Expert decries medical-hub plan
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.
