Potential Development of Local Health Security Fund Operations in Suphanburi Province, Thailand

Abstract

       Referred to the evaluation of Local Health Security Fund (LHSF) by Suphanburi Public Health Office in 2015, it was found that 42.1% of LHSF potential needed to be improved (Level C).

       Objective:  To develop the management model for Local Health Security Fund (LHSF) in Suphanburi, and to evaluate the potential of LHSF management after the development.

       Method:  The participatory action research (PAR) was applied in the study of five voluntary LHSFs in the area of Doem Bang Nang Buat District, Suphanburi. In the first phase, the study was conducted in one pilot area during twelve months (1 October 2015 to 30 September 2016). And in the second phase, the study was conducted in four expansion areas during twelve months (1 October 2016 to 30 September 2017).

       Results:  The potential development of LHSF operations in Suphanburi resulted in high level of LHSF management understanding of Local Health Security Fund Committees (LHSFC) and related stakeholders (more than 40%), and the operations of five LHSFs were significantly improved from level C (need improvement) to level A (good potential).

       Conclusion: The potential development of LHSF operations in Suphanburi by applying three development strategies: advocacy, enabling, and mediating, resulted in good development, and it was the key factor that should be essentially applied in problem solving of any critical area. Moreover, this potential development should also be applied in the development of management model for Local Health Security Fund (LHSF) in other areas of Suphanburi.