Raising the Bar for Occupational Health Care through International Health Alliance: A Twinning Framework to Enhance and Expand Occupational Health Services at Bangkok Dusit Medical Services
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Published:
Sep 20, 2017
Keywords:
occupational, healthcare, Oregon, BDMS, international, alliance, Thailand
Main Article Content
Abstract
In response to the rapidly changing occupational health environment, Bangkok DusitMedical Services (BDMS) has recognized a need to increase the quality and availabilityof occupational health services. This manuscript describes the evolution of aninternational health alliance, based on the “twinning” framework, to achieve acollaborative goal of developing an Occupational Health Center of Excellence(COE-OH) in Thailand. Through this alliance, the COE-OH has supported thedevelopment of programs in the areas of health promotion, training and research. Thetwinning framework was applied as the alliance moved through initiation, implementation,monitoring and evaluation. Project evaluation was viewed as an iterative process thatinformed next steps in the process as the collaboration developed. Initial products ofthis alliance include adaptation of the “Let’s Get Healthy!” health promotion and datacollection tool for use as part of the Thai employee check-up; development andimplementation of occupational health trainings for various levels of clinical staff;student exchange opportunities; and the creation of the infrastructure to supportstanding up of a fully human subjects compliant data repository for research. Threeyears into this alliance, the COE-OH has reached a point where feasibility has beenestablished and the immense opportunities of future joint work have become apparent.
Article Details
How to Cite
1.
Shannon J, Kunanusont C, Rein J, Petchkrua W, Rischitelli G, Leechawengwong E, Siripool P, Kunawudhi G, Pakhunanittha C, Schuff RA, Chokpocasombut A, Kohlakklang P- on, Juneja R, Marriott LK, Stoller W, Montgomery D, Hendrickson R, Denny J. Raising the Bar for Occupational Health Care through International Health Alliance: A Twinning Framework to Enhance and Expand Occupational Health Services at Bangkok Dusit Medical Services. BKK Med J [Internet]. 2017 Sep. 20 [cited 2024 Nov. 22];13(2):101. Available from: https://he02.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/bkkmedj/article/view/222087
Section
Case Report
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27. Einterz RM, Kimaiyo S, Mengech HNK, et al. Responding to the HIV pandemic: The power of an academic medical partnership. Acad Med 2007;82(8):812-8.
28. Bürgin A. Strategic Learning, Limited Europeanization: How the Turkish National Police Used Twinning to Prepare Itself for the Planned New Border Agency. Turk Stud 2014;15(3):458-75.
29. Lindert Pv. Transnational linking of local governments: The consolidation of the Utrecht-León municipal partnership. Habitat Int 2009;33(2):173-80.
30. Cloeren M, Gean C, Kesler D, et al. American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine’s Occupational and Environmental Medicine Competencies-2014: ACOEM OEM Competencies Task Force*. J Occup Environ Med 2014;56(5):e21-40.
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32. Osilla KC, Van Busum K, Schnyer C, et al. Systematic review of the impact of worksite wellness programs. Am J Manag Care 2012;18(2):e68-81.
33. Pearce J, Mann MK, Jones C, et al. The most effective way of delivering a train-the-trainers program: a systematic review. J Contin Educ Health Prof 2012;32(3):215-26.
34. Grundy SM, Cleeman JI, Merz CN, et al. Implications of recent clinical trials for the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2004;24(8):e149-61.
2. Thai PBS. Global employment trends 2014 international labor organization. (Accessed December 2, 2016 at https://englishnews. thaipbs.or.th/philippines-highest-asean-unemploymentrate- ilo-report/)
3. Kongtip P, Nankongnab N, Chaikittiporn C, et al. Informal Workers in Thailand: Occupational Health and Social Security Disparities. New Solut 2015;25(2):189-211.
4. Damrongplasit K, Melnick G. Funding, coverage, and access under Thailand’s universal health insurance program: an update after ten years. Appl Health Econ Health Policy 2015;13(2):157-66.
5. National Health Security Office (NHSO), Thailand 2002. (Accessed December 2, 2016 at www.nhso.go.th/eng/)
6. Paek SC, Meemon N, Wan TTH. Thailand’s universal coverage scheme and its impact on health-seeking behavior. Springerplus 2016;5(1):1952.
7. Mongkhonvanit PT, Hanvoravongchai P. The impacts of universalization: a case study on Thailand’s social protection and universal health converage. United Nations Research Institute for Social Development - Working Paper 2014;2014-17.
8. Occupational Safety, Health and Environment ACT B.E. 2554 (A.D. 2011). 2011. (Accessed December 9, 2016 at https:// www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/docs/ELECTRONIC/89337/102609/ F1657509054/THA89337.pdf
9. Occupational Safety and Health Bureau. National profile on occupational safety and health of Thailand, 2012. Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, Ministry of Labour. Bangkok, Thailand. (Accessed December 9, 2016 at https://www. ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/---srobangkok/ documents/policy/wcms_192111.pdf)
10. Ribeiro RC, Pui CH. Saving the children--improving childhood cancer treatment in developing countries. N Engl J Med 2005;352(21):2158-60.
