Army-run Fort Wachirawut Hospital wants to help strengthen military missions to protect people and the country by providing better healthcare services for the public, becoming a centre of excellence enhancing people's quality of life.
The hospital's five-year strategy, which started last year, is to build confidence among medical staff and patients in a wide range of treatments for illnesses, including complex diseases. The facility wants to upgrade to become a tertiary-care hospital, said Maj Gen Chokchai Kwanpichit, a physician and director of Fort Wachirawut Hospital.
A tertiary-care hospital refers to a hospital with complete medical facilities, enabling it to become a specialist hospital.
Located in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, Fort Wachirawut Hospital is categorised as a secondary-care hospital offering in-patient care and treatments, which are not available under primary care offered by clinics and healthcare centres.
Up to 1,000 people, including those in the out-patient department, use services at the hospital everyday.
"The military performs various roles to assist Thais and the nation. Providing healthcare services is one of those roles," said Maj Gen Chokchai.
"We want people to gain access to healthcare, improving our protection against all illnesses."
MEDICAL TRUST
Fort Wachirawut Hospital continues to have its medical services assessed in order to ensure both doctors and patients of reliable treatments.
It is preparing to have its emergency medical team inspected by the World Health Organization's International Emergency Medical Team Type 2 verification programme, which looks into the capabilities of emergency care and certain surgical services.
This is aimed at making sure Thailand has the potential and ability to cope with a state of emergency, said Maj Gen Chokchai.
Fort Wachirawut Hospital was the first of 37 military hospitals in the Royal Thai Army to receive the Hospital Accreditation Information Technology certification.
This achievement proves the hospital's commitment to providing high-quality, internationally-accredited healthcare services through e-health and telemedicine.
Fort Wachirawut Hospital is also the first military hospital in Asia-Pacific to receive the American Accreditation Commission International certification.
This commission sets international healthcare standards and promotes efforts to advance healthcare excellence, ruling on risks and saving lives.
The hospital is treating a number of patients and curing a range of diseases and disorders, including general internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics and orthopaedic surgery.
The hospital's out-patient department receives between 200,000 to 300,000 visitors a year, while in-patient numbers range from 5,000 to 6,000.
HEALTHIER HOSPITAL
Under its strategy for 2023 to 2027, Fort Wachirawut Hospital aims to enhance all aspects of hospital and healthcare management to make itself medically, financially and environmentally stronger.
It will not only further develop medical services and employ more digital technology but will also think more of better cost management and wise energy usage to reduce unnecessary expenses, Maj Gen Chokchai said.
Fort Wachirawut Hospital adheres to the green hospital concept, ensuring waste management and other environmental practices meet established standards.
The hospital continues to develop and expand its services by setting up a medical "forward command" to serve people living near the country's borders in the southernmost Thailand, said Maj Gen Chokchai.
Helicopters are available to support an air ambulance mission to give immediate care and transport to patients during an emergency. Fort Wachirawut Hospital adopts digital technology to help people live a smarter and healthier life.
The hospital developed an "FWH application" and launched it two months ago to serve as a connection between medical staff and patients, said Maj Gen Chokchai.
This software provides users, including foreign soldiers joining joint military exercises with the army, with updates on hospital and healthcare information, which is crucial for facilitating medical services.
"Though we are a large hospital in the military hospital category, the hospital is not large enough when compared with other state and privately-run hospitals," said Maj Gen Chokchai, stressing the need to further develop the hospital's services.
