Thai hospitals scoop up medical tourism awards

Three Thai private hospital groups won seven awards at the Global Health and Travel Awards 2019 last week, reinforcing Thailand’s emergence as one of the premier destinations for medical tourists.

Bangkok Hospital, Samitivej Hospital, and the Bangkok Dusit Medical Services group of hospitals all came away winners at the ceremony held in the Kuala Lumpur, the capital of neighboring Malaysia. The awards were part of the fourth annual Asia-Pacific Medical Healthcare and Tourism Summit.

“We are excited and proud to receive two prestigious awards from Global Health and Travel this year,’’ said Dr. Nisarat Jaidee, assistant hospital director at Bangkok Dusit Medical Services (BDMS), which has won various awards at the summit for the past four years. “We will continue to improve the standard of healthcare and customer value through all aspects.”

The Kingdom was the first Asian country whose hospitals have achieved the prestigious Joint Commission International (JCI) status. JCI accreditation is considered the ‘Gold Standard’ in healthcare and patient safety, and Thailand has more than 60 medical facilities with international healthcare accreditation that puts them on par with standards and practices found in the United States.

The creators of the Global Health and Travel awards said their purpose is to “recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets that have maintained consistently high standards in delivering quality care and pushed the boundaries to impress their customers at every stage and in every interaction.”

“We are honored to receive the Global Health and Travel Awards 2019 in seven categories this year, which recognized the hospital that maintained consistently high standards,” said Ratapong Amphanwong, deputy hospital director, Bangkok Hospital.

Medical tourism in Thailand has been growing at a rate of 16 percent a year in recent years, propelled by quality services and care, prices that are affordable compared to other locations, and the appeal of a fabulous destination for recovery and recuperation.