday. “The problems are far from being as serious as what have appeared on social media.” 

Seems like social media has yet another tiger by the tail. 

[elgordo38]

26 minutes ago, Muhendis said:

Things are not so bad in comparison with the UK NHS.

Yes I agree. Seems the UK suffers from the same boy toy disease as they do here. Seems like "Hail Brittania, Brittania rules the waves" is alive and well. In truth I guess no different to all the other build up the armed forces mentality in the world today. 

 Britain's new £31billion Trident submarines will be built with steel coming ...

Edited April 6, 2017 by elgordo38

[elgordo38]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

“No matter what our financial figures are, we will continue to serve the people,” he said. 

 

I am getting that defenseless feeling again can you buy another sub or two??

[Srikcir]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

after it bought Bt2 billion worth of medicine, it is Bt2 billion in debt but medicine can be sold,”

Yes, try to recoup 100% purchase price when dumped into the market place ... aside from any deterioration in effectiveness due to age. As far as

 

9 hours ago, webfact said:

You have to take into account its assets too.

For equipment, same as above. The hospital building itself will have significant depreciated value but only if purchased and used in continued service, assuming no obsolescence. Otherwise the building might be considered a "tear down." That leaves the land with the greatest value. Perhaps the hospitals could do a sale and leaseback of the land (assuming the government owns the land) to generate funds for hospital deficits.

[yardrunner]

5 hours ago, darksidedog said:

The major problem in trying to decipher what is true here or not, stems from the fact that Thai politicians are not exactly renowned for telling the truth.

They are far more likely to say what they think people want to hear, or which hides or mitigates their incompetence.

like politicians in every country

[Muhendis]

2 hours ago, Srikcir said:

11 hours ago, webfact said:

after it bought Bt2 billion worth of medicine, it is Bt2 billion in debt but medicine can be sold,”

Yes, try to recoup 100% purchase price when dumped into the market place ... aside from any deterioration in effectiveness due to age. As far as

I think there is a slight error in translation here. I suspect what the minister really said was that many drugs are bought in bulk and show as such in the tax accounts as a loss but, during the course of the year, most will be sold to deserving patients during their course of treatments.

[Thaidream]

You think Thailand is difficult to understand- try the US where universal healthcare is not even a right and does not exist.....At least in Thailand you can get healthcare at a decent price as a foreigner..

[wakeupplease]

5 hours ago, Muhendis said:

Things are not so bad in comparison with the UK NHS.

You are joking don't believe everything you read in the mirror, we had to use the NHS twice in the last month No waiting seen right away both times and once for an Thai.

Excellent service we received.

 

[elgordo38]

3 hours ago, Muhendis said:

I think there is a slight error in translation here. I suspect what the minister really said was that many drugs are bought in bulk and show as such in the tax accounts as a loss but, during the course of the year, most will be sold to deserving patients during their course of treatments.

With the statements they make sometimes I think they are sampling the product. 

[worgeordie]

Submarines,Tanks,Hospitals,  what a tough decision for the powers that be......but it shouldn't  be, morally at least.

 

regards worgeordie

[little mary sunshine]

16 hours ago, Thaidream said:

You think Thailand is difficult to understand- try the US where universal healthcare is not even a right and does not exist.....At least in Thailand you can get healthcare at a decent price as a foreigner..

If you are poor in the US you have Medicaid...use any hospital

any emergency room for any reason, headache...they must

treat you free....if they refuse....sue the Hospital and Doctor

for $ 10 million.......that's what's wrong with the system!!

[Eric Loh]

Don't seem a difficult reason for the cash flow problems. The Public Health Ministry didn't fight hard enough to increase the 2017 budget allocation when the facts were clear that the UHC and elderly care cost will increase. They asked for B164 Baht but got B151 Baht. They don't have the guts to question the increase of defense budget from B184 Baht (2016) to B214 Baht (2017). Health Minister Dr. Piyasakol will have to bear some of the blame. 

[robblok]

17 hours ago, Muhendis said:

I think there is a slight error in translation here. I suspect what the minister really said was that many drugs are bought in bulk and show as such in the tax accounts as a loss but, during the course of the year, most will be sold to deserving patients during their course of treatments.

I doubt that they would be accounted as a loss.. at least in the Netherlands those drugs would go on the balance sheet as stock representing the value they cost to buy. So its true what the guy says (if this really is the case). Just that you have a debt of 2 million does not say much if you have 2 million of drugs in stock.. it would only be a cash flow problem (can be bad) but not a loss. It would probably result in a profit as drugs are not sold at cost price in hospitals.  (i am an accountant by trade)

[robblok]

8 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Don't seem a difficult reason for the cash flow problems. The Public Health Ministry didn't fight hard enough to increase the 2017 budget allocation when the facts were clear that the UHC and elderly care cost will increase. They asked for B164 Baht but got B151 Baht. They don't have the guts to question the increase of defense budget from B184 Baht (2016) to B214 Baht (2017). Health Minister Dr. Piyasakol will have to bear some of the blame. 

Yes stupid that the military budget rises while the health budget does not.. I agree 100%. And yes that minister bears some blame but so does the junta

[fruitman]

The hospital i visited this weekend had broken concrete everywhere, the sides of EVERY bench were missing corners of concrete and the sharp rebar was sticking out, waiting to cut somebody.

 

These benches are for patients and visitors, and they were everywhere...They even didn't try to cover it with something cheap. What a disgrace for a hospital it was. 

 

 

[fruitman]

If you look at the cars/malls/clothes in BKK you might think it's a developed country called Thailand.

 

When you look in a governmental hospital in BKK you'll see the poverty again.

 

Some hospitals are very crappy, others might have electric beds from Germany but the aircon is broken and can't be fixed. Other hospitals have no aircon at all and even the ceilingfans don't seem to work.

 

Good that they bought submarines and tanks. Can't live without them.