11. Masera G, Baez F, Biondi A, et al. North-South twinning in paediatric haemato-oncology: the La Mascota programme, Nicaragua. Lancet 1998;352(9144):1923-6.
12. Howard SC, Pedrosa M, Lins M, et al. Establishment of a pediatric oncology program and outcomes of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia in a resource-poor area. JAMA 2004;291(20):2471-5.
13. Karré PM, Van Twist M. Twinning as an innovative practice in public administration: An example from the Netherlands. Innov J 2012;17(3) (Accessed December 10, 2016 at https:// hdl.handle.net/1765/81690).
14. Kelly E, Doyle V, Weakliam D, et al. A rapid evidence review on the effectiveness of institutional health partnerships. Globalization Health 2015;11(1):48.
15. Knight J. Transnational Education Remodeled: Toward a Common TNE Framework and Definitions. J Stud Int Educ 2016;20(1):34-47.
16. Olowu D. Capacity building for policy management through twinning: Lessons from a Dutch-Namibian case. Public Adm Dev 2002;22(3):275-88.
17. Parmelee MA. International partnerships aim at building capacity, meeting Millennium goal. J Am Water Works Assoc 2012;104(6):74-7.
18. Proctor R. Twinning and the South Africa/Canada programme on governance: Some reflections on Blunt, Jones and Askvik. Public Adm Dev 2000;20(4):319-25.
19. Roberts KF. A twinning partnership in managing the Central Water Authority in St. Lucia. World water ‘83 Proc ICE conference, London, 1983, (Telford). 1984:79-86.
20. Hopkins J, Burns E, Eden T. International twinning partnerships: An effective method of improving diagnosis,treatment and care for children with cancer in low-middle income countries. J Cancer Policy 2013;1:e8-e19.
21. Busse H, Aboneh EA, Tefera G. Learning from developing countries in strengthening health systems: An evaluation of personal and professional impact among global health volunteers at Addis Ababa University’s Tikur Anbessa specialized hospital (Ethiopia). Globalization Health 2014;10:64.
22. WHO. Building a Working Definition of Partnership: African Partnerships for Patient Safety (APPS) 2009. (Accessed December 13, 2016, at https://www.who.int/patientsafety/ implementation/apps/resources/defining_partnerships-apps. pdf.)
23. Beran D, Silva Matos C, Yudkin JS. The Diabetes UK Mozambique Twinning Programme. Results of improvements in diabetes care in Mozambique: A reassessment 6 years later using the Rapid Assessment Protocol for Insulin Access. Diabet Med 2010;27(8):855-61.
24. Busse H, Azazh A, Teklu S, et al. Creating change through collaboration: a twinning partnership to strengthen emergency medicine at Addis Ababa University/Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital--a model for international medical education partnerships. Acad Emerg Med 2013;20(12):1310-8.
25. Brusamolino E, Maffi G. Health cooperation in an hospital of a rural area of Ivory Coast: Analysis of the priorities and of the different levels at which cooperation can take place. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2004;49(1):43-51.
26. Raguin G, network FE. The ESTHER hospital partnership initiative: a powerful levy for building capacities to combat the HIV pandemic in low-resource countries. Global Health 2016;12:12.
27. Einterz RM, Kimaiyo S, Mengech HNK, et al. Responding to the HIV pandemic: The power of an academic medical partnership. Acad Med 2007;82(8):812-8.
28. Bürgin A. Strategic Learning, Limited Europeanization: How the Turkish National Police Used Twinning to Prepare Itself for the Planned New Border Agency. Turk Stud 2014;15(3):458-75.
29. Lindert Pv. Transnational linking of local governments: The consolidation of the Utrecht-León municipal partnership. Habitat Int 2009;33(2):173-80.
30. Cloeren M, Gean C, Kesler D, et al. American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine’s Occupational and Environmental Medicine Competencies-2014: ACOEM OEM Competencies Task Force*. J Occup Environ Med 2014;56(5):e21-40.
31. WHO Regional Office for Europe. Good practice in occupational health services: a contribution to workplace health. 2002. (Accessed December 13, 2016 at https://apps.who.int/iris/ bitstream/10665/107448/1/E77650.pdf).
32. Osilla KC, Van Busum K, Schnyer C, et al. Systematic review of the impact of worksite wellness programs. Am J Manag Care 2012;18(2):e68-81.
33. Pearce J, Mann MK, Jones C, et al. The most effective way of delivering a train-the-trainers program: a systematic review. J Contin Educ Health Prof 2012;32(3):215-26.
34. Grundy SM, Cleeman JI, Merz CN, et al. Implications of recent clinical trials for the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2004;24(8):e149-61.