Involving private clinics in UCS improves physical therapy outreach 
 
Since the beginning of this year, 25 private physical therapy and rehabilitation clinics start participating in Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) by providing health services to patients with stroke, traumatic brain, and spinal cord injury. 
 
It is a piloted program, led by National Health Security Office (NHSO) and public hospitals run by Public Health Ministry, to improve people's access to healthcare, especially for patients who find difficulties in commuting to hospitals. 
 


Some progress is made as health workers reported the improvement of patients' physical therapy outreach, said Dr Sakchai Kanjanawatana, NHSO Secretary-General, adding that NHSO covers patients' health service fees.
 


"Before the program is started, patients could only get physical therapies at hospitals. Access to physical therapies is considered very low because the number of physiotherapists is limited. Many patients are in severe health conditions, preventing them from leaving their houses," said Somjai Luewisetpaibul, President of Physical Therapy Council.
 
Physiotherapists are not always available at the government's subdistrict-level hospitals located within local community areas.  
 
"A patient with stroke is required to attend 20 sessions of physical therapy to recover fully. But our survey found that patients in some communities could join only five to 10 sessions," said Somjai.
 
"To involve private clinics in providing physical therapies will fill up this gap. Most of these clinics have operated within communities for some time."
 
Twenty-five clinics joining the UCS are mainly based in cities, including Bangkok metropolitan and eastern economic zone. Each clinic has at least one physiotherapist and passes health authorities' standard check. Its operator also obtains a license under Thai health regulation. 
 
State hospitals have transferred patients to those clinics since they involve with UCS. Patients' health condition data is shared among health providers.
 


"When the network of health providers is formed up, patients can get better access to quality health services," said Dr Jirasak Wijakkanalan, Director of Debaratana Nakon Ratchasima Hospital in Nakhon Ratchasima, a province in Thailand's northeastern region.
His hospital staff works closely with two local rehabilitation clinics to provide physical therapies to UCS beneficiaries, who can now request access to the treatments in the clinics near home.
 
Hospital staff also invite physiotherapists from the clinics to evaluate the conditions and therapeutic outcomes of patients. 
 
"We will need to monitor the outcomes of the program, which focuses on patients with stroke, traumatic brain, and spinal cord injury," said Somjai.
 
"If it is successful, we should expand the program's coverage to other patient groups, including people with disabilities and elderly, who also need physical therapies."