BDMS expanding size and scope of service

Bangkok Dusit Medical Services Plc (BDMS), an operator of multi-brand hospitals, is expanding medical services this year and next year to cope with growing demand from domestic and regional markets.

Paisal Lerdluedeeporn, assistant chief medical officer for Group 1, said BDMS plans to open a new hospital in Chiang Rai province in the third quarter of this year.

The new hospital will be run under the Bangkok Hospital brand, the group’s toptier medical service.

The expansion into the North is aimed at meeting high demand for medical treatment not only from locals, but also from neighbouring countries such as Myanmar and China.

The group is recruiting doctors, nurses and other staff before opening.

Dr Paisal said the group will also open Phoenix Medical Centre in Bangkok, located next to the Bangkok Hospital complex. The new centre is worth about 2.5 billion baht, excluding medical equipment.

American hospitals and experts will help facilitate advanced medical services at the new centre.

BDMS recently completed construction of Bangkok Hospital in Surat Thani province, which opened recently.

The group also acquired a hospital in Phetchaburi province and rebranded it Bangkok Hospital Phetchaburi. The hospital aims to serve patients in the eastern region, which is a regular haunt for locals and foreign tourists.

“The group will continue to expand hospitals and special medical services in the future,” Dr Paisal said. “The move is to cope with demographic change.”

As Thailand’s population ages, more experts are needed to treat the elderly, and hospitals in Thailand, including those under BDMS, will invest in and focus on medical facilities for the elderly as well.

BDMS expects Thai people to soon need special medical treatment such as minimally invasive surgeries, Alzheimer’s care and help reducing fat and controlling diabetes.

In addition, aero-medical evacuation services are expected to increase in the future as patients’ spending power rises. The aim is to improve aero-medical services by exchanging practical knowledge with foreign institutions.

According to Dr Paisal, the group is hiring about 5,000 permanent doctors and nearly 5,000 part-time doctors for a total of 45 hospitals. The group is expected to hire more at some hospitals due to overflow of patients.

BDMS is organising an annual academic conference Aug 14-18 under the theme “Excellence Healthcare Network: Medical Advances Meet Compassion”.

More than 1,500 medical and healthcare services from around the world are attending the event, including experts from the US and Germany.