Thailand took a “big bang” approach to introduce universal access to subsidized health care. All the citizens in Thailand are insured by the universal health coverage (UHC) since the National Health Security Act was passed by the parliament in November 2002. Right now, three main health insurance schemes are provided by the Thai government, i.e., the Civil Servant Medical Benefit Scheme (CSMBS), the Social Security Scheme (SSS), and the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS).
The Universal Coverage Scheme provided the government offers the budget for the district health systems based on the volume and type of healthcare provided. According to reliable medical news; the government’s share of sector spending is the second highest in the region, at 77%, yet private sector spending is on the rise.
There are plenty of factors that worked in favor of Thailand’s UCS, including a sustained support system and a broad reach. Following are some other factors that contribute to the development of primary healthcare in Thailand;
Thailand’s health system:
Thailand medical and healthcare system is the fastest growing sector in the country and it is expected to be a key driver of the country’s economy. Thai government’s reform initiatives were directed towards two major goals: 1) increasing the geographic accessibility of effective primary health care and 2) protecting the poor from high-priced health costs and improving financial accessibility of primary health care. The rate of growth in Thailand healthcare sector is much greater than most other developing countries.
Medical Tourism:
Medical tourism is a crucial factor in the tourism industry and a major economic contributor. As Thailand doctors are now considered best in the world, it has driven growth and has done so in a highly efficient manner, creating more income per visitor than the average. As Thailand continues its shift towards first-class tourism offerings, Thailand healthcare-related development still remains the focus. Countries around the globe are now trying their best to match what Thailand healthcare sector offers, sometimes coming in with lower prices.
Thailand Medical tourism industry is largely driven by private hospitals. Public healthcare facilities have been provided in every sub-district and district. Right now, there are around more than 17 thousand health care facilities in the country. Thailand healthcaresector has performed better in terms of child and maternal health as compared with other low- and middle-income countries. Thailand doctors and Thailand medical sector offers topnotch medical facilities and patients around the world used to visit them for their medical checkups. Private hospitals have also aided government efforts to provide universal health care to its citizens.
Institutionalizing accountability:
The Thai government has built a system of healthcare provider accountability by introducing strong grievance management and disputes settlement system. The Thailand medical ministry holds annual public hearings for members of the Universal Health Scheme. They don’t depend on consumer choice and competition leading to the upgrading of quality. It guarantees quality by trusting on a step-wise quality improvement process guided by a healthcare accreditation institute.
