GPFPAT is the physician network for family and general practitioner in all across Thailand.
Family Physician and General Practitioner group
GPFPAT is nonprofit organization of Family physicians/General Practitioner in Thailand. we operate for improvement compretency of The Family physicians in Thailand.
Mission
Enchancing Compretency
Network Strengntening
Knowledge Resource
Supporting Young Doctor
20th Year Family Physician In Thailand
In 1998.
Family medicine in Thailand; they has qualified of the medical council of Thailand, instead of diploma of General practitioner (GP). However family physicians didn’t famous specialty among post-graduation program, and inattentive health care system. We faced importance of specificity of care in a lot of specialty branches, these produces workforce crisis among common health care systems, even we have been increasing number of the doctors, yearly. Especially, rural area, there are faced with insufficiency of doctor workforce on large scale of health care systems.
Acknowledgment from inside and outside studies reflected the importance of family medicine in Thailand.
Family medicine, the identity has developed by specialty of widening on spectrum optimistic medical management instead of being sub of subspecialty on specific problem management. They need to understanding the connection of biological-psychological-social model with medical literacy and human being. This must be connected with health promotion and prevention. Family medicine may be quite common medical problem management but in rural area or primary care settings, we will found ignorance and neglecting of medical management. So, family medicine, this will justify the importance, valuable, reliable and adaptable for Thailand health care systems. This will be responsible to all Thai people.
Formation of the college of family physician (RCFP) was happening in 1999; the first group of family medicine’s residency training was performed. There has gained qualify for “Royal College of Family Physician of Thailand” (RCFPT) since 2005. General Practitioner Association of Thailand; this has changed the name to “General Practitioner/Family Physician Association of Thailand” (GPFPAT).
First graduated family physician began in 2002.
The long journey to 2019 of Family medicine foundation in Thailand; second decades has faced fluctuation of famous and devalue attention for post-graduation. The public health reforms to universal coverage schemes, this impacted to an attention of post-graduation residency trend. Dynamic systems reformation made several paths of training; formal training, In-service training, and hospital-based or community-based training for serving health care demands.
In 2017, Thailand policy has contained “The ratio of family physicians to population on primary care systems” in section 16 of the policy. This produces “the act for primary care systems”, and royal approving in 2019.
The progression for primary care systems and family medicine; this has improved, continued, and secured. But stability still go on to the future? Which’s many factors impacted to them? These is noted for our teams.
First training had 9 residencies. Recently, we have 774 doctors; they are diploma of family medicine certification. 6,351 doctors; they are exequatur of family medicine certification. Totally 7,898 family physicians service across Thailand. In 2019, 199 doctors; graduated family physicians prompt to servicing.
Growth of family physicians are going on, but there’s not enough for population coverage. 38 centers of family physician training; they still be improving quality, research and medical literacy; Primary Care and Family Medicine Journal.
Family medicine literatures have found performance of family physician to improve patient’s quality of life and extendable implementation on many areas across Thailand, especially, bed-bound patients, end-of life care, psychological problem and complex issues. All literature for improving to all age-group’s health and chronic disease, this is gap issues for future family medicine researches.
All and all, foundation of family medicine along twenty-year makes moving forward to challenging of Thailand health issues, such as, dynamic changing of socio-economic, barrier and equity, aging society, technology, medical investment, medical centers, and global budget. This is competition, resource sharing and shifting. National planning should be appropriated, and supported relationship of specialty of specific problem and widening spectrum of primary care and family medicine.
Family medicine value depend on quality and outcome of family physicians; this is balancer of health care systems in Thailand, and improving of Thai-health status.
Editor
Dr. Supattra Srivanichakorn, MD, MRCFPT
Assoc.Prof.Dr.Somjit Prueksaritanond
Translate by International affair
GPFPAT