Why There Has Been No Service Delivery Unit in Thai Public Health Service ?

Abstract

Why There Has Been No Service Delivery Unit in Thai Public Health Service ?

Surasit Chitpitaklert MD, MPH, MHSc*

Sumonmal Manusirivithaya MD, MSc (Clinical epidemiology)**

Supawan Sathorn MD***

Weerasak Anutaungkoon MD****

Gunn Limkool MD*****

Wijitra Chaopanon BSc******

Aeumporn Kanjanarungsichai BSc*

Jinda Rojanamatin MD*******

Pornpimom Massakulpan MD******

Thanathip Tantivattana MD**

Attapol Kerdarunsuksri MD********

* Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, Nakhon Ratchasima

** BMA Medical College and Vajira Hospital, Bangkok

*** Sirivej Hospital, Chantaburi

**** Khonkhen Hospital, KhonKhen

***** Phra Nung Kloa Hospital, Nonthaburi

****** Prasat Neurology Institute, Bangkok

******* Institute of Dermatology, Bangkok

******** Ratchapiphat Hospital, Bangkok

Objective: To survey the knowledge and attitude of hospital administrators concerning the launching and management of Service Delivery Unit (SDU) in the health system.

Study design: Descriptive study.

Subjects: Forty two hospital administrators who attended the 38^th Hospital Administrative course of Ramathibodi Hospital in the academic year 2009 (January 7-March 31, 2009)

Methods: The subjects filled up the self-directed questionnaire regarding the SDU, which composed of 3 parts. Part I was the general characteristics of the subjects. Part II composed of 15 true or false questions concerning knowledge about SDU. Score point of 1 would be given when the answer was correct and 0 for the incorrect or the answer of uncertain. A total score  8 was graded as poor knowledge while score of 9-11 was graded as fair knowledge, and any score from 12-15 was graded as good knowledge. Part III composed of 5 open questions about the attitude and opinion in launching the SDU to the health system.

Main outcome measures: Level of knowledge, attitudes and opinion towards SDU

Results: Mean age of the subjects was 49.2 ± 5.4 years. All were government officer, with 23.0 ± 6.5 years mean duration of service. Most subjects were male (64.3%) and most (78.6%) were physicians. All were middle level hospital administrators, such as vice of the hospital director (40.5%) or the Departmental chairman, or chief of the sections (59.5%). Most worked for the Ministry of Public Health (76.2%) followed by Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (14.3%). Only 9.5% of the subjects had good knowledge while 47.6% and 42.9% had fair and poor knowledge respectively. Majority of them (87.5%) had good attitude about setting up the SDU in certain units of the hospital such as out-patient clinic.

Conclusion: Most of the subjects had fair to poor knowledge concerning SDU, but most had good attitude about lauching SDU system in some units of the hospital.

Vajira Med J 2009 ; 53 : 273-282