Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has instructed Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew to set up a committee to enhance services under the universal healthcare scheme, said government spokesman Chai Wacharonke.
Mr Chai said the prime minister expects the ministry to make it easier for people to receive their healthcare services, for example by scrapping the requirement that patients must go to their registered hospitals first if they need medical care.
The referral service should be digitised to reduce the paperwork burden faced by patients who need to be transferred to another hospital for treatment, he said, adding patients will still need a referral document.
Cutting the waiting time at hospitals and having medication delivered to patients without a hospital visit should also be implemented to make healthcare more convenient, he said. This should also help cut costs.
"Patients shouldn't be required to go to their registered hospitals. Like those who have a private health insurance policy, they should be able to drop by any hospital. This is a new service that is patient-centric," said Mr Chai.
Dr Cholnan told Public Health Ministry executives that he will lay down policy guidelines and elaborate on them on Thursday.
He said the guidelines, which are divided into 13 groups for implementation, are in accordance with the prime minister's health policy that focuses on efficiency.
Dr Cholnan also touted the creation of a body, known as the committee on development of the national health system, to work on people's well-being.
The committee, to be chaired by the prime minister with Dr Surapong Suebwonglee as its secretary, would work with other agencies on steering public health policy, he said.
Dr Cholnan said he would also hold talks with the Civil Service Commission (CSC) on personnel management and recruitment, adding the ministry would push for a law to help resolve its manpower needs.
"The ministry will have a committee to work on its manpower and a special law that will free the ministry from the CSC's regulations," he said.