The Department of Health Service Support (DHSS) has come out to defend the government's medical tourism scheme, insisting it will not push up medical fees for Thai patients as claimed by the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI).
TDRI researchers earlier claimed that the medical tourism policy would see hospitals giving priority to foreigners and ignoring Thais. They warned of a brain drain in state hospitals as well as a rise in medical and drug costs in private hospitals.
Dr Nattawut Prasertsiripong, director-general of the DHSS, said on Friday the scheme would not affect prices because of measures to control medical service fees.
On the rise of charges in private hospitals, he said the Department of Internal Trade under the Commerce Ministry has already imposed laws to prevent over-charging.
Dr Nattawut urged the public not to worry: "The medical tourism policy will bring in more national revenue, create jobs and help to distribute income."
To prevent a brain drain, Dr Nattawut said the DHSS had amended the Health Facility Act that permits private medical facilities to train staff so they do not need to recruit personnel from state hospitals.
Dr Auechart Kanchanapitak, former president of the Private Hospital Association, reassured that private hospitals would not abandon Thai patients.
"In the hospitals where there are a lot of foreign patients, the ratio of Thai patients to foreigners is still higher," he said.
He said he is not opposed to a TDRI proposal to collect a fee from foreign patients to help Thais, but warned it could drive foreigners to seek treatment in other countries.
