Hospital emergencies: Who will be accepted?
Hospitals will be accepting more emergency patients, but exactly who, when & for how long not decided yet.
Hospitals will be accepting more emergency patients, but exactly who, when & for how long not decided yet.
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Health
Private hospitals fear 'chaos'
Call for clear definition of 'emergency patients'
29/03/2012
Apiradee Treerutkuarkul
Private Hospital Association (PHA) president Chalerm Harnpanich yesterday said the definition of the term "emergency patients" was still unclear and could result in confusion for patients needing emergency care.
We always help save patients' lives regardless of their finances according to the Hospital Act. However the definition of an emergency should be clear.
"Otherwise, chaos to the hospital system and reimbursement process will result," Mr Chalerm told a seminar on health policy at the Thai Journalists Association.
The National Institute of Emergency Medicine says the term "emergency" was defined based on the scope of symptoms. A red code will be applied for trauma cases and patients with severe blood loss, who are unconscious or who are likely to die without immediate treatment.
Patients who need close monitoring of their critical conditions while waiting for a complete diagnosis will be rated with a yellow code.
Dr Chalerm said the agency would rather define an emergency based on a list of treatments needed for each critical case instead of the scope of symptoms.
The PHA, which accounts for about 30% of hospital services in the national health system, does not object to the average expense for emergency treatment, which has been set at 10,500 baht, he said.
However, health professionals should also be able to clearly explain to patients and families how treatment should proceed for each emergency case and the period of hospitalisation allowed based on a patient's health benefits, he said.
Patients have reported problems in receiving emergency treatment at hospitals outside the national health system, particularly at premium private hospitals.
Patients can face difficulties and delays in receiving services unless they can afford to pay out of their own pockets.
Before the new system was approved by the cabinet in mid-March, each health scheme relied on its own regulations.
Advance payment is required for patients who are civil servants and their family members listed under the Civil Service Medical Benefits Scheme if they are admitted to private hospitals.
Employees of private firms listed under the Social Security Scheme are eligible for emergency treatment.
However, they must take on the cost after 72 hours of treatment unless they wish to be transferred to another hospital.
Universal Healthcare Coverage patients, who are typically the poor, the unemployed, the vulnerable or the elderly, may receive emergency treatment at any hospital.
Health economist Pongsathorn Pokpermdee urged the government to include staff at state agencies, tambon administrations and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration as well as immigrants and stateless migrants under those entitled to emergency services.
An estimated 1.2 million people in these groups were still left out of the system. The Public Health Ministry should seek ways to resolve these discrepancies, he said.
The government should also seek a way to tackle differences in the way reimbursements are handled among different schemes.
"The Social Security Scheme insists on paying average reimbursement for each emergency case at 15,000 baht, while the other two schemes are on the government-approved 10,500 baht reimbursement rate," Mr Pongsathorn said.
The government should increase the number of hospitals and medical and health professionals. It should also double the number of hospital beds to overcome the estimated shortage of 100,000 beds nationwide.
The three state health funds - the Social Security Fund, the National Health Security Fund and the Civil Servants' Welfare Fund - yesterday signed a pact to improve the universal health insurance system and provide quick, equal and standardised health services to all Thais.
The funds also signed an MoU with health units of other state agencies and the private sector to improve emergency services. They include the PHA, Public Health Ministry, Defence Ministry, Royal Thai Police Office, the Consortium of Thai Medical Schools and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra presided over the ceremony to sign the agreements.
Ms Yingluck said the government aims to implement the 30 baht healthcare scheme to ensure all Thais receive more efficient health services.
The government will also integrate benefits from the various health insurance systems and ensure consistency in the work of the three funds to reduce disparities among them.
(Source: Bangkok Post, Health, Private hospitals fear 'chaos', Call for clear definition of 'emergency patients', 29/03/2012, Apiradee Treerutkuarkul, link)
Healthcare Policy Vocabulary
emergency - an unexpected situation involving danger in which immediate action is necessary เหตุฉุกเฉิน ภาวะฉุกเฉิน, ภาวะเร่งด่วน
emergency patients - people with a severe health problem receiving medical care at a hospital emergency room and ICU
healthcare - the treatment and prevention of diseases and other medical problems
emergency healthcare - medical care for patients with severe illnesses or injuries which require immediate medical attention, usually provided in a hospital emergency room and ICU unit (See Wikipedia)
emergency room - special area of a hospital for patients with severe problems who need immediate treatment (See Wikipedia)
emergency cases
treatment for emergency cases
ICU - an area of the hospital that takes care of patients with severe problems tstaying in the hospital (See Wikipedia)
universal - involving everyone ทั่วไป
universals healthcare coverage - when everyone in a country can get healthcare that they can afford (See Wikipedia)
predict - when people say what they think will happen in the future
chaos - a situation in which everything is confused and in a mess ความยุ่งเหยิง, ความสับสน
predicting chaos - when people say that the situation will be confused and in a mess in the future
private hospitals fear chaos
clear - easy to understand
clear definition - giving the meaning of in an easy to uinderstand
call for clear definition of 'emergency patients'
treatment - the process of providing medical care การรักษา
treatment for emergency cases
confusion - a disorganized situation (people cannot understand and do not know what to do)
Private hospitals are predicting chaos in the health service when free treatment for emergency cases begins on Sunday. Private Hospital Association (PHA) president Chalerm Harnpanich yesterday said the definition of the term "emergency patients" was still unclear and could result in confusion for patients needing emergency care.
