Thailand is currently facing a crisis regarding its health workforce. For example:
The Problems
Poor distribution: We produce enough doctors on paper, but they are in the wrong places. While cities are fine, some are oversaturated, but the rural border areas face low doctor vs population ratio. Other professionals, especially nurses, are even scarcer.
Burnout issue: Staff are leaving the public hospitals to private practice and it is not just for money, but due to poor management, heavy workloads, and high expectations from patients and families.
Lack of Value: Many workers feel undervalued, unprotected, and financially under-paid.
Unnecessary tasks: Paperwork such as for accreditation and unplanned policies from the central goverment (like the sudden Dialysis Choice policy) cause hugh overload without extra support or pay.
Rigid government system: Strict government rules prevent hospital directors from easily hiring help or firing underperforming staff.
The Solutions
I feel that health system in Thailand is very complexed, so to tackle the problems is quite challenging. However, the suggestions could be:
Cut the paperwork: Reduce documentation and pause new non-essential projects.
Informatics: Use it to decrease workload, though we must face the initial implementation barriers.
Empower the workforce: Allow health workers to form unions to negotiate fair working hours, payment and safety standards.
Strengthen primary care: Use our existing community health network to manage care locally, preventing big hospitals from unnessessary workload.