Thailand's Health Challenge: High Blood Pressure Is Leading Cause of Outpatient Visits
New report on the 'Gold Card' scheme reveals chronic conditions dominate Thai healthcare, with over 176 million annual visits and high rates of infectious gut diseases
- High blood pressure (hypertension) is the most common reason for outpatient (OPD) visits in Thailand, accounting for 23.05 million visits in Fiscal Year 2024 under the national 'Gold Card' healthcare scheme.
- The top three conditions for outpatient care are all chronic diseases, with diabetes and high cholesterol ranking second and third, highlighting a national challenge in managing non-communicable diseases.
- In response to the data, Thailand's National Health Security Office (NHSO) plans to strengthen primary care and focus on health promotion to prevent and manage these prevalent chronic conditions.
New report on the 'Gold Card' scheme reveals chronic conditions dominate Thai healthcare, with over 176 million annual visits and high rates of infectious gut diseases.
New data from Thailand's flagship universal healthcare system, the 'Gold Card' scheme, shows that high blood pressure remains the most common reason for citizens accessing outpatient care, highlighting a critical national challenge in managing chronic conditions.
The report, compiled by the National Health Security Office (NHSO) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, tracks health usage across the country and indicates that the scheme plays a crucial role in providing equitable care.
During FY 2024, citizens made over 176.5 million outpatient (OPD) visits, averaging 3.75 visits per person.
The statistics for the over 176.5 million outpatient visits clearly indicate that the primary public health burden is managing Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and chronic conditions.
The top three conditions are all directly linked to lifestyle and long-term care management:
- Hypertension (High Blood Pressure): By far the most common, accounting for 23.05 million visits.
- Diabetes (Type 2): The second-highest chronic condition at 12.87 million visits.
- Dyslipidemia (High Cholesterol): Ranked third among NCDs with 12.25 million visits.
The high prevalence of these conditions underscores the importance of the Gold Card scheme in providing continuous, affordable primary care to prevent these diseases from escalating into severe, costly inpatient events like strokes or heart failure.
In contrast, the top cause for the 6.9 million inpatient admissions is an acute infectious disease, indicating where the healthcare system faces its greatest immediate stress:
Infectious Gastroenteritis and Colitis: The leading cause of hospitalisation, requiring 256,407 admissions. This suggests ongoing public sanitation and food safety challenges, or seasonal outbreaks that necessitate acute care.
Pneumonia (Unspecified Organism): A major infectious cause, ranked second among all admissions (205,739), highlighting a significant respiratory threat.
The inpatient list is also marked by expensive, advanced care needs like Cataracts and Delivery of Live Births, demonstrating the scheme's comprehensive coverage for both acute medical issues and necessary surgical/maternity services.
Dr Jadej Thammatacharee, NHSO Secretary-General, stated that the data reflects the success of the National Health Security Act (2002) in ensuring all citizens receive medical treatment without financial burden.
However, the figures also provide a critical public health database, allowing the government to focus on preventable illnesses.
"The data helps us target health promotion and disease prevention measures, especially for major chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes, which remain key public health issues," Dr Jadej confirmed.
The NHSO plans to use the findings to strengthen the healthcare system, particularly at the primary care level. This aims to improve patient referrals, reduce congestion in major hospitals, and ensure fast, quality services across all communities.
