SIRIRAJ HOSPITAL – Thailand’s Strongest Medical Influencer

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Every year Siriraj Hospital provides the finest medical services to more than 3 million outpatients. Even so, the ‘health for all‘ throughout the country still could not be achieved. Not to mention the growing number of patients that could overwhelm Thailand’s capacities in the time of an aging society. Wouldn’t it be better if people have the self-awareness to stay away from those illnesses and from the hospital? This is possible when people receive appropriate and accurate health information in a timely manner. 

Siriraj hospital – the medical influencer 

Through its existence, ‘Siriraj’ has been aware of its role as the medical and healthcare influencer of Thai society and has never stopped its duty ever since. With its outstanding health professionals’ competence, Siriraj has gained high trust and faith and is known as the ‘Hospital of The Land.’ For a long time, it becomes phenomenal when Siriraj makes a move and people out there listen when Siriraj speaks. 

 

Siriraj hospital achievements

Today, in a disruptive era where digital technologies reign supreme, we employ all available technology and social media to remain the country’s most powerful medical influencer, reaching out to even more people. The following achievements clearly highlight our position in Thailand:

  • well-known medical professionals

Siriraj is a medical center with a large number of well-known medical professionals whose highly sought-after opinions act as personal influencers.

  • medical associations

From past to present, the representatives from Siriraj have been working as chairs of many medical associations, for example, Thailand Medical Council, Medical Association of Thailand, Royal Thai Colleges of Medical Professionals, or members of The Advisory Board of Commission, or the advisor of the minister, etc. As policymakers, they provide insightful information and opinion on medical issues relevant to the policy, law, and regulation that lead to the well-being of Thais.

  • Social educator of Thailand

Siriraj has been a significant social educator of Thailand. When critical healthcare concerns arise in society, it is quite usual to see Siriraj experts on the mass media, giving interviews or providing facts and opinions to stop controversies. Siriraj shares a variety of medical and healthcare knowledge with the public on a regular basis through various media platforms. One example is ‘Pob Morh Siriraj’ (Meet Siriraj Doctors) which has been aired on TV for over 35 years, and continues to receive a high rating among miscellaneous healthcare TV programs.  Using social media platforms like YouTube and Facebook, as well as an in-house application called ‘SirirajConnect’ and a telemedicine system, it’s now easier to reach out to more people.

  • Strongest Medical influencer

The two-year-long pandemic of COVID-19 underscores the role of Siriraj as the strongest medical influencer. It took immediate actions not just as frontline healthcare workers, but also assisting the government in the formulation and implementation of several health policies, as well as conducting numerous studies to shed light on this unprecedented outbreak. More than 200 pieces of advice from Siriraj helped to calm the society and encourage people’s cooperation that could reduce the incidence of infection. 

  • Siriraj Health Science Education Excellent Center (SHEE)

a significant division that pushes medical education to the next level. It enables our staff to deliver more effective teaching, curriculum development, and evaluation. The center interests a high number of followers and many of the learning materials posted on the website, as well as live events through Facebook or podcast, have received more and more attention recently.

  • Siriraj research institute

Every year Siriraj research institute receives hundreds of millions of baht from outside organizations to support the research conduction to solve many existing medical problems. Siriraj produces more than 1,000 credible research outputs per year, many of which have been widely cited.

 

The heterologous COVID-19 vaccine combination study

At an international level, Siriraj just gained a big credit from ‘the heterologous COVID-19 vaccine combination study’ conducted by Siriraj Clinical Research Institution, which was used by WHO to issue a recommendation about COVID-19 vaccine schedules. Siriraj Urticaria and Angioedema Center and Siriraj Center of Allergy and Immunology have been certified as global reference centers in these fields. Many of our staff that is recognized as world-class authorities continue to expand their works and experiences through many international scientific conferences.

 

Many emerging trends and technologies could be both positive and negative in today’s disruptive world, depending on how we use them. In any case, it is our job to keep up with all of the changes and to continue to be a major medical influencer providing a reliable source of knowledge and inspiration in the coming years.

Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever – Overview and Recommendation

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Thailand has been an endemic area of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) since 1958, resulting in hundreds of deaths every year. One of the four strains of the Dengue virus can be contracted to humans through mosquito bites. DHF can be found all year round, but the incidence is highest in the rainy season when outspread water collections enable mosquito hatching. 

