Hospital closed due to ‘substandard services’

The department’s director general, Dr Boonreung Traireungworarat, said the hospital was given 30 days to come up with information about the new owner.
The move follows recent complaints about the hospital turning off most of its lights at night and only having one doctor and a few nurses on duty. Also, it has closed its emergency unit, which has raised questions about whether it is able to provide medical services, Boonreung said.
Initial investigation found that the hospital owner, who had obtained a licence to run a medical facility, had died a month ago and that the organisation was now looking for a new owner, he said.
Since the current personnel numbers do not meet the standard for a 100-bed hospital, it is deemed substandard and was thus closed from yesterday for 30 days or at least until a new owner is identified, Boonreung said.
The temporary closure is in line with the Sanatorium Act BE 2541.
The hospital currently has seven in-house patients, who are all social security subscribers and can be moved to other facilities, he said.
Boonreung also said that once Decha Hospital gets a new owner, it would need to undergo quality examination in relation to its medical facilities and personnel standards before it is granted permission to resume services.
Meanwhile, Labour Protection and Welfare Department’s deputy director general Pathom Petchmanee said about 60 staff of Decha Hospital had petitioned for help since Tuesday because they had not received any salary since last December.
“We’re gathering evidence. Based on their claim, the amount of unpaid salaries must have been over Bt10million,” he said.
Some of these employees vented their frustration on Facebook, telling how they could not pay rent and were kicked out.
Pathom said he would fast instruct Bangkok Labour Protection and Welfare Department to order the hospital to pay the staff within 30 days.
“If the employer doesn’t pay, affected employees can get help from a fund,” he said.