Thai government improves universal healthcare scheme with digital, patient-centric measures

Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin mandated the country’s health minister, Cholnan Srikaew, to assemble a committee aimed at improving services provided under the universal healthcare scheme. According to government spokesman, Chai Wacharonke, the prime minister’s objective is to simplify access to healthcare services for the public.

An example of the impending changes to the universal healthcare scheme includes eliminating the necessity for patients to initially visit their registered hospitals for medical attention. The proposal is to digitise the referral service, reducing the paperwork for patients needing to be transferred to another facility for treatment. However, patients would still need a referral document.

The spokesman further stressed the importance of reducing hospital waiting times and introducing home…