First-class healthcare
The 554-bed private hospital performs
over 240,000 imaging exams each
year and boasts a fully digital radiology
department with state-of-the-art CR,
Digital Spot Imaging, Digital Subtraction
Angiography, ultrasound, 64-slice MDCT,
1.5T MRI and digital mammography
equipment. The hospital employs 63
radiologists, of which 25 are full-time.
In 2000, Bumrungrad International
became the beta site for the Hospital
Information System (HIS) developed by
Global Care Solutions (Bangkok). One
year later, physicians began requesting
digital images and the decision was
made to invest in PACS. “We had more
patients but also more film and expense,
so we saw this as the best time to
implement PACS,” said Chamaree
Chuapetcharasopon, Senior Associate
Medical Director, who was the chief of
radiology at that time.
PACS was a new technology for Thailand
in 2001. With challenges not typically
faced and addressed by PACS software
developed in the West – namely very
“Image accuracy
was most
important, yet we
were also concerned
with cost, durability,
domestic services
and the reputation
of the medical
display vendor.”
Chamaree Chuapetcharasopon
Senior Associate Medical Director
high patient volumes, restricted fiscal
budgets and regional or cultural language
requirements – the hospital decided to
remain with Global Care Solutions as its
preferred PACS supplier. “Our research
uncovered the fact that next to the
software, the other most important issue
for successful implementation and use
was the selection of reliable and high
quality displays,” Dr. Chuapetcharasopon
added.
Improving the quality of service
Bumrungrad International created a host
of requirements for its medical image
display solution. To ensure the accuracy
of the diagnostic report, the critical
criteria were first the resolution of the
monitor, between 2 and 5 megapixels
(MP), and second the brightness. “Image
accuracy was most important, yet we
were also concerned with cost, durability,
domestic services and the reputation of
the company,” Dr. Chuapetcharasopon
explained. “To maintain and enhance
the quality of our services, we had to be
sure the monitor would provide as good
or better information than conventional
film.”
Thailand is home to one of the leading healthcare providers
in South-East Asia: the internationally renowned Bumrungrad
International. Located in the heart of Bangkok, Bumrungrad is
one of the largest private hospitals in the region. International
patients comprise 40 percent of the one million patients served
annually by Bumrungrad. These patients are not just unfortunate
tourists. They make the trip to Thailand to visit Bumrungrad and
benefit from its high-quality healthcare services at costs that are
substantially lower than in their home country.
