Abstract
The research project on the preparedness and responses of the health services system to the COVID-19 crisis in Thailand: Hospital operation and economic and social impacts within the boundary of the health services system consisted of 6 main parts using mixed research methods, pursuing the following key objectives: (1) To study overall research areas and topics for health services system to prepare and respond to the COVID-19 situation focusing on hospital systems, and economic and social impacts within the boundary of the system by reviewing key literature and expert panel suggestions, and by piloting data collection based on the framework. (2) To study key characteristics of hospital wards and innovation in hospital services for COVID-19, and to synthesize recommendations for hospital accreditation processes by making case studies on selected hospitals, and sharing discussions in focus groups. (3) To study challenges, problems, obstacles, preparedness, adaptation and new normal in key service offerings by hospitals in response to the COVID-19 situations, and synthesize new normal that may persist after the crisis by surveying hospitals and surveyors of the hospital accreditation programs in Thailand, organizing online focus groups and case study of the Bangkok area. (4) To estimate cost and opportunity costs of a hospital in responding to the COVID-19 situation involving all kinds of activities in a hospital by working with a case-study hospital. (5) To study and monitor operations of universal health coverage schemes in Thailand in responding to the COVID-1 9 situations, including reimbursement in the fiscal year B.E.2563 by reviewing documents and analysis of the reimbursement databases of the universal coverage scheme (UCS) and (6) To study governmental mechanisms in responding to the COVID-19 situation in Thailand, including key features in different phases of the situation, policies and measures to prevent and control the pandemic situation, related factors, and consequences by examining overall situations and making case studies of selected key events.
