The “Happy Body, Happy Wallet” initiative aims to empower patients to purchase medicines outside hospitals, which may encourage them to utilise the services of private hospitals and ease the burden on public facilities, reports the Bangkok Post.
More than 300 private hospitals nationwide are participating in the project. The Private Hospital Association on Tuesday (Nov 4) signed a memorandum of understanding for the programme with the Department of Internal Trade at the Ministry of Commerce, the Department of Health Service Support at the Ministry of Public Health, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun said the project would help patients reduce their medicine expenses by 30%.
The FDA has screened and selected participating pharmacies, with more than 3,400 of the estimated 21,000 pharmacies nationwide taking part so far.
Under the initiative, patients can take prescriptions from private hospitals and purchase medicines at registered pharmacies that display the Happy Body, Happy Wallet logo.
Patients can also purchase medicines through telepharmacy services certified by the Pharmacy Council of Thailand, where they can consult with pharmacists and inquire about medicines and prices.
“This initiative aims to ensure that patients are buying medicines from standard pharmacies and is expected to help reduce their costs by at least 32 billion baht per year,” said Anutin.
Outpatients at private hospitals frequently complain about excessive markups on drugs , often ranging from 50% to 100% over what outside pharmacies charge. Many private hospitals also carry only a limited number of generic drug alternatives, though doctors will offer advice on generics if asked.
Chayin Chaturapornpracit, president of the Thai Pharmacies Association, said the project is expected to enhance the standards of pharmacies, allowing for more effective dispensing of prescribed medicines through an official prescription system.
Surachai Kaewhiran, director of Vichaivej International Hospital Group, estimated that initially around 5% of the hospital’s patients would choose to purchase medicine externally, with the figure rising steadily in the future.
The initiative should also encourage pharmacies to improve their service standards, he said.
Mr Surachai said drug prices are expected to decrease based on increased competition, particularly for imported drugs, which would enable better access to affordable medicines.
However, private hospitals need to maintain high standards of medical care and ensure the quality of their healthcare personnel, he said.