Nakornthon Hospital expects revenue in 2019 to grow by 13% to 1.7 billion baht as its overall strategy shifts from general treatment to speciality diseases.
Pensiri Thongsima, director of marketing and business development, said the hospital has set aside 400 million baht for strategies in 2018-19 to improve basic infrastructure, human resources and medical equipment.
Half of the budget was allocated in 2018. The remainder will be assigned this year.
Ms Pensiri said the hospital plans to launch five new centres in 2019: brain and nerve, bone and joints, alimentary and liver, minimally invasive surgery, and infertility.
"These five centres will be added to our 20 existing speciality centres, including cardiovascular; nose, eye and ear; an ageing clinic; and maternity," she said. "In 2019, the hospital aims for double-digit growth, marking two consecutive years after posting revenue of 1.5 billion baht in 2018, up by 10%."
Ms Pensiri said the lifestyle of Thais is gradually changing, from going to the hospital when they are sick to consulting and checking up before diseases occur.
With this trend and demand, speciality doctors are in demand to respond to and serve patient requirements.
Furthermore, consumers can easily research basic health education through websites, social media and medical bloggers for treatment, healthcare and preliminary examination.
"The medical treatment that customers need is prevention, and this trend has become more prevalent over the last three years," Ms Pensiri said.
She said 30% of the hospital's revenue in 2018 was from preventive patients and 70% was from cures and recovery.
In 2018, the number of inpatients fell to 45% of total patients from 50% in the past. Outpatient numbers have increased.
Ms Pensiri said that while consumers are concerned about personal healthcare to prevent diseases, many of them still suffer from non-communicable diseases that have improved in terms of infection and autoinoculation: for example, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases.
"The healthcare market is dependent on new innovations in medical equipment and a high volume of vaccines both to treat sickness and for prevention," Ms Pensiri said.
She said the hospital is focusing more on foreign clients, which make up 5% of total patients, mostly expatriates from China and Myanmar working in industrial estates nearby.
The hospital is targeting patients from Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.
Located in Bangkok's Bang Khun Thian district, Nakornthon Hospital has been operating for almost 23 years to serve residents in the Rama II area with a capacity of 150 beds.