One of the Phyathai Group's nine hospitals, on August 28 Phyathai 2 won the Prime Minister's Export Award 2006 for Outstanding Business in the category of Most Recognised Service to Foreign Patrons.

The award demonstrated the hospital's proven efficiency in building awareness and creating medical services of an international standard.

This achievement came a little more than a year after it opened to international patients in May 2005.

The hospital quickly gained a large number of foreign patients in its first year of operations, even though it was not as large as other local hospitals that had penetrated the international market a long time ago.

Foreigners now represent 10 per cent of its total patients and 12 per cent of its total revenues.

Dr Surapong Ambhanwong, chief medical and international-business officer for Prasit Patana Plc, the Phyathai Group company that operates Phyathai 2 Hospital, has played a major role in the hospital's achievements.

 Exposing itself on the international market long after other hospitals of high reputation, such as Bumrungrad Hospital, was not to Phyathai's disadvantage at all, he said.

"Yes, Bumrungrad was the first hospital in Thailand with the vision to attract foreign patients, but the market is huge," Dr Surapong explained. "We must set our position clearly and know our targeted customers, then study the market potential and take action to attract them."

For example, Bangladesh has 10 million wealthy individuals, and they should be a target for international hospitals.

Another strategy is to appoint sales representatives in targeted countries.

Each year, Phyathai 2 allocates 7 per cent of its annual revenues as its total marketing budget. Of this, 55 per cent is allocated for attracting international patients.

Phyathai must also continue to strengthen the quality of its medical services, diagnostic equipment, hygienic environment and competitive prices, as well as its value-added services, pre-services and after-sales services.

Gaining the prestigious Prime Minister's Export Award gave a big boost to the hospital's reputation. It now plans to boost awareness among international customers even more and tap high-potential countries like those in the Middle East, its new target group.

A greater number of people from the Middle East are seeking medical treatment in Thailand, because the US has imposed stricter entry regulations, especially in recent years.

"Thai medical services are a lot cheaper than in the US or Europe and offer warm hospitality," said Surapong.

Nevertheless, Phyathai 2 Hospital still has more work to do, while relevant state agencies need to promote the reputation of Thai hospitals in the global market, facilitate the recruitment of foreign medical doctors and create major medical human resources for the industry, he concluded.

Nitida Asawanipont

The Nation