Integrative approach offers new opportunity

HEALTH CARE

Rising health concern and higher spending on health care have offered an opportunity for new alternative medical treatment businesses to gain a share in the Thai market.

Dr Supajee of Absolute Health combines alternative and conventional medicine.

While modern medicine or conventional healing that employs contemporary knowledge may be commonly perceived as the most effective treatments, this is not generally the case, says Supajee Srigade, deputy medical director of Absolute Health Integrative Medical Center in Bangkok.

"In every method of healing, there are side effects to a patient's body," said Dr Supajee.

"We think the best way to help a person pull through their sickness is through a combination of modern, traditional and alternative healing practices. Meanwhile, the method should help reduce the sickness' side effects and promote the general well-being of a patient's body as much as possible."

Absolute Health Integrative Medical Center, therefore, combines conventional medical practice with alternative treatments such as acupuncture and herbal medicines in treating its patients.

As the company believes in its different approach, as a newcomer in the medical market it is confident that it can be an attractive business model for many investors.

The company developed its flagship centre on Soi Ruam Rudi off Phloen Chit Road in central Bangkok, and intends to expand to Min Buri, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin and Phuket to serve local customers. As well, it is considering subsidiaries in Indonesia and the Philippines to better serve overseas patients, who currently account for about 20% of visitors, said Dr Supajee.

Absolute Health was founded by doctors specialising in different fields but believing in the same concept, that integrating different treatment methods would be better for patients with fewer side effects.

"As I studied other medication practices such as traditional medicines or acupuncture, I have also bonded with other doctors who are like-minded to develop this centre," Dr Supajee said.

"We believe there is no single way of treating a patient. Different lifestyles of each patient make their recovery response different with each style of treatment.

"Therefore, the combination of many methods would help each patient get well faster and better while side effects employing only conventional medicine would also be reduced."

Dr Supajee gave the example of cancer treatment. Conventional medicine would include surgery to remove the cancerous growth and chemotherapy to stop the spread of cancer cells. Surgery exposes a patient to a higher risk of infection while chemotherapy kills healthy cells as well as harmful ones.

One of the approaches proposed by Absolute Health involves a local hypothermal procedure in which 60-70% of harmful cells are killed while the healthy cells are unharmed.

To improve the overall patient well-being and improve the immune system to fight cancerous cells, vitamins are provided to improve cell health.

Similarly, integrative medical practice treats asthma through immune system improvement, instead of treating symptoms only when they appear. The approach can be used to treat almost all diseases, especially chronic illnesses, except contagious diseases where antibiotics are needed.

Integrative practice may take longer to heal an illness and may cost more in some cases, but because the side effects are reduced, patients have a better quality of life, says Dr Supajee.

In some cases, patients may not be able to get rid of the illness completely, but they can live longer.

"We are proud to say that we are the first in Thailand to offer this style of healing," Dr Supajee added.