KASIKORNBANK has granted 33.6 million Baht to Saraburi Hospital to support the construction of a cardiovascular thoracic intensive care unit (ICU CVT) and purchase of medical equipment and supplies for open heart surgery as part of its service expansion in Saraburi and other nearby provinces, allowing patients to receive heart surgery in a timely manner. This cooperative effort reinforces KBank’s determination in promoting technological applications for the development of healthcare service to ensure equitable access to medical care among Thai people for improvement of their quality of life. This initiative will help drive the country towards sustainability in the economy, society and environment. KBank also plans to develop projects to allow the general public to access medical services from other small-sized quality healthcare service providers, including medical clinics and healthtech, for broader service coverage.
Ms. Kattiya Indaravijaya, KBank Executive Officer, said, “KBank operates our business with a focus on the country’s sustainable development. We prioritize the application of innovative technologies for service enhancement in various industries, especially healthcare, which is essential for improving people’s quality of life while being instrumental in fostering sustainable growth and development of the country. KBank has continuously taken part in the development of Thailand’s healthcare ecosystem, with focus on promotion of services in large-scale public hospitals that serve tremendous numbers of users. Most recently, KBank provided a fund of Baht 33.6 million for Saraburi Hospital, a major hospital in central Thailand, to finance the construction of its ICU CVT and procurement of medical equipment for open heart surgery – heart valve surgeries. Such financing is aimed at enhancing the efficiency of Saraburi Hospital’s cardiac care and offering greater opportunities and equality in access to public health services for the people of Saraburi and nearby areas.
KBank will continue to cooperate in the development of Thailand’s healthcare ecosystem in preparation for providing proper care to the general public and becoming an aging society. KBank has worked to develop digital healthcare platforms increasing the healthcare potential of medical schools and large public hospitals, including the “Moh Prompt” application of the Ministry of Public Health and the “BMA Doctor” application of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. Going forward, KBank plans to support projects to promote quality medical services of small-scale service providers, for example, medical clinics, or services via health technology (healthtech).
Dr. Anant Kamonnet, Director of Saraburi Hospital, said, “Saraburi Hospital is a 700-bed tertiary care center in Health Region 4 under the management of the Ministry of Public Health. Our hospital has the potential to become a specialized medical center for cancer, newborns, accidents, and heart and organ transplants, plus a referral center for patients with complex symptoms in Saraburi and nearby provinces. In 2012, Saraburi Hospital began improving its capacity to open a cardiology center for patients in Health Region 4, as statistics showed an increasing number of patients every year. Presently, we have a team of cardiologists who can treat patients suffering from vein thrombosis through percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). During 2018-2021, approximately 800-1,000 patients/year received the PCI treatment. However, due to the limited number of medical personnel specializing in open heart surgery, 60-80 patients/year have to wait around 1-2 months for such treatment, while approximately 40-50 patients/year have to wait around one year for heart valve replacement surgery.
To address such needs, the management of Saraburi Hospital had continuously mapped out operational plans before open heart surgery could successfully be performed on the first patient in January 2022. Meanwhile, two more thoracic surgeons have graduated and returned to active duty. The hospital therefore plans to expand its open heart surgery service to patients who have been waiting in the operation queue. With financial support from KBank, renovation of the sixth floor of the 100th Anniversary of Thai Public Health Building in order to open an eight-bed ICU CVT, and procurement of medical equipment and supplies, were completed in 2022.
Dr. Anant added, “Following the opening of the ICU CVT, Saraburi Hospital will be able to provide open heart surgery service as planned and with standard postoperative care, reducing waiting time for heart disease patients who have received initial treatment and require surgical treatment. More importantly, the hospital will have an ICU CVT that is equipped with medical supplies, doctors and nurses, and multidisciplinary teams with potential in taking care of patients in the future.”