Patient-centricity is the future of Thailand’s healthcare

Industry leaders and experts discussed the latest trends and challenges in the sector in the half-day Healthcare Asia Forum Bangkok

As the healthcare sector in Asia transitions into a new normal, it is being impacted by new trends and drivers. Healthcare organisations have reevaluated their priorities and procedures to conform to the latest methods of offering patient care whilst also encountering innovative developments in the field.

To highlight the key trends and issues shaping the future of healthcare, Healthcare Asia brought together experts and industry leaders in the half-day Healthcare Asia Forum Bangkok, held on 3 April, 2023 at the JW Marriott Bangkok.

Calvin Wijaya, Senior Manager at Bain & Company, started the presentations with a discussion of the organisation’s latest insights on the healthcare industry. Wijaya noted that the pandemic had forced healthcare providers to rethink their care delivery methods. There has been a rise in consumerism in healthcare, a realignment of trust amongst stakeholders, and an increasing desire for simplicity and convenience for consumers, and technology now plays a greater role in helping healthcare companies. Now, patients are looking for a single

Technology and data analytics will continue to be adopted across the care continuum touchpoint for their care, but it has also become frustrating for them given the multitude of options to choose from. Given this, Wijaya suggested that a winning healthcare model of the future will be patientcentric, personalised, and features connectivity and omnichannel delivery. Wijaya added that with the rise of telehealth, digital technology is now able to make patient care more convenient, efficient, and effective, whilst also improving the patient experience. However, he stressed that there are limitations to the services that can be offered through telehealth, so it is important to work on a connected, omnichannel experience both online and offline.

As the digitally savvy patient base grows, he believes that technology and data analytics will continue to be adopted across the care continuum, and the region can look forward to more cutting-edge services and innovations in the future.

For the second speaking session as well as the Q&A section, Dr. Suebsakul Tonjang, Innovative Sustainability Manager at Bangkok Dusit Medical Services, talked about the challenges facing healthcare today and best practices to improve sustainability within the sector.

Tonjang admitted that environmental management in a healthcare setup, particularly in a hospital, can be difficult since equipment and other materials in this setting will be used for patient care. However, he posited several ways to reduce energy.

“We can’t decrease the [use] of energy in [an] organisation because it may affect patient care. However, we try to use free energy and renewable energy in our organisation,” he said, pointing out that BDMS has harnessed solar energy in some of its hospitals.

Shin Thant Aung, Director at YCP Solidiance, then discussed Digital Health Transformation and Telemedicine 2.0. He highlighted the growing importance of digital health transformation and telemedicine in Thailand, especially in addressing the health concerns of an ageing population.

He pointed out common challenges faced by traditional healthcare systems in Thailand, which can be managed through digitalisation: insufficient healthcare resources, access to healthcare in remote areas, and the rising costs of healthcare. Aung also emphasised the need to adopt Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems.

Aung added that YCP Solidiance anticipates the following improvements in telemedicine in the future: increased collaboration between public and private entities, increased investment in the healthcare industry, and integration of digital technologies.

Health economics and drug pricing

For his speaking session, Dr. Gunnaphon Anamnart, Chief of Academic Center at Bangkok Hospital Rayong, talked about Health Economics in the Private Sector after COVID-19 Disruption. He dove into how the pandemic affected healthcare economies, how organisations can keep patients engaged, and how to balance business with standard medical care. He highlighted that leaders must be careful when brainstorming ways to resolve problems faced by their organisation. Read the full event coverage at https://healthcareasiamagazine.com/