FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
nationthailand

Why financial management is crucial for community hospitals

Why financial management is crucial for community hospitals

Re: “Nan doctor honoured for rural work”, National, March 7.

Congratulation to Doctor Kitisak Kasetsinsombat, director of Nan’s Pua Crown Prince Hospital, who has dedicated himself for nearly 30 years to ensuring quality medical services for local people as well as those crossing from Laos. Last Wednesday he was named 2018’s Outstanding Rural Doctor by Mahidol University’s Medical School at Siriraj Hospital.
Dr Kitisak has placed humanitarianism above money, despite the fact that his hospital’s finances had been at the worst “level 7” status for years. But with his team-leading abilities, he also managed to instil among staff a sense of commitment and ownership over the hospital that helped boost the financial status to its present level of 2-4.
Nowadays, most community hospitals are experiencing financial crises, whether from shortfalls in maintenance budget, lack of liquidity or net losses that increase their debt burden.
The approach of the Pua Crown Prince Hospital’s financial management should now be promoted as a model for struggling rural hospitals throughout the country.
With better financial health, such hospitals can better support the quality of the medical care they offer to communities.
Sutipunt Bongsununt

nationthailand