The symptoms of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHL)

The symptoms after infection vary and can be divided into three phases as follows:

  • Fever stage

which usually lasts for 3-5 days and is accompanied by muscle ache, stomachache, vomiting, and skin rashes. Later in this stage, pin-point cutaneous hemorrhagic spots may appear.

  • Shock stage

which develops in severe cases as a result of extravascular fluid leakage induced by a strong immunological reaction. The patients will suffer from low blood pressure, alteration of consciousness, worsening stomach ache and vomiting, internal organ bleeding, which could be severe enough to cause death if adequate treatment is not initiated.

  • Recovery stage

less severe patients will improve quickly and may take another 7-10 days to fully recover.

 

The Second time of Infection 

Physical and health status, as well as infection for a second time, are crucial factors in determining the severity of DHF. After primary infection, specific immunity is produced, which will highly surge after recurrent infection with another strain of Dengue virus. Extreme age, obesity, many chronic medical conditions, and delayed treatment also put the patients at higher risk of developing severe disease. As there is no specific cure for DHF, the major treatment focuses on maintaining a healthy fluid balance to keep patients from developing severe hypotension and consequences from fluid imbalance, as well as avoiding organ damage.

 

The Recommendations after infection

Many trials employing different drugs to reduce the severity of DHF or genetic re-engineering to castrate the mosquitos have been reported to be unsatisfactory. However, experts are looking forward to the results of many ongoing studies which might shed some light on this tragic disease. In the meantime, disease prevention and mosquito control appear to be the best measures for people in tropical countries, including Thailand, to live a healthy life. The following are some professional recommendations:

  • Avoid mosquito bites, not just daytime but all day long. All kinds of mosquito repellent cream or spray are safe for children and pregnant women.
  • When having a fever, always keep in mind that DHF is possible, and prompt and early access to medical care will help to reduce the severity of the disease.
  • Do not use aspirin or other NSAID drugs to reduce the fever as these drugs can cause severe bleeding.
  • Properly manage the household water reservoir to prevent mosquito spawning. Mosquito eggs could survive in dry conditions for months and will hatch when a small amount of water is retrieved. Therefore, before the monsoon season, drying all the buckets and brushing them well is recommended to stop mosquito reproduction. For necessary water reservoirs, putting Abate sand or keeping small fishes will help control the mosquito larva.
  • Report the local municipal officers when a DHF case is diagnosed for a community-wide mosquito spray.
  • 100% commitment from all sectors is crucial for eradicating of DHF.

 

Siriraj hospital – Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever Research

Siriraj hospital has been conducting DHF research for decades and has recently completed a number of projects, including Dengue virus isolation and viral genome replication, generation of varieties of anti-NS1 antibodies, many of which show potential roles in protection against Dengue virus infection or production, drugs testing that showed inhibition of the viral output in hepatocytes model. Future research will be focused on a potential biomarker that is serotype-specific to improve diagnostic performance / molecular study of NS1 protein in enhancing the severity of infection through integrated omics technology / sophisticated statistical model to predict clinical course/efficacy of the combination of 3 potential drugs in treating DHF / a controlled human infection model (CHIM) in Thailand. We strongly believe that all the hard work will pay off in the near future and the world will be a better place for everyone to live.

 

Siriraj Hospital – The right place to sharpen your skills

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Siriraj hospital establishment

Siriraj medical School, founded in 1891, is Thailand’s oldest medical school. In 1922, Siamese government representative, Prince Mahidol of Songkla, negotiated with the Rockefeller Foundation to improve medical education. Thereafter, Thailand’s medical education took a significant leap ahead. 

Throughout its long history, the medical curriculum has undergone numerous revisions to produce the best possible doctors. In today’s world, when interprofessional education is critical for future learners, a new curriculum called the “6 plus 1 curriculum” has been launched allowing medical students to get master’s degrees in a variety of fields while pursuing their medical degree. 

 

Four master’s degrees

There are four master’s degrees offered by Mahidol University, including Information and Communication Technology, Public Health, Bioengineering, and Business Management, as well as two master’s degrees from the United States and Australia, namely Health & Clinical Informatics @OHSU and Public Health @UWA. We are certain that our curriculum will positively shape the students into global doctors as well as multitaskers who check all boxes of future expectations.

