The Ministry of Public Health plans to set up a National Digital Health Agency to improve public health services. The project was proposed by a committee on health reform set up in 2017.
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the committee has proposed creating the agency and digital database for when patients' records are needed across health agencies.
He said some data will be used for medical emergency purposes as well as for medical services for senior citizens when they visit hospitals they have never been to. The agency will also help people get faster services and enable more effective public health data management.
"We will discuss with the National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission plans for a network linking all data to the new agency. Initially, the committee plans to provide 4 billion baht in support to the agency," Mr Anutin said.
Dr Udom Kachintorn, who chaired the committee on health reform, said the new agency will work as the main server for sharing patient information with hospitals.
The service would be in line with the Public Health Ministry's policy on the universal healthcare scheme that has allowed all patients to get medical treatment at any state-owned hospital nationwide.
The committee on Wednesday also noted its achievements over the past five years, among them, improved health security amid emerging diseases, enhanced healthcare efficiency, better health promotion among senior citizens, improvements to the health insurance system, and reform of public health constituency.