Thai Traditional Medicine and Conventional Medicine Service for Non-Communicable Diseases: Case Studies for Integrative Treatment

Abstract

Integrative medicine, namely Thai traditional medicine together with conventional medicine, is popular among non-communicable disease (NCD) patients in Thailand. Around 60% of NCD patients were treated with integrative medicine services in Primary Care and Applied Thai Traditional Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University. However, miscommunication and referral between conventional medicine and Thai traditional medicine are the operational gaps in an integrated health care system. The objectives of this study were to study the health service experience of NCD patients in Thai traditional medicine along with conventional medicine and to develop guidelines for the development of Thai traditional medicine along with conventional medicine services.

This study was approved by the Ethical Committee of Thammasat University No.3 (COA No. 034/2560). A qualitative approach was adopted for this study. Data collection was conducted through in-depth interview of 12 informants, who included 9 NCD patients with disorders such as diabetes, hypertension and cerebrovascular diseases, and 3 applied Thai traditional medicine practitioners. A structured questionnaire was reviewed by experts and used in this study. The data were analysed using content analysis, based on the theories of the study, and were checked by the data triangulation method with 11 key informants. All participants completed consent forms before participating in interviews and had the right to deny answering any questions at any time without giving their reasons.

There were 23 participants including 12 informants and 11 key informants. For the informants, over half of the informants were male (n=8). There were 3 applied Thai traditional medicine practitioners who had between 1 to 3 years’ experience of working in Primary Care and Applied Thai Traditional Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University. The 9 NCD patients included 3 patients with cerebrovascular diseases, 3 patients with hypertension and 3 patients with diabetes. The patient’s right covered herbal medicine and Thai traditional medicine. Knowledge of conventional medicine personnel and community were the important determinants of the development of guidelines for integrative medicine services. Integration of knowledge between Thai traditional medicine and conventional medicine, Thai traditional personnel development, and the creation of policies and laws covering integrative medicine were processes to develop integrative medicine services for NCD patients.

            This study reflected the health service innovation guideline which presented ideas and methods regarding the development of new services, in order to develop guidelines for the development of Thai traditional medicine along with conventional medicine services and to meet the needs of patients. Policy and patients’ rights with regards to integrative medicine were the main important determinants for the developmental processes related to integrative medicine services. These policies must originate from research focused on the actual problems. Moreover, the knowledge of health personnel and community were the key determinants of the development of integrative medicine services. The integration of knowledge from Thai traditional medicine and conventional medicine, and the development of integrated medical knowledge in health personnel and the population, will contribute towards the development of sustainable guidelines to increase the efficacy of integrative medicine services for NCD patients.