The safe transfer or transport of critically ill patients from one place to another in a rapid manner, without errors occurring during the transportation, requires consideration of many factors. These include the distance of the transfer, the patient’s physical condition, medical equipment, medical personnel, and even the receiving centers for patients, all of which are exceedingly important. They adhere to the standards of CAMTS (The Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems) USA and CAMTS EU (The Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems Europe) as the highest safety standards in patient transport that are followed globally, focusing on the utmost benefit for the patient.
Dr. Trin Jarumilin, President of the Emergency Medical Services Program, Bangkok Dusit Medical Services PLC (BDMS) EMERGENCY SERVICES, stated that the CAMPST standards are internationally recognized. These standards measure the safety quality of critical patient transportation processes by land, air, and water. CAMTS’s evaluation criteria encompass several components, from the organization’s vision and mission, direction and operational approach, to guidelines for treating specific diseases that need to be current, standards for infection control, maintenance, and safety of vehicles and aircraft used in transport. Communication and coordination standards, safe transfer and handover processes for moving both medical teams and patients, Helipad standards for helicopter landing pads, legal and ethical compliance, and finally, the medical personnel involved in patient transport, including pilots and drivers, who must undergo rigorous and continuous training focused mainly on team and patient safety.
In addition, there must be support systems related to patient transportation that meet standards, such as quality management systems with continuous quality improvement work, risk analysis systems to prevent potential risks, and proactive risk prevention emphasis. There must also be staffing and welfare management systems appropriate for the medical transport team.
Dr. Trin mentioned that the Emergency Medical Services Program under Bangkok Dusit Medical Services PLC is aware of the importance and strives to provide patient transport services with the highest safety standards, based on international guidelines, from basic BLS, advanced ALS, critical care, and specialty care levels, ensuring integration to maintain safety in patient transport. This includes medical personnel, transportation, continual development of transport systems and medical equipment, proactive risk management programs, personnel development and simulation training programs at the BDMS Simulation Center with intensive courses to prioritize safety. As a result, the Emergency Medical Services Program, Bangkok Dusit Medical Services PLC (BDMS) EMERGENCY SERVICES, received continuous certification renewal for critical patient transportation quality standards for ground, water, and air transport from the CAMTS (The Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems) USA since 2015-2021, and recently received CAMTS EU certification from Europe from 2018-2021. This makes the Emergency Medical Services Program, Bangkok Dusit Medical Services PLC, the second provider in Asia and the third globally to receive dual CAMTS – CAMTS EU accreditation. Furthermore, it is the first in the world to be certified for water patient transport, and the first in Asia for complete patient transport categories, including Rotowing, Fixed Wing, Medical Escort, Surface Critical Care, and Surface-boat.
Moreover, 13 hospitals within Bangkok Dusit Medical Services PLC have passed quality standards for patient transport by land, water, and air, including:
- Bangkok Hospital (Soi Science Center)
- Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital
- Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital
- Bangkok Chiang Mai Hospital
- Bangkok Pattaya Hospital
- Bangkok Udon Hospital
- Bangkok Phuket Hospital
- Siriroj International Hospital
- Bangkok Samui Hospital
- Bangkok Sanamchan Hospital
- Bangkok Ratchasima Hospital
- Phyathai 2 Hospital
- Phyathai 3 Hospital
Dr. Trin further mentioned that the Emergency Medical Services Program under Bangkok Dusit Medical Services PLC received CAMTS – CAMTS EU dual accreditation, which includes:
- Dispatch Centers and 13 hospital bases
- Fixed-wing aircraft 3 units, provided in cooperation with M Jets LTD.
- Emergency Medical Helicopters 2 units, provided in cooperation with Bangkok Helicopter Services LTD.
- Medical Escort Team consisting of physicians and nurses for critical air patient transport
- Surface Critical Care comprising emergency ambulances (Ambulance), emergency medical motorcycles (Motorlance) 3 units, and Hydrolance (Boat Ambulance) 2 units serving Bangkok Samui and Bangkok Pattaya Hospitals, under the oversight of medical transport specialists in various fields, including Sea Transport Team, Air Transport Team, Land Transport Team, Dispatch Team, helicopter pad team, and quality support systems. They also have modern safety monitoring systems and safety reporting systems to ensure the utmost patient safety during transport.
BDMS Emergency Services, under Bangkok Dusit Medical Services PLC, has an emergency alert team nationwide, available 24 hours, with specialized physicians and nurses providing initial consultation and guidance for emergency patient care, coordinating patient transfers to destination hospitals to ensure timely treatment planning. They ensure confidence throughout patient transport by land, water, and air, with emergency medicine specialists and patient transport nurses, equipped with advanced medical equipment according to CAMTS & CAMTS EU standards.
Accident and Emergency Center
Bangkok Chiang Mai Hospital
Phone number 052-089-888
