Executives of the struggling Deja Hospital have vowed to turn the business around after it was closed temporarily for failing to maintain medical service standards.
Department of Health Service Support (HSS) director-general Boonruang Triruangworawat yesterday said the hospital's executives said they still wanted to run the hospital but needed time to improve its services first. He was speaking after a discussion with the hospital executive team.
Dr Boonruang said he signed an order to suspend services at the hospital for 60 days as it had failed to provide medical services in line with Section 50 of the 1998 Sanatorium Act.
The hospital had failed to provide sufficient doctors, nurses and pharmacists. Also, the closure of its emergency room posed a serious danger to patients, he said.
"The hospital has 60 days to bring its standards up to scratch in terms of improvements to its staff, hospital environment and services as stipulated by the law. If it fails to address the problems, the department will consider whether the hospital should face permanent closure," he said.
The private hospital was suspended from operating after the HSS audited its quality following complaints about the small number of medical staff, its emergency room being shut down and lights in its building being switched off.
An initial inspection found the director had died about a month ago and the hospital is currently in the process of finding a replacement.
One patient who came down with a high fever said a security guard at the hospital told him it was closed, as doctors and staff had all left. He left a message posted on a Facebook page named "Deja Hospital".
A source said a change in the hospital's management was made in 2006 after its founder, Deja Sukharom, a doctor and politician, leased his business to Sri Ayut Co Ltd, which named Channarong Prasertsri as the company chairman.
The company then appointed Weeranat Veerawaithaya as director to oversee the hospital.
However, Weeranat died in February this year and the company has yet to appoint a new director.
The source said the company was negotiating for a new firm to take over the business.
Dr Boonruang said the department will ensure standardised medical treatment and safety for patients and the public, insisting it will not abandon patients affected by the problems the hospital is facing.
"The department will transfer the 40,000 Social Security Fund subscribers listed with Deja Hospital and seven patients admitted to the hospital to Rajavithi and Lerdsin hospitals. Subscribers can contact the Social Security Office to change hospitals," he said.
About 40 nurses at Deja Hospital yesterday lodged complaints at Phaya Thai police station against hospital executives for failing to pay their salaries for more than six months.
Daru Sathansit, a 36-year-old nurse who has been working at the hospital for six years, said the hospital had not paid wages since the former director died.
The last time she was paid was back in February and the money was for two months of overdue salary, she said.
Deputy labour permanent secretary Suvit Sumala yesterday said the ministry invited Mr Channarong to discuss the problem twice but he failed to show up.
Mr Suvit said the ministry has filed complaints with Phaya Thai police against Mr Channarong for failure to pay hospital staff their wages.
According to the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, a total of 206 staff work at Deja Hospital. Of them, 179 have not received their salaries, worth about 10 million baht in total, since December last year.