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Bangkok Dusit Medical Services (BGH) plans to secure the Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation for four more hospitals next year to attract foreign patients and boost annual revenue growth of at least 18 per cent.

President Wallop Adhikomprapa yesterday said the four hospitals, which would improve their operations for the JCI accreditation, are BNH, Bangkok Phuket, Bangkok Samui and Bangkok Pattaya. They all are located in tourist destinations. The group has to spend roughly Bt2 million per hospital.

In 2007, BGH achieved JCI accreditation for four hospitals - Wattanosoth Cancer Hospital, Bangkok International Hospital, Bangkok Heart Hospital and Bangkok Hospital.

In the first half of this year, BGH patient revenue grew 18 per cent from Bt8.93 billion in the same period last year to Bt10.53 billion. Meanwhile, the group's net profit in the second quarter this year was Bt1.03 billion compared with the full-year net profit of Bt1.24 billion in the earlier year.

"After the group was awarded the JCI accreditation last year, the number of international patients increased significantly from the previous year because the accreditation served as a guarantee that our medical services were on par with those overseas," he said.

He added that the number of foreign patients in the second quarter this year rose by 24 per cent compared with the same period last year, while the number of Thai patients increased 18 per cent.

Wallop said expenses towards the hospitals' improvement would not affect the group's net profit next year. Presently, BGH has not had to recruit medical experts from overseas to improve the operation and services because the group has its own team.

"Once the next four hospitals achieve JCI accreditation, the group's revenue growth after 2010 should not be lower than 18 per cent per year. Besides, we will expand our operations overseas along with improvement in services to achieve revenue target," he said.

BGH plans to renovate Bangkok Rayong Hospital and Samitivej Sriracha Hospital next year to facilitate inpatients. The group will finalise the cost of the project within this year, he said.

Wallop added that BGH expected the present political turmoil to have a slight effect on the group's operating result in the second half of this year. However, the second-half performance is better than the first in general, so BGH expects its full-year revenue to still grow by 18 per cent as per its previous estimate.

In July, the number of outpatients grew 7 per cent, while inpatients rose 19 per cent from the same period last year.

BGH has no plan to increase medical fees as it bids to maintain growth in the number of patients.