Asst. Prof. Dr. Korpong Rookkapan, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Quality Officer at Bumrungrad International Hospital revealed that various new contagious diseases have been continuously spreading throughout the globe over the past several years. Such diseases include those recently found in new areas as well as ones caused by mutation. In Thailand, we have been faced with different contagious diseases, such as SARS, H1N1, and the latest one, MERS, where Bumrungrad International Hospital not only identified the first patient, but also successfully stopped the spread of this disease.
Bumrungrad sees the safety of both patients and staff as its first priority. Thus, the hospital has prepared a clear strategy for every situation in order to be ready to manage, prevent, and solve any problems when new contagious diseases emerge and are present in Thailand.
“The hospital has a dedicated department called Research and Surveillance of Infectious Disease to handle any emerging diseases in Thailand. For instance, we have been preparing for MERS ever since its first discovery in the Middle East countries during mid-April 2012. Since then, we have established a Medical Board to constantly review the status of the disease, as well as prepare our hospital to address and safely handle a patient that may be infected. These preparations all began 3 years ahead before the first MERS patient was eventually identified in Thailand. This shows that we have operated right from the beginning in helping the country to prevent and monitor the spread of this and other potential infectious diseases.”
Asst. Prof. Dr. Korpong Rookkapan also stated that, “When the first MERS patient was identified in Thailand, the key to handle the problem at that time is to focus on the Human Resource and Knowledge Management which could be categorized into 5 main parts: 1. Professionalism and understanding in one’s duty 2. Determination to accomplish the highest standard 3. Constant preparation and practice 4. Spirit of the profession and trust in teamwork 5. Adaptability, flexibility, and ability to always learn. We believe that these principles helped to resolve the situation accurately and effectively.”
“For example, as soon as our doctor determined that there was a MERS suspected case, we have insisted on confining the patient in order to observe the symptoms at the hospital. Then, all the teams worked together to quarantine the spread of disease immediately. Even though this affected the hospital in the form of a short-term reduction of visitors to the hospital, we are still proud of having prevented MERS from spreading in Thailand and have brought back the people’s trust in the hospital in only a short period of time. This is an example of professional teamwork and the hospital’s responsibility towards the society.” said Asst. Prof. Dr. Korpong Rookkapan.
Today’s open house welcomed the press to visit our relevant departments that assist in stopping the spread of diseases such as the
Emergency Room (ER) while is prepared to capably handle infected patients, and is fully equipped with the appropriate protective clothes and equipment, as Bumrungrad considers the safety of both patients and employees our priority. In the
Medical Sterile Supply Department, press will be able to see how medical equipment is sterilized and cleaned by modern technology under the thorough supervision of our attentive staff. The
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) will present the standard of patient rooms with controlled temperature and proper ventilation to protect both patients and visitors that come to the hospital. For the
Inpatients, staff are trained to understand and provide information to the patient, and lessen the anxiety of the patient’s family by providing clear communication. Moreover, there is an
Establishment of Patrols in which its objective is to observe the people at the hospital. If the patrolman sees anyone who might be at risk of having the disease, the patrolman will provide the mask to them to prevent the spreading of germs to others, and will notify the situation immediately if symptoms become severe. In addition,
Signboards displaying possible symptoms of infectious disease and maps of all infected countries, are set around important locations of the hospital.
The Medical Sterile Supply Department is constantly on the watch for new strains of the disease based on keeping up to date with the health alerts and dedicated studies, and anticipating future diseases in to ensure that the hospital could be fully prepared ahead of time. Bumrungrad currently treats 1.1 million patients per year (including in-patients and out-patients); including 520,000 foreign patients from 190 countries worldwide. Our professional doctors number more than 1,300 and cover over thirty five sub-specialties. Bumrungrad also employs more than 900 nurses.
“Bumrungrad International Hospital has maintained successful standards for 35 years using professional Human Resource and Knowledge Management practices that have enabled us to deliver excellent care, which include having the measures to prevent and control the current and future contagious diseases, and to provide knowledge to the public. It is the practice of these standards that make us not only a leading hospital in Thailand that people trust, but also a leading international health organization that is recognized by WHO.” Asst. Prof. Dr. Korpong Rookkapan concluded.