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“Cholnan” ordering NIEM to launch Sky Doctor Team nationwide in 100 days

(Online news article translated by Dangfun Promkhum)

“Doctor Cholnan” moved forward on his Quick Win plan ordering the National Institute for Emergency Medicine (NIEM) to launch Sky Doctor Team nationwide within 100 days in order to increase accessibility to emergency patients and support tourism for the upcoming New Year’s festival.

The establishment of the Sky Doctor team in all health regions of the country is one of the thirteen plan within the Quick Win policy – the thirteen issues that must be carried out within 100 days of the Ministry of Public Health.

Recently, Doctor Cholnan Srikaew, Minister of Public Health and the Chairperson of the Committee of Emergency Medicine, chaired the ninth meeting of the Committee of Emergency Medicine of the year 2023. The important topic of the meeting is the order of the minister to launch the Aeromedical emergency team or Sky Doctor Team in all health regions of the country.

Dr. Cholnan Srikaew, Minister of Public Health

Dr.Cholnan said that the critical element of saving lives of emergency patients is the timely accessibility to specialized care. Many areas of the country still have problems in terms of accessibility to the emergency patients due to the factors of distance, rough terrain, islands or the congested cities. Having Sky Doctor service system which uses helicopter to bring medical team to the patients will increase the chance of survival for the patient.

Sky Doctor Service System which uses helicopter to bring medical team to the patients

In the present, Sky Doctor have been utilized in some areas such as the north and the south. However, the minister assigned NIEM to continue developing and establishing the team in every health regions within 100 days in respondent to the upcoming New Year’s festival in which there might be tourists in may parts of the country. As a consequence, if there were to have medical emergencies, the patients would be reached in a timely manner and it would be the New Year’s gift for the people of Thailand.

Sky Doctor team uses helicopter to reach the patient that is in remote areas

Flt.Lt.Dr.Atchariya Pangma, the Secretary-General of the National Institute for Emergency Medicine said that NIEM has implemented the Thai Sky Doctor Service since 2009 in which the National Institute for Emergency Medicine together with the Ministry of Public Health and the network have collaborated to develop the aeromedical emergency services to increase the chances of survival for the emergency patients. The service utilizes aircrafts from both public and private sectors working together with the medical teams who passed the Basic Helicopter Emergency Medical Services Course (Basic HEMS).

According to statistics of the operations between 2021 to 2023, there had been 401 aeromedical emergency operations, consisting of 398 patient transportations and 3 organ transportations. There are nine authorized aeromedical emergency agencies which are situated in three health regions – health region 1, 2 and 11.

Sky Doctor team uses helicopter to reach the patient that is in remote areas

However, after receiving assignment from the minister of public health, NIEM has a plan to accelerate the trainings of Basic HEMS Course for all medical teams nationwide in order to establish specialized emergency medical agencies in terms of aeromedical operations in every health regions which include the coordination with many agencies to increase available resources and practice aeromedical procedures. It is expected to be completed in December 2023.

 Sky Doctor team uses helicopter to reach the patient that is in remote areas

Original Source: https://www.thansettakij.com/health/wellbeing/577065