The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) held a workshop to launch the so-called Urban Sandbox: Klang Model at BMA General Hospital, which aims to improve healthcare for the increasing number of elderly people in Bangkok’s inner-city areas.
Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt, who led the workshop on Monday, also outlined the BMA’s direction regarding public health measures.
Mr Chadchart said the sandbox initiative is being launched to strengthen primary services for the elderly and other at-risk groups in the four districts covered by Klang Hospital — Pomprap Sattruphai, Bang Rak, Samphanthawong, and Pathumwan.
He said services in the capital’s inner city area might differ from those in the outer suburbs as many inner city districts have become “super-aged societies”, with more than 25% of the population being elderly.
Mr Chadchart has encouraged hospitals to coordinate with various agencies, including district offices as well as the BMA’s Health Department, Medical Department, Education Department, and City Law Enforcement Department, to improve services further.
“The BMA piloted the suburban sandbox project at Ratchapipat Hospital earlier and now has the same sandbox at Klang Hospital for people in urban Bangkok,” he said.
The governor said the sandbox contained 17 projects that use technology to improve patient care services, including those involving emergency care.
Projects include telemedicine, health literacy about noncommunicable diseases, medical worker training, and nursing day-care outlets, he added.
Thavida Kamolvech, deputy governor, said Klang Hospital has also been assigned to help City Hall design a model for BMA’s hospital networks in northern Bangkok.