Bangkok Dusit Medical Services (BDMS) opened Bangkok International Hospital yesterday to tap into the established medical tourism sector.
The new addition to BDMS's Bangkok Hospital complex off Phetchaburi Road will join a bevy of hospitals in Thailand catering to foreigners seeking an attractive mix of low prices and quality healthcare.
The project had a total investment of 3.8 billion baht and aims to compete with big hitters in the market such as Bumrungrad Hospital, the Thai hospital most associated with medical tourism.
The hospital has 172 beds, five operation rooms and an intervention suite, designed to give the hospital the feel of a "five-star hotel". Patients have access to a 24/7 personal butler from anywhere in the hospital.
"This is our take on the concept of being patient-centric, but we're also looking at the clinical and non-clinical aspects of the hospital," said Michael David Mitchell, director of Bangkok International Hospital.
"We have an outstanding group of doctors and nurses as well as non-clinical staff, so our objective is not to look, smell or feel like a hospital."
He said the concept for the hospital was "where art meets science", meaning the design of the building was meant to add to patient wellness and recovery by distracting from some of the more negative connotations of the hospital.
"The whole objective was to create a hotel environment where people feel happy, because no one comes to a hospital because they are on holiday," Mr Mitchell said. "They come because they need help."
Bangkok International strives to be a smart hospital, integrating modern technology into an interconnected system. The hospital is equipped with a computerised physician order entry, electronic medical records and a smart intensive care unit that digitally monitors critical care patients in real time.
The facilities also have a 3D fluoroscope that provides high resolution 2D and 3D imaging for orthopaedic surgery and a hybrid operating room that combines imaging systems like MRIs with navigation systems for surgeons.
Mr Mitchell said the hospital will ideally have an even mix of domestic and international patients and is not being marketed towards any one country or demographic. The medical tourism market is popular with Americans fleeing extremely high costs and wealthy Middle Easterners looking for better quality care than in their home countries.
Thailand takes up about 90% of the medical tourism market in Asia and grows about 16% a year, according to the World Health Organization.
"Medical care in Thailand is absolutely world class and the doctors have outstanding skills," he said. "One reason people come here is the price but also because the quality of care is as good as the US or Australia, not just here but also at other hospitals around Bangkok."