National Health Security Office (NHSO) supports private clinics and primary care units to provide care to COVID-19 patients under home and community isolation in Bangkok. 
 
          On July 14, the NHSO staff arranged a virtual meeting with the representatives of clinics and primary care units to prepare the back-office operation, including the claim reimbursement system and patients records and transfer management.
 
          The meeting was joined by more than 490 people, including the Public Health Ministry representatives, health experts, and non-governmental organizations.
 
          Home and community isolation is a program for caring and monitoring COVID-19 patients who show asymptomatic or mild symptoms. They can recover by getting primary care in isolation, either at home or in community facilities. 
 
          Under the program, the medical staff of clinics and primary care units will contact the patients and provide them medical supplies, food, and regular virtual consultation. 
 
          The NHSO will reimburse the expenses of medical supplies to the clinics and primary care units. These include oxygen therapy tanks, favipiravir, green chiretta capsules, blood pressure monitors, personal protective equipment, medical gloves, surgical masks, alcohol gel, and antigen rapid test kits. 
 
          It will also cover the expenses of providing the patients face marks, alcohol gel, fingertip pulse oximeters, digital thermometers, and food delivery. 
 
          The patients will consult with doctors via AMED Telehealth, a remote patient monitoring software developed by the National Science and Technology Development Agency. 
 
          Dr Atthaporn Limpanyalert, the NHSO Deputy Secretary-General, said that food delivery management could be flexible. 
 
          Clinics and primary care units can hire kitchens to cook meals for the patients while using their vehicles to deliver food. They can also hire app-based delivery people to deliver food to the patients’ doorstep. Another option is to provide patients with credits to order food by themselves. All these expenses can claim with the NHSO. 

 

          Dr Komen Tiwtong, Director of the Department of Primary Care and Family Doctor Clinics, Public Health Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Office, said that there were 178 primary care units registered under the Ministry and 204 private clinics partnering with the NHSO. 
 
          The Ministry set up Comprehensive COVID-19 Response Team consisting of health professionals, health academics, civil society representatives, health volunteers, and Bangkok district officials to support home and community isolation program. They will also coordinate between involved parties and provide medical supplies when in need.