 

Postgraduate programs @ Siriraj

Siriraj also provides a wide range of postgraduate programs in biomedical sciences for those who are interested in continuing their education beyond a bachelor’s degree. The students can choose a program that best suits their needs from a pile of selections, many of which are highly competitive. Here are some of the magnet programs available at Siriraj.

  • Master Degree in Biodesign in Medicine
  • Master Degree in Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
  • Ph.D. in Immunology
  • The Doctoral Degree of Science Program in Prosthetics & Orthotics (Siriraj is the world’s 2nd institute to launch this program)
  • Clinical Fellowship Training program in Dermatologic surgery
  • Fellowship training program in glaucoma
  • Fellowship training program in Hair Disorder and Hair Transplantation
  • Fellowship Program in Pain Management
  • Fellowship Program in Gynecologic Endoscopic Surgery
  • Dual and Joint Doctorate Degree Programs with renowned international medical institutions

 

Siriraj Hospital – the biggest fellowship training of Thailand

Siriraj is Thailand’s biggest residency and fellowship training center that covers all fields of medicine. Each year, thousands of doctors from across the country compete for a spot in one of the 31 residency training programs, and many of them stay on for a few more years for fellowship training. Here, they will get not just the most up-to-date knowledge, proficient skills, and experiences, but also a long-held Siriraj’s heritage of professionalism, particularly altruism (the practice of selfless concern for the well-being of others). Large international network even broaden the horizon of the students. We open a platform for world-class authorities to meet and share their knowledge and novel solutions, which students can benefit from. We also offer scholarships for doctors in ASEAN region to get short course training in many departments with the hope that all the integrations and co-operations will result in better quality of life and health equity of the community.

Reasons given for wishing to study @ Siriraj

  • Siriraj is a leader in the field of medicine. Siriraj also has the highest level of trust from both patients and medical professionals.
  • Every year, Siriraj hospital receives the highest number of outpatients and inpatients. From the solid foundation, having the opportunity to see many rare cases or treat the complicated cases will eventually leverage the students’ competency. Furthermore, many of Siriraj’s medical staffs are world-class authorities who are critical for the program’s quality and intensity.
  • Almost all curricula have been accredited by international standard organizations.
  • Overall high research quality as a result of an efficient system that includes a standard IRB, a 12-story research building with 30,000 square meters of space and state-of-the-art laboratory equipment. The undergraduate students have a chance to participate in many leading research projects during their pre-clinical years.
  • International outlook
  • Professionalism
  • Hospitality and friendliness of the people

 

Getting into a study at Siriraj hasn’t been easy, but in the end, with proper pressure and finest polishing, Siriraj will transform you from a lump of coal into a diamond, from a general doctor into a specialist that everyone would be proud of. A degree from Siriraj is like a license to success as it represents an education of highest quality. Siriraj alumni are pleased to bear the name of Siriraj on their shoulders and to carry on the legacy of Siriraj to future generations

Stroke One Stop – The mobile stroke unit for emergency cases

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Siriraj Stroke Center 

Cerebrovascular disease or stroke is a challenging condition worldwide. Thailand’s incidence is approximately 1,880 per 100,000 people and it’s on the rise as the country has approached aged society. Siriraj Stroke Center was established in 2015 by the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital in collaboration with the Division of Neurology Department of Medicine, the Division of Interventional Neuroradiology Department of Radiology, and the Division of Neurosurgery Department of Surgery to provide comprehensive stroke-related medical services, education, and research.

 

To effectively treat the patients with stroke, restoring the blood circulation to prevent permanent death of neurone cells is crucial. The lower incidence of mortality and disabilities has been clearly demonstrated by the administration of thrombolytic agents within 3 hours after the onset of symptoms. Multidisciplinary-team-based rehabilitation is also important for the recovery of the patients.

 

Stroke One Stop (SOS) – The mobile stroke unit

Stroke One Stop (SOS) has been introduced after the launch of the Mobile Stroke Unit and the set up of the Comprehensive Stroke Unit. When the ‘1669’ emergency number is called, a mobile stroke unit with an onboard CT scanner and a medical team consisting of a doctor, nurse, and radiologic technician will arrive immediately to begin initial management. In a short amount of time, a history taking, basic physical examinations, and a brain scan will be performed. Furthermore, the contrast media injection can be done onboard to enable a precise diagnosis. The scan’s results will be transmitted to experts via 5G wireless technology in a real-time manner. 

