Bangkok: Chaiwat Sathavorawichit, a candidate for Bangkok Governor from the People’s Party, recently visited the Wat Suttharam community with Ms. Pattaraporn Kengrungruangchai and Ms. Patsarin Ramwong to discuss challenges within the universal healthcare scheme faced by residents.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Chaiwat highlighted the existing issues with referral slips, which he identified as a bottleneck in Bangkok’s healthcare system. He proposed an increase in the quota for universal healthcare coverage in the city, emphasizing the role of central referral hospitals as hubs and the need for a revised payment system to ensure clinics do not operate at a loss.
Mr. Chaiwat noted that despite Bangkok’s abundant healthcare resources, many residents encounter difficulties accessing treatment. One prominent issue is the lengthy process of obtaining referral slips, causing delays in receiving care. This inefficiency leads to lost time and income for patients and may exacerbate their medical conditions.
He further explained that the “Warm Clinics,” responsible for over 3.5 million National Health Insurance beneficiaries in Bangkok, are overwhelmed, causing delays in issuing referral letters. The current system design does not support efficient service delivery, as clinics incur higher costs with each referral letter issued. Additionally, there is no clear main agency overseeing healthcare for Bangkok residents, contributing to the problem.
Mr. Chaiwat proposed increasing the quota for Universal Health Coverage scheme beneficiaries served by Bangkok’s public health centers from 800,000 to 1 million. This increase would come with additional budget, resources, and medical personnel to alleviate healthcare worker burdens and improve care quality.
The People’s Party also suggests that Bangkok’s main hospitals act as hubs for the universal healthcare system, closely collaborating with public health centers and primary care units. Adjusting the payment system to ensure “warm clinics” can financially sustain their operations is also crucial. This could be implemented through Bangkok Metropolitan Administration hospitals, which currently care for over 1.3 million universal healthcare beneficiaries.
Mr. Chaiwat emphasized the importance of addressing the root causes of healthcare issues in Bangkok, requiring a systematic approach and strong political will. He assured that the People’s Party has a dedicated team of MPs and city council candidates working to improve healthcare access and services, ready to make Bangkok a city that cares for its residents.