We always help save patients' lives regardless of their finances according to the Hospital Act. However the definition of an emergency should be clear.
reimbursement (noun) - a payment to someone who has spent money on something; getting money back for money spent on something (for example, I bought the training books expecting that the company would reimburse me) การชำระเงินคืน ได้เงินคืนจากการนำสินค้าไปคืนร้านค้า
reimburse (verb)
process - a series of actions that you take in order to achieve a result แนวทางปฏิบัติ, กระบวน, วิธีการ
reimbursement process
policy - a plan of action to guide decisions and achieve outcomes นโยบาย (See Wikipedia)
health policy
"Otherwise, chaos to the hospital system and reimbursement process will result," Mr Chalerm told a seminar on health policy at the Thai Journalists Association.
scope - the range, number, size or coverage of something (example: the scope of this project could be very great)
symptom - a sign of a disease or sickness (something you can see about a person that shows they have a disease)
scope of symptoms - the number or range of symptoms
trauma - a serious injury การบาดเจ็บรุนแรง
trauma cases
blood loss
severe - very serious and worrying ที่รุนแรง ที่น่าเป็นห่วง
severe blood loss - when a person loses a lot of blood (a medical emergency)
unconscious - in a sleeplike condition, usually from an illness or injury หมดสติ
The National Institute of Emergency Medicine says the term "emergency" was defined based on the scope of symptoms. A red code will be applied for trauma cases and patients with severe blood loss, who are unconscious or who are likely to die without immediate treatment.
critical - very important, very serious and dangerous
diagnosis - when a doctor makes a judgement about what disease a patient has
monitor - watch something closely and checking for problems จับตาดู
close monitoring - watching something or someone (a patient) very carefully (for any problems that may arise)
critical - extremely important because a future situation will be affected by it สำคัญยิ่ง
critical condition - when a person is very seriously ill or injured and might die อย่างรุนแรง อย่างวิกฤต
diagnosis - a determination of the disease a person has after a physical examination and lab tests (See Wikipedia)
Patients who need close monitoring of their critical conditions while waiting for a complete diagnosis will be rated with a yellow code. Dr Chalerm said the agency would rather define an emergency based on a list of treatments needed for each critical case instead of the scope of symptoms.
national health system - the system for providing health services at hospitals and clinics all over Thailand
object to - not agree with; to disagree with คัดค้าน
The PHA, which accounts for about 30% of hospital services in the national health system, does not object to the average expense for emergency treatment, which has been set at 10,500 baht, he said.
health professionals - skilled health workers such as doctors, nurses, technicians, physical therapists, pharmacists, etc (See Wikipedia)
proceed - to continue as planned ดำเนินการ
how treatment should proceed - what the hospital and doctor should do to cure the disease
hospital - a special place to treat diseases and medical conditions with special equipment and highly trained workers (doctors, nurses, etc) (See Wikipedia)
private hospitals - a hospital owned and operated by a private company
government hospital - a hospital owned and operated by the government
premium private hospitals - hospitals that provide higher quality of treatment at extra cost
hospitalization - staying in a hospital for a period of time
period of hospitalization
premium - special features or service that you pay extra for
benefits - things like health insurance that employees receives in addition to their salary and wages
health benefits - the health insurance and payment for medical treatment that employees get as part of their compensation
compensation - the salary and benefits that an employee of a company receives
patient's health benefits
However, health professionals should also be able to clearly explain to patients and families how treatment should proceed for each emergency case and the period of hospitalisation allowed based on a patient's health benefits, he said. Patients have reported problems in receiving emergency treatment at hospitals outside the national health system, particularly at premium private hospitals.
afford - to have enough money to be able to pay for something มีเงินพอจับจ่าย ซื้อหา มีเงิน/ทุนพอ สามารถทำได้
pay out of their pockets - pay using their own money (neither the government, company or insurance company pays for it)
Patients can face difficulties and delays in receiving services unless they can afford to pay out of their own pockets.
scheme - a plan that is developed by a government or large organisation in order to provide a particular service for people แผนการ โครงการ
health scheme
regulations - official rules that control the way that things are done ระเบียบปฏิบัติ ระเบียบ ข้อบังคับ กฎระเบียบ
Before the new system was approved by the cabinet in mid-March, each health scheme relied on its own regulations.
advance payment - paying for a service before you receive the service
civil servant - a government worker
Advance payment is required for patients who are civil servants and their family members listed under the Civil Service Medical Benefits Scheme if they are admitted to private hospitals.
eligible - meet the requirements needed to receive something มีสิทธิ มีสิทธิชอบธรรมตามกฎหมาย เอื้อด้วยกฎหมาย have the necessary qualifications and skills to be chosen ที่มีคุณสมบัติพร้อม meet the conditions needed for doing something ซึ่งมีคุณสมบัติเหมาะสม
eligible for emergency treatment
Employees of private firms listed under the Social Security Scheme are eligible for emergency treatment.
