Thai Traditional and Herbal Medicine Hospital

Hello there!

Today, we had the opportunity to visit a Thai Traditional and Herbal Medicine Hospital and it definitely shed some new light on the topic. Living in the US, we don't have as many herbs available or knowledge about the benefits or harms that patients might encounter with each herb and many people have written them off all together. As some of my classmates have mentioned in previous posts, herbal medicine is engraved in the lifestyle of many people living in Thailand and they have depended on them for hundreds of years. 

There are many benefits to opening a facility such as this, specifically in Thailand. One of the biggest benefits of having an herbal medicine hospital is the integral role that it plays in the community and the world. Through visiting the surrounding communities, the hospital staff have come to realize that some patients know more about herbal medicine and they were able to learn from them and educate themselves while in the field. Another benefit is that the cost of herbal medicine is a lot lower than Western medicine. In 1997, Thailand was experiencing an economic crisis and decided to conduct more research into herbal medicine to save money. This led to the mandate that all hospitals in Thailand have to have at least 5% of their overall medicine usage come from herbal medicine. This not only encouraged more research, but saved the country a lot of money. 

Additionally, hospitals such as these have provided a substantial amount of income for farmers in the area. This hospital creates contracts with farmers and one family alone can earn an additional 70,000 Baht (which is approximately $2,100) per year as a result. Although it doesn't seem like much money, it can go a long way in Thailand. Through these contracts, farmers are also encouraged to grow organic crops, which means they aren't using pesticides. Not only is this beneficial for any patient receiving an herbal product short term, it also prevents long term risks. This could reduce hospitalizations in the future from products with added harmful chemicals and decrease healthcare costs. 

Although we may not agree with the usefulness of all herbal products out there, I think we have a lot to learn from the Thai people. By using a model such as this hospital, it could be possible to reduce healthcare costs in the US and find products that are effective and safe. It is our job as healthcare providers to take that initiative and bring about positive change! 

Until next time,

Maddie Pryor