In cooperation among National Institute for Emergency Medicine, Ministry of Public Health, Government and private hospitals update 6new policies regarding Emergency patient’s admission. In case of emergency, people can go to the nearest emergency for free treatment in compliance with the Emergency Claim Online policy to reduce the loss of life and to benefit the emergency patients. Public need to remember to make an emergency call at 1669 to get into the system for a comprehensive emergency service all land, water and air.

Mr. Anuchar Sethasathien, M.D. stated that according to the Emergency Claim Online policy, whenever there is an emergency, patients should be treated at the nearest hospital to save lives. Today, the Emergency system has been designed and developed so Thai citizen have claims to be treated in case of emergency funded by 3different funds which are Health care insurance, Social security and Government fund, at any nearest hospital including private hospital free of charge. The medicals bills will be paid by those 3funds depending on the details in each case. The number of private hospital has been gradually increased as a result emergency patient has been efficiently served.

He also added that the EMCO system was initiated by the National Health Security Office (NHSO) since April 2012. The medical bills will be initially paid by the NHSO and later other funds will be collected to pay those bills.

For the past 4 years, there are 70000 patients who claimed this claims. The survey shows that public is satisfied with this system but there is a confusion that some patients are billed, which lead to the legal cases or the hospital demanded the government to pay. Therefore, there is a need to review and adjust and clarify the system.

Ministry of Public Health, NIEMS and medical bill experts get together to design the emergency bills criteria, and then had a meeting with the Private Hospital Association and the three funds consistently. The purposes are to find solution to benefit emergency patients and accepted by all parties. The summary of the final decisions are

1.   EMCO will pay emergency medical bills and will reimburse from those 3funds. NIEMS will be in charge of verifying the degree of emergency.

2.    The emergency medical bills will be charged a flat rate within first 72hours, after that the private hospital has to make an agreement with each fund.

3.    The hospital referral system will be set, the patients who pass the critical condition or after 72hours will be transferred to the hospital where they have health care insurance.

4.    NIEMS and  Ramathibodi Hospital provide an Emergency patients Triage training to the emergency doctors and nurses from the private hospitals. There is also a coordination center where a qualified doctor stands by to consult in case the doctors or nurses are uncertain about the degree of emergency.

5.    After this agreement has been accepted by all parties, it will be proposed to Emergency Medicine committee and then announced to public for the future use and information.

6.    There will a group of committee to monitor, follow up and adjust the EMCO system consistently to stabilize the system.

This mission aims to benefit emergency patients to be treated at the nearest hospital immediately regardless of well-known and popular private hospital where is far away from the scene. The main point is to save lives and injuries, people must be aware of this concept. However, general patients and other emergency patients who have health insurance are asked to remain using their original claims. More importantly, if people think there is a need of emergency, do call 1669to be properly evaluated and recorded in the system to avoid any complication regard paying bills.

No matter where you live in Thailand, EMCO covers you including, land, and water or air emergency needs. All you need to do is call 1669in case of emergency to get free of charge service based on our regulation that has been established by National Institute for Emergency.