An Emergency Medical Service System in Thailand: Providers’ Perspectives
Yuwares Sittichanbuncha MD*, Thidathit Prachanukool MD*, Prakit Sarathep MD*, Kittisak Sawanyawisuth MD, PhD**,***
Affiliation : * Department of Emergency Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand ** Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand *** Research Center in Back, Neck, Other Joint Pain and Human Performance (BNOJPH), Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
Background : Emergency medical services (EMS) in Thailand have been established for more than 20 years. However,
evaluation of EMS is limited. The present study aimed to determine providers’ perspectives on EMS in Thailand.
Material and Method: The present study was conducted at the tenth Academic Annual Meeting of Emergency Medicine
between February 9 and 13, 2009 at Rajavithi Hospital, Bangkok. All participants at the meeting were eligible and randomly
selected for the survey. Subjects were physicians, nurses, or paramedics who worked in Emergency Department/Room at
hospitals in Thailand. The survey was performed by self-rated questionnaire.
Results : Four hundred fifty questionnaires were distributed and 425 were returned completed (94.4%). Of those, 365 subjects
(85.9%) were female, 359 (84.5%) were nurses, 103 (24.5%) worked at the ER for more than 10 years, and 284 (67.6%)
worked at the community hospitals. The most three common issues of EMS system were insufficient medical personnel,
insufficient medical devices, and lack of knowledge of medical personnel. At the ER, overcrowding was the most common
issue, while problems with medical devices, collaborations with other organizations, and communication devices were main
problems at the pre-hospital EMS. The average satisfactory score of EMS was 2.86 out of 5.
Conclusion : EMS in Thailand requires improvement in terms of numbers of medical personnel, well-equipped ambulance,
and collaborations among organizations.
Keywords : Emergency medical services, Providers, Perspective, Survey
