BDMS eyes 50 hospitals by end-2015

BDMS yesterday also signed a five-year memorandum of understanding with Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in the US for a strategic collaboration to improve health in Southeast Asia.

Dr Prasert Prasarttong-osoth, BDMS president and group CEO, said the group had a credit line of about Bt10 billion from commercial banks for next year’s expansion. 

The expansion can be carried out as direct investment by the company, as well as via mergers and acquisitions of local hospitals, he said.

Prasert said he thought that 50 hospitals with a total of 7,000 beds was sufficient for the group to manage and play a significant role within Asean. Beyond such physical expansion, BDMS will focus on developing its medical knowledge, capability and technology to reach the world-class standard, similar to hospital operators in Europe and the US.

“We already have two hospitals [outside Thailand], in Phnom Penh and Angkor Wat [Cambodia], and are looking at potential markets in the region, including Myanmar and Luang Prabang,” said the chief executive.

BDMS currently operates 43 hospitals, with revenue of Bt58 billion expected for this year.

Meanwhile, the group’s strategic collaboration with OHSU – based in Portland, Oregon – is aimed at improving health in both countries through shared knowledge and skills and the creation of centres of excellence focused on key challenges. 

The effort will engage faculty, health professionals and students from OHSU’s schools of medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry and public health. 

“At BDMS, we have been exploring the possibilities of aligning ourselves with a prominent academic hospital like Oregon Health & Science University, which has a recognised international reputation for clinical quality, research innovation and educational excellence,” said Prasert. 

 

Thai-US bridge 

“Our hope is, together with OHSU, to become a leader and centre of excellence in occupational health in Southeast Asia and around the world,” he said, adding that such an alliance would allow BDMS to create a bridge connecting Thailand’s medical industry with that of the US.

“We plan to turn our Samitivej Hospital on Srinakarin Road into a centre for pediatrics, especially for children aged up to 12,” he said.

To ensure a seamless, comprehensive programme reaching as many people as possible, Mahidol University and its medical school, Siriraj Hospital, will also play an important role in the collaboration. 

Mahidol University will sign a separate agreement with OHSU. 

Under the collaboration, the three organisations will develop comprehensive education, research and health promotion plans that will improve the quality of healthcare in Thailand. The collaboration will also benefit OHSU by providing opportunities for faculty and staff to innovate, educate and learn from each other while working together across differing cultures. 

“For OHSU, collaboration and innovation are in our DNA. When we are willing to work with others to solve problems in the name of the public good, the opportunities are limitless. We are taking collaboration to the next level. This initiative will serve both Oregon and Thailand as a platform for education and research and cross-cultural scientific exchange,” said Dr Joe Robertson, president of OHSU.

OHSU and BDMS signed a five-year memorandum of understanding that will establish a “BDMS-OHSU International Health Alliance”. 

The agreement calls for the creation of centres of excellence built on an inter-professional approach. The first of these will focus on occupational health and informatics. 

OHSU is one of only four “Total Worker Centres of Excellence” recognised by the US Centres for Disease Control. 

It is also a leader in informatics innovation and research. 

“International exchange is vital to today’s healthcare education and research,” said Dr Jeanette Mladenovic, executive vice president and provost of OHSU. 

“Every nation faces unique health challenges and develops a distinct knowledge base that could be successfully applied to other problems. Our plan – comprising education, research and health promotion – incorporates international standards and develops our own talent base. And more importantly, it provides an essential opportunity for our students and faculty to be inspired by learning from other cultures,” she said.