take on the cost
transferred - changed someone's job or responsibilities โยกย้ายตำแหน่ง
transferred - moved
However, they must take on the cost after 72 hours of treatment unless they wish to be transferred to another hospital.
typically - usually; normally อย่างเป็นแบบฉบับ
unemployed - people who have lost their job and are actively looking for a new job (See Wikipedia)
vulnerable - easily damaged or harmed ซึ่งถูกทำลายได้ง่าย ที่เปราะบาง ที่ล่อแหลมต่อการเกิดภัยภิบัติ
elderly - older people, over 65 สูงวัย, อาวุโส, อายุมาก
Universal Healthcare Coverage patients, who are typically the poor, the unemployed, the vulnerable or the elderly, may receive emergency treatment at any hospital.
urged - requested them to do, encouraged people to do, advised someone very strongly about what action should be taken วิงวอน
staff - employees of a company, people who work for a company พนักงาน
state - government รัฐ
stateless - not having citizenship in any country ไร้สัญชาติ
migrants - people who travel to a different region or country to live and work ผู้อพยพ ในที่นี้หมายถึง คนต่างจังหวัดที่อพยพเข้ามาหางานทำที่กรุงเทพ
stateless migrants - people such as hilltribes that do not have a country (because in the past they moved from country to country)
entitled to - having the right to have or do something มีสิทธิโดยชอบ
entitled to emergency services
Health economist Pongsathorn Pokpermdee urged the government to include staff at state agencies, tambon administrations and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration as well as immigrants and stateless migrants under those entitled to emergency services.
resolve - to solve a problem, or to find a satisfactory way of dealing with it แก้ไขปัญหา หาทางแก้ปัญหา
discrepancy - a difference between two things that should be the same
resolve discrepancies - making two things the same, that should be the same (here: providing people with equal access to treatment)
tackle - to make an organised and determined attempt to deal with a problem แก้ปัญหา จัดการกับปัญหา
schemes - systems for achieving some goal
tackle - solve a problem
An estimated 1.2 million people in these groups were still left out of the system. The Public Health Ministry should seek ways to resolve these discrepancies, he said. The government should also seek a way to tackle differences in the way reimbursements are handled among different schemes. "The Social Security Scheme insists on paying average reimbursement for each emergency case at 15,000 baht, while the other two schemes are on the government-approved 10,500 baht reimbursement rate," Mr Pongsathorn said.
double - to become twice as big, twice as much or twice as many เพิ่มเป็นสองเท่า
overcome - solve a problem or put and end to a difficulty; to succeed in controlling or dealing with something ต่อสู้อุปสรรคจนสำเร็จสำมารถดำเนินการต่อไปได้
shortage - when there is not enough of something การขาดแคลน
nationwide - including the whole country ทั่วประเทศ
The government should increase the number of hospitals and medical and health professionals. It should also double the number of hospital beds to overcome the estimated shortage of 100,000 beds nationwide.
funds - an amount of money kept for a special purpose; money needed or available to spend on something เงินทุน
state health funds
improve - to make better ทำให้ดีขึ้น
insurance - a system of protection against loss, a person pays money every month (premiums) for a guarantee that the company will pay them money if they or their property is damaged or lost (See Wikipedia) การประกันภัย
improve the universal health insurance system
MoU - memorandum of understanding
memorandum of understanding - a temporary agreement between two companies that explains how they plan to do business with each other (See Wikipedia)
provide - to give someone something that they want or need
provide quick, equal and standardised health services to all Thais.
sector - a part of the economy ภาค (ทางเศรษฐกิจหรือสังคม) (public sector = government, private sector = all businesses, household sector = families and consumers, banking sector,...) (See Wikipedia)
private sector
The three state health funds - the Social Security Fund, the National Health Security Fund and the Civil Servants' Welfare Fund - yesterday signed a pact to improve the universal health insurance system and provide quick, equal and standardised health services to all Thais. The funds also signed an MoU with health units of other state agencies and the private sector to improve emergency services. They include the PHA, Public Health Ministry, Defence Ministry, Royal Thai Police Office, the Consortium of Thai Medical Schools and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.
presided - to be in charge of a formal meeting or ceremony เป็นประธาน
ceremony - a formal public event งานพิธี
preside over ceremony - be the person who leads an important event
implement - put a plan into action, make a plan work นำมาใช้ นำ แผนหรือนโยบายมาปฏิบัติ
ensure - to make certain that something happens or is done รับรอง ให้ความมั่นใจ ให้การยืนยัน
efficient - produce a lot from few resources; achieve a lot using little resources; doing a task with no waste of time, money or energy
integrate - to combine things of different types in one effective system รวมเข้าด้วยกัน
consistency - behaving the same way in all situations; doing things in the same way, having the same level of quality
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra presided over the ceremony to sign the agreements. Ms Yingluck said the government aims to implement the 30 baht healthcare scheme to ensure all Thais receive more efficient health services. The government will also integrate benefits from the various health insurance systems and ensure consistency in the work of the three funds to reduce disparities among them.
