Vachira Phuket Hospital opens outpatient clinic

PHUKET: Vachira Phuket Hospital, Phuket’s main government hospital located in Phuket Town, has opened an off-site outpatient clinic to ease the workload at the hospital’s main facility.

“Vachira Phuket Hospital 2 was set up to help reduce the number of patients at Vachira Phuket Hospital, which is now up to 2,000 a day,” Hospital Director Dr Jessada Chungpaibulpatana told the Phuket Gazette.

“It will also help reduce waiting times for patients,” he added.

The center, located literally on the corner of the Yee Teng Complex at the Slaughterhouse Intersection, where Chao Fa Road meets Patipat Road, opened quietly on January 4.

It can serve 100 patients a day, with staff treating patients from 8:30am to 4pm every day.

As an outpatient clinic, no patients are admitted overnight.

“We provide only emergency medical services, ordinary health checks and a dental clinic. Patients needing surgery or intensive care are transferred to Vachira Phuket Hospital,” Dr Jessada said.

However, he added the center will soon have its own an x-ray machine, pre-natal clinic, family planning center and Thai massage spa.

“The center is currently on trial. There are about 60 patients a day. If we receive positive feedback from people, we might open this one 24 hours a day and open similar outpatient centers in Sapam, Chalong and Karon,” Dr Jessda said.

An official opening has been scheduled for April, for which Thai Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanawisit is scheduled to attend.

To call the center, call Vachira Hospital’s main line at 076-361234 and ask for extension 3000 or 3032.

— Pimwara Choksakulpan