Bumrungrad chases quarantine revenue stream

Thailand’s Bumrungrad International Hospital is taking part in the Ministry of Public Health quarantine system, and will accept both international and local patients and their companions for quarantine. As a destination more regularly associated with low cost medical tourism, the hospital is assuming that their patients will be prepared to pay, in addition to the normal medical bills, a significant quarantine accommodation fee.

Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok is a leading healthcare centre for medical tourists. The ban on inbound tourism to Thailand has hit their income hard, as a substantial percentage of their revenue comes from the more than 50% of patients claimed to be overseas medical tourists.

The hospital is also currently the target of a pending takeover offer by Bangkok Dusit Medical Services.

The hospital group claims 632,000 international medical ‘episodes’ (this is not unique patient numbers) from over 180 countries, with patients from Myanmar, the UAE and Kuwait accounting for the biggest share by revenue. Two-thirds of their revenue in 2019 came from non-Thai patients, which makes it the healthcare destination with the highest percentage of foreign patients of all large hospital groups in Thailand.

To perhaps offset some of this revenue loss, Bumrungrad is taking part in the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) programme called “Alternative Hospital Quarantine” (AHQ). As well as medical tourists, it is now accepting international and local patients and their companions for quarantine.

There is a long list of requirements for potential quarantining patients including an insurance to cover all costs while in Thailand and a fit to fly certificate.

A patient and companion(s) will be subject to quarantine in Bumrungrad International Hospital for the duration of 14+2 days from the day of arrival in Thailand.

A patient will only be allowed to leave the room for medical investigations and procedures as required, while a companion(s) will remain in the room throughout the quarantine period, except for visiting the patient at certain times of the day.

Foreign nationals, who are permitted to enter Thailand as patients seeking for medical care, can only be quarantined in the hospital upon arrival.