An Introduction to Thailand Healthcare System
Thailand healthcare system has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years, and it has turned out to be the major “medical tourism” destinations worldwide. Thailand introduced Universal Health Care (UCH) policy in 2002, based off on the “30-baht health scheme”. According to this Thailand medical policy, every individual patient in Thailand will have to spend a maximum of 30 baht, or about 84 cents, for their visit to the hospital, including medication. If you have never been to Thailand, you may find its healthcare Thailand slightly different from what you’re used to. Take a look at this guide to know more about the health care system in Thailand;
Accessibility of Doctors:
The availability of Doctors, dentists, and opticians in Thailand medical system is not a big deal. Most Thai doctors are specialists and don’t have one specific place of work. These doctors are working at different hospitals and clinics privately spread all over the region. You can check for hospital websites and local listings to check the availability of specialist doctors and get an appointment with them.
Healthcare for foreigners:
The Thailand healthcare system also provides a very friendly environment for its foreign visitors. If you are a visitor in Thailand, you can easily find many governments and private hospitals all over the country. Although any immigrant from another country can get treatment at any public or private hospital, they are not covered under the UCH healthcare Thailand program and they will need to pay for their treatment. The language barrier is also not an issue in Thailand, as all doctors can understand and speak English.
Getting Prescriptions:
Hospitals and licensed clinics both holds the right to issue medication. As soon as you see a doctor at some Thailand medical hospital, you will be provided with a written prescription for medication, which you can get from the hospital pharmacy. You can also get these medications from other pharmacies as well, but due to the unreliable information sharing systems between hospitals, it is best to revisit same hospital or clinic from where you get your first prescription.
Getting medications over-the-counter
In Thailand, most of the drugs can be bought over the counter without any prescription. You can buy commonly used medications like antibiotics, anti-depression medication, Viagra etc. all without prescription. Pharmacists are also a good option for getting medical advice. You can ask them for recommendations about minor diseases or they can guide you whether your disease requires a doctor visit or not.
Emergencies in Thailand
The emergency number in Thailand is 191. Even though emergency transport for medical Thailand services is not yet fully advanced, big hospitals have their personal mobile intensive care ambulances to provide you with immediate treatment.
Thailand healthcare system is self-reliant with the highest quality standards in medical care workforce production. Thailand medical sectors are performing better in terms of maternal and child health when compared with other low- and middle-income countries. However, regardless of good medical treatment at low cost, adult mortality rates generally are higher than neighboring countries, and in fact are higher than countries in Central America.