Guidelines for the Development of Thailand as a Medical Hub for Anti-aging Medicine

Abstract

                 The aims of this qualitative research are 1) To study the situation, problems, and obstacles in the development of Thailand as a medical hub for anti-aging medicine. 2) To analyze the factors contributing to the success of being a medical hub  for anti-aging medicine in Thailand and foreign countries . 3) To present guidelines for developing Thailand as a medical hub for anti-aging medicine. By qualitative research, collecting information by an insight interviewing with an important informant and analyzing by a content analysis. The results were found that:

                 Thailand had a strategic plan to develop the country into a medical hub. This was an opportunity to develop the country into a center for anti-aging medicine in the region. Thailand had potential and ready with service, hospitality, quality personnel and modern technology and there were hospitals that were accredited the JCI standard more than competitor countries in ASEAN. Including the service price was lower than other countries when compared to the quality obtained.  However, major problems and obstacles were encountered as follows: 1) Hospitals had a shortage of specialized doctors in antiaging medicine. 2) High budget is required to invest in superior technology 3) Most hospital policies focused on conventional medical treatment rather than preventive health care or antiaging medicine. 4) COVID-19 outbreak inexorably affected overall tourism and medical tourism. 5) There was intense competition from regional countries to become medical hubs 6) Current laws were not conducive to the business of a medical hub for anti-aging medicine.

                 Factors contributing to the success of being a medical hub for anti-aging medicine in Thailand and foreign countries that were the results of the study were as follows: 1) The government must declare it as an important policy of the country. 2) The government should establish a  specific bureau to be responsible for supporting individual health tourism services. 3) Considerable cooperation between the public and private sectors should be improvised. 4) There is development of personnel and related technologies. 5) There is a quality assurance system for international hospital standards.

                 Guidelines for the development of Thailand as a medical hub for medicine anti-aging medicine are as follows:  1) The public and private sectors work together to formulate strategies and action plan. 2) The government should motivate the hospitals to support professional training for quality health services. 3)The government should encourage the hospitals to build a high quality medical care in order to certify from international standard. 4) The hospitals should develop modern medical technologies. 5) Providing qualities of traditional Thai service to differentiate from of other countries’ medical hub.