The “Urban Sandbox: Klang Model” will soon be launched at Bangkok’s Klang Hospital to provide specialised healthcare to aged and vulnerable people in four inner districts.

Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt presided over the “Urban Sandbox” healthcare policy workshop at City Hall on Tuesday.

At the event, he told city officials that policies in public health and education were of top priority as they could reduce social disparity in the city.

“The ‘Urban Sandbox’ is an experimental programme in which we try out different methods in a specific area, record results, and apply the practices to other districts,” he said.

He added that inner Bangkok has a unique characteristic, as more than 25% of the population in its districts are in the super-ageing group, who require specialised healthcare.

Inner Bangkok comprises Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bang Rak, Samphanthawong and Pathum Wan districts.

The Klang Model will focus on strengthening primary health services to seniors and vulnerable patients. Digital technology will be used to ensure seamless and quick patient transfer to specialised hospitals.

The scheme will cover patient care over four phases:
• Urgent: Emergency care unit, telemedicine, e-referral, motorlance (bike ambulance), teleconsultation and rescue network.
• Semi-urgent: Palliative and geriatric care, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) literacy, advanced injury care, stroke and TB care, home visits.
• Long-term care: Development programme for health volunteers.
• Health promotion: Dementia detective project, daycare for the elderly and clubs for seniors.

Deputy Bangkok governor Tavida Kamolvej said this sandbox policy will revolutionise the provision of healthcare in each zone to suit the needs of its population. Two campaigns have been implemented in the Thonburi and eastern Bangkok areas, while two more are being planned in inner city areas, namely Dusit and Klang models.

“We need to collect all the data on population, medical needs and available resources on residents in inner Bangkok,” she said. “The goal is to efficiently manage the public health system to ensure fast, reliable and seamless access to standardised healthcare for all.”

Bangkok’s first healthcare sandbox programme was implemented at Ratchaphiphat Hospital in Bang Khae district, which covered the city’s outskirts.