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Ramkhamhaeng Hospital Pursues Strategic Advantage in Technology

Posted on: Tuesday, 12 July 2005, 12:01 CDT

Jul. 12--BEST, The Netherlands -- With the aim of providing sophisticated health-care services in order to cater to cash-rich locals and medical tourists from around the world, many Thai hospitals, especially the highly capitalised private ones, have been trekking the globe in search of advanced medical technology.

One institution that fits this description is the Ramkhamhaeng Hospital Plc, which entered into deals last month with world-class medical suppliers to purchase a range of advanced medical products to meet the needs of its growing business.

SET-listed Ramkhamhaeng Hospital (Ram) currently consists of the Bangkok flagship site in addition to a network of 13 other health-care centres.

Among the deals are the purchases of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system from Philips Medical Systems, a division of Royal Philips Electronics based in the Netherlands and mobile intensive care units from Spain's Emergencia 2000 SA.

The first Achieva 1.5T high-field MRI system has already been installed at Ramkhamhaeng Hospital in Bangkok and more units will be purchased for two of the company's other hospitals, Synaphaet Hospital and Chiang Mai Ram, this year along with other equipment, according to Dr Siripong Luengvarinkul, deputy managing director of Ram.

"In today's highly competitive health-care industry, technology plays an important role in providing faster and more accurate results for diagnostics and treatment," he said.

He added that having international standards and patient-friendly technology along fine hospitals and quality staff were the necessary components for offering excellent health-care services.

Among the hospitals in Ram's network are the main hospital on Ramkhamhaeng Road, Chiang Mai Ram, Synaphaet on Ram Intra Road, Vibhavadi 2 Hospital, the Khonkaen Ram Hospital, Muang Loei Hospital, Phayao Ram Hospital and Khelang Nakorn-Ram in Lampang.

It recently purchased 35 percent of Piyasiri Co Ltd, the operator of the 110-bed Sukhumvit Hospital for 98.9 million baht. The company also has plans to build a new 1.2-billion baht hospital.

On a daily basis, Ramkhamhaeng Hospital now serves about 1,900 outpatients and 280 inpatients.

Dr Siripong said the new investments would raise Ram's hospital network's competitive edge in the health-care industry, which had become highly competitive among private hospitals.

Ram's chief rivals include the Bangkok Hospital Group and Bumrungrad Hospital.

"Further procurements have been planned to develop heart and orthopaedic centres at our hospitals and to support the government's goal to make Thailand a regional health-care centre," Dr Siripong said.

Helped by its recent investments, the group expects to increase revenue this year by about 18 percent from 1.7 billion baht recorded in 2004. This rate of growth is expected to outpace the industry average of 15 percent, he said.

Viroj Vithayaveroj, general manager of Philips Medical Systems in Thailand, said the MRI technology would speed up the hospital's drive to improve its services and at the same time boost its international recognition.

The shortened time used by MRI scans is especially beneficial for patients who need special care, including those who are claustrophobic or cannot hold their breath for an extended period of time.

Philips' MRI system is now being used in many major hospitals, both private and public ones, Mr Viroj noted.

In May, Bangkok Hospital invested 500 million baht to purchase five Philips MRI units to install at the company's hospitals in Bangkok, Pattaya and Hat Yai. This was the largest MRI order for Philips among Asean countries.

Bangkok has already become a key centre for health-care tourism in the region with a large number of foreign patients, top-of-the-line medical equipment and high quality medical staff, said Michiel Manuel, executive vice-president and CEO Business Group X-Ray & MR Philips Medical System said Michiel Manuel, executive vice-president and CEO of the X-ray and MR business group at Philips.

He added that Philips could play a big role in helping Thailand develop the sector further by not only bringing new medical equipment and technology to the country, but also helping offer consulting services and assistance to local partners.

Medical equipment accounted for 19 percent of the 30.3 billion euros in sales posted by Philips Electronics in 2004. This compares with only 6 percent of the total 30.5 billion euros in sales recorded in the previous year.

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Copyright (c) 2005, Bangkok Post, Thailand

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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PHG, PHI,

Source: Bangkok Post

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