NHSO to report key achievements to the cabinet
 
 The National Health Security Office (NHSO) plans to promote its key achievements in 2022, aiming to raise public awareness about the benefits of the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS).
 
The promotion is part of the NHSO’s publication of an annual report that summarizes the progress of the scheme and evaluates its outcomes and patients’ satisfaction levels.
 
It also informs the cabinet about the overall performance of UCS, which covers healthcare for more than 47 million Thais and prevents them from catastrophic health expenditures.
 


On 6 February, the NHSO deputy secretary-general Lalitaya Kongkam reported to the board members that her staff was preparing the presentation for the NHSO’s key achievements., chaired by Dr Prasobsri Ungthavorn, Board member for Health Insurance Expert , who acting for Minister of Health, chairman of National Security Board (NHSB) ,
 
Last year, the NHSO initiated and upgraded some health programs to increase people’s access to health services. 
 
Those include piloting “outpatient everywhere” in Bangkok to improve people’s access to primary care regardless of their registry hospitals.
 
Thailand’s capital has long faced the challenge of inadequate and unequal healthcare access due to the fragmented health system.
 
To reduce hospital crowding, the NHSO partnered with the Pharmacy Council of Thailand to turn community pharmacies into the entry point of primary care.
 
The UCS beneficiaries can get free consultations and medicines for common diseases at pharmacies partnered with the NHSO, which saves their time from visiting hospitals while discouraging them from crowding at the hospitals.
 

Despite the receding COVID-19 pandemic, patients can still access free coronavirus treatment and medication while accessing medical consultations at hospitals or online.
 
Lalitaya said that many new health benefits were introduced in the UCS, including free adult diapers and glasses for children with vision problems.
 
Sixty-five types of one-day surgery services and 15 types of minimally invasive surgeries were also made available.
 
The NHSO also improved its management and reimbursement system that fastened the e-claim process, bringing confidence to hospital operators who require financial liquidity to provide free services to UCS beneficiaries.
 
Last year, outpatient departments across Thailand received more than 167 million visits, or 3.5 visits per person per year. More than 6.2 million visits were recorded in inpatient wards.
 


“The NHSO has adopted the use of technology and innovation to improve efficiency and expand healthcare coverage.
 
We have also made use of available health data and strengthened the primary care to promote people’s good health and well-being,” said Lalitaya
 
The report of the NHSO’s key achievements will be submitted to the cabinet and released to the public soon.