Att's job is tough, especially for someone of only 31. He has to oversee three hospitals under the Phyathai group, which has 1,500 beds, and maintain standards at a company renowned as one of Thailand's leading medical-service operators.

After graduating as a bachelor of science in Business Administration (Finance) from San Francisco State University and working in other businesses for a period, he took over the executive job at the group two years ago when Vichai, his lawyer father who once represented caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, took over the hospital group from the original owner.

Att did not mention if he feels any public pressure that he has come to this point because of his father. Yet he appears dedicated to accomplishing his duties the best he can.

"I want all hospitals in Phayathai Hospital Group to become places where patients can get quick and effective medical treatment and also have an environment that they are happy to visit," said Att.

"We have good medical human resources and good management will enhance our capability."

Consistently sending its staff to train at Harvard Medical School in the United States is a strategy. They then come back to manage a better medical team.

The group is investing about Bt2 billion to renovate its three hospitals, creating a modern and hygienic environment and installing modern medical machines.

Apart from human resources management, a marketing strategy to create strong bonds with people is required. The group spent Bt70 million on a new strategy featuring music. It joined hands with Lux Music label to launch a new song album composed by Piyada Hachaiyabhum, a sixth-year medical student at Rangsit University, last week.

Music, which plays a key part in good health, physically and spiritually, makes medical service more friendly. Patients feel comfortable and willing to pay attention to the hospitals, both for their health knowledge and medical treatment, said Att, who believes the hospital world and the world of the general public should not be separate.

The two partners will arrange road shows at all leading department stores to promote the album and boost Phyathai's image. The events will also feature a "health bar" providing a medical check-up and a medical consultant.

Phyathai is launching a call centre in August, allowing people to seek medical advice and consultations at any time. While doctors can sometimes confuse patients with technical terms, this service will provide simple language to reduce the gap between the two, said Att. From a medical perspective, Att said music marketing, road shows and call centres enabled people - not least teenagers - to take care of their health and seek more knowledge in order to make the right decisions.

From a marketing perspective, all the strategies will enable people to get close to hospitals and allow the group to create a strong bond with them.

"Hospitals are not just buildings for patients to find their way around - we should go out and communicate with them," said Att.

However, an idea to add spa or hotel-like treatments, as some hospitals have done, is not part of his plans. He believes that patients want to get well quickly and go back home, rather than stay a long time in hospitals.

Some other premium hospitals have long been working on marketing strategies and have been able to create brand loyalty to a degree.

Att admits Phyathai has done little marketing in the past 30 years, but he is confident its overdue campaign is not too late.

Financially, the group is still listed as one of Thailand's top hospitals in consumers' minds, which shows it has strong brand loyalty from a considerable number of Thais.

Its revenues last year were Bt4.01 billion, rising from Bt3.38 billion the previous year. The group is listed as Thailand's third most recognised hospital group following Bumrungrad Hospital and Bangkok Hospital. This year it expects its revenues to increase to Bt4.46 billion.

"I expect to see Phyathai overtake our competitors in terms of brand recognition within three years, not just among Thai patients but also foreigners. We just have to tell them all our strengths and continue doing our best," concluded Att.

Nitida Asawanipont

The Nation