 

According to many available evidences that support the benefits of early administration of thrombolytic agents in case of cerebral thrombosis, the team will administer a thrombolytic agent under the supervision of the experts to timely restore the cerebral perfusion. After initial management, the patients will be admitted to comprehensive stroke unit for continued treatments and transcatheter thrombectomy might be considered if the clot is large enough. In this way, we could lessen the severity of the condition and the likelihood of permanent disability in many of the patients.

 

The Service Area of Stroke One Stop 

Until recently, Siriraj Mobile Stroke Unit has provided the services covering the west side of Bangkok and Nonthaburi province. Under the supervision of Siriraj Stroke Unit, the system has gradually expanded throughout the country, including Chonburi province (Eastern), Ratchaburi province (Western), Surat Thani province (Southern), while Chiang Rai and Nakhon Phanom province, which will cover the Northern and North Eastern areas respectively will be kicking off the services within this year.

 

To be able to help the people to a greater extent, particularly in remote areas, the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, in collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering Mahidol University, National Institute of Emergency Medicine, Police Air Force, and hospitals in Southern areas had joined in an air-and-ground transferring practice at Surat Thani province in November 2021 to even shorten the time for thrombectomy. A helicopter will assist in the transfer of patients from inaccessible or remote locations to the mobile stroke unit, which will offer the aforementioned initial management before transporting the patients to the appropriate medical facility.

CT Scanners in the mobile stroke unit

Siriraj Comprehensive Stroke Unit, which is equipped with cutting-edge medical technologies, in-place CT scanners, and a team of medical professionals, can accommodate 11 critical and 9 semi-critical stroke patients with very high standards of care. Ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, arteriovenous malformation, and intracranial aneurysm are the common acute stroke conditions treated at this ward.

The emergency services for stroke patients

Each year Siriraj Stroke Center provides finest medical care to 1,200-1,500 acute stroke patients. During the last 3 years, the Mobile Stroke Unit had offered emergency services to more than 600 acute stroke patients whose recovery rate was as high as 70%. The door-to-needle time less than 60 minutes could be achieved in more than 90% of the cases (within 30 minutes in many cases). The consultation time to puncture time for thrombectomy has been approximately 70 minutes. The mortality rate of acute stroke patients is around 5%.

 

We at Siriraj strongly believe that nobody should ever have to suffer from a stroke. We continue to produce stroke experts, educate the public about disease awareness and prevention, conduct many researches to improve the outcomes of the patients. We are pleased to put our philosophy, which is ‘to the benefit of mankind’, into practice, which results in “a life without stroke” of the Thais and others in the region.

The spirit of SIRIRAJ – The first and largest hospital of Thailand

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The Beginning of Siriraj hospital

On the west bank of the beautiful and lively Chao Praya river stands Siriraj hospital for more than 130 years. The hospital was established on King Rama V’s tremendous benevolence, who longed for better health for his people at a time when traditional medicine service was the only option to relieve the sufferings. After a hundred years, which is a long time, not only did that aspiration not dissipate with time, but rather strengthened and became the culture of the Siriraj people today.

Prince Mahidol – The Founder of Siriraj

The two important quotes of Prince Mahidol who leveraged the hospital’s medical services and education even further inspired Siriraj people and continue to motivate the healthcare personnel

to this day.

“Let consideration of personal gain take second place for the overall benefit of mankind, prestige and wealth are natural rewards for a just and sincere dedication to work” and “True success is not in the learning but in its application to the benefit of mankind” remain provocative, impactful, and timeless.

 

Day by day, Siriraj has dedicated itself to serve the selfless acts for the well-being of all Thai people, regardless of gender, class, race, religion, or any other status. For all of its hard work, the hospital continues to thrive and gain more and more trust from Thai people, and just recently has been known

as ‘The Hospital of the Land’.

 

Nowadays, Siriraj Hospital is not only Thailand’s first and largest hospital, but it also ranks top in several categories. Siriraj aspires to be a leading hospital in the region while simultaneously preserving the original philosophy of altruism and down-to-earth personality.