Bangkok Hospital, one of Thailand’s largest private healthcare providers, has moved away from manual and paper-based processes in registering and managing patient flows at its headquarters.
AI technology provided by the company’s partner, local startup Agnos Health, is currently powering the patient registration and management system.
HOW IT WORKS
As part of an advanced patient management system, the tertiary hospital has deployed self-service kiosks powered by multiple AIs, integrating various registration steps.
It features AI facial recognition to identify and confirm patient identities; an AI symptom checker that initially screens patient histories to refer them to the appropriate department or clinic; and robotic process automation for automated insurance verification. The system can also pull in patient information electronic consent for the collection of personal data and issuance of electronic medical records to track service status.
Meanwhile, Bangkok Hospital’s outpatient department, the Health Design Center (HDC), has also switched from manual patient queue allocation to a digital system.
Nurses on the ward can now monitor and manage patient queues, with queue status relayed to patients via mobile channels and ward TV screens. The AI-powered system monitors service status and suggests repurposing rooms to reduce foot traffic in certain areas.
HDC can now send electronic forms that patients can fill out, even before they arrive at the hospital. AI evaluates these forms for health risks and then recommends appropriate measures health check package
The department’s backend AI system processes patient checklists, wait times, appointment schedules, and clinical preferences to suggest the optimal order of visits.
WHY IT MATTERS
Since enhancing its AI registration system, Bangkok Hospital has seen a reduction in both entry and exit procedures, including recording patient medical histories. Waiting times have also been cut as registration steps have been reduced by 45% compared to the previous system.
Hospital statement Patient queues at the outpatient department are now also more evenly distributed. HDC manages 200 to 300 patients per day, each with different packages, procedures, and times. With AI, staff spend less time informing patients about wait times and next steps, and answering frequently asked questions. Wait times are cut in half compared to the previous manual system.
THE BIGGER TREND
In recent years, private hospital operators in Thailand have increasingly invested in and adopted data and digital technology as part of their digital transformation initiatives.
Srisawan HospitalA tertiary care private hospital in Nakhon Sawan, a city north of Bangkok, recently sought the support of GE HealthCare and InterSystems to digitize its asset and workforce management and install an integrated HIS at its Bangkok branch.
To demonstrate its maturity in the use of EMR technology, Princ Suvarnabhumi Hospital, part of the private healthcare conglomerate Principle Healthcare Group, has undergone the HIMSS Electronic Medical Records Implementation Model Stage 7 assessment. It is currently the only hospital in Thailand to achieve this highest level of accreditation, which was received earlier this year.
