Medical error remedy fund in the works
Medical activists have welcomed the Public Health Ministry’s plan to set up a central fund to help people affected by medical errors, said Preeyanan Lorsermvattana, head of the Thai Medical Error Network.
“We have been fighting for this for 15 years,” she said.
Dr Visit Tangnaphakorn, director-general of the Department of Health Service Support (DHSS), said yesterday the Public Health Ministry is drafting a bill to ensure people affected by errors in medical services provided to them receive support.
At present, each hospital is responsible for any medical errors that happen during treatment.
Dr Visit said the central fund can provide help to all patients covered by National Health Security Fund, the Social Security Fund and the Fund for Civil Servant Medical Benefits.
As for medical errors that take place at private hospitals that are not covered by the three funds, a voluntary settlement between the patient and the hospital would be needed i n such cases, he added.
Dr Visit said that lawmakers will have to amend Section 41 of the National Health Security Act and Social Security Fund Act to accommodate the medical remedy fund.
“The law-drafting committee feels the planned fund will benefit people. At present, there is no central organisation responsible for providing a medical remedy. It is left to negotiations between the patients and health service providers,” he said.
The remedy fund will help create a better relationship between patients and medical professionals because the fund does not point the finger at anyone in particular but focuses on healing patients, he said.
Prasit Watanapa, Dean of Faculty of Medicine of Siriraj Hospital and president of the Medical Council, said he agreed with the principles of the drafted act, reiterating that a remedy should focus on the healing process rather than finding faults.
According to the Thai Medical Error Network, there is currently no functional mechanism for redress or patient support.
When medical errors happen, victims and their families are left to deal with the problem alone.