Bangkok: The government is advancing the "Caregiver Ready Doctor" pilot program designed to provide caregivers for vulnerable groups using Digital ID, aiming to reduce the need for shared accounts.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Lalida Periswiwatana, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, announced that the government is collaborating with the Ministry of Public Health and the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA) to enhance digital healthcare services through the Caregiver service on the "Doctor Ready" application. This initiative is intended to assist family members or caregivers in managing healthcare for the elderly, bedridden patients, people with disabilities, minors, and other vulnerable groups who may struggle to use digital services independently. The service is currently being piloted at Phra Nang Klao Hospital.
The Deputy Spokesperson emphasized that a key feature of this service is the use of Digital ID to authenticate the identity of caregivers, their relationship to the care recipients, and their authority to act on behalf of those they are caring for. This system allows caregivers to utilize their own accounts and privileges to access services within specified scopes, thereby eliminating the need to share the patient's account. It also enhances the security of access to sensitive health information and enables verification of who is acting on behalf of the caregiver at any given time.
Caregivers who are verified with a Health ID can add their dependents to the system. The system confirms the caregiver's relationship with the dependent by cross-referencing the national registration database. Once verified, caregivers can access a range of services on behalf of their dependents, such as scheduling doctor appointments, checking service queues, viewing vaccination records, obtaining laboratory test results, checking appointment slips, and accessing other health information at supported healthcare facilities.
Ms. Lalida highlighted that the Caregiver service represents an important advancement in digital healthcare systems, allowing the elderly and vulnerable groups to access public health services more conveniently while safeguarding the rights and privacy of data owners. Additionally, it helps reduce travel burdens, lessen hospital overcrowding, and improve the efficiency of medical personnel's services.
The Ministry of Public Health is currently developing guidelines to support caregivers who are not related by blood or whose relationship cannot be verified through the civil registration database. This includes preparing to link data on caregivers of people with disabilities, bedridden patients, and village health volunteers, as well as integrating Health ID and Care Receiver ID with the "Government" application in the future to advance government services into a comprehensive digital format.
Ms. Lalida affirmed, 'The government is committed to upgrading public services through digital technology, prioritizing convenience for citizens while protecting personal data. The Caregiver service on MorProm is another tool that will help the elderly and vulnerable groups access healthcare more easily, through verified and secure caregivers.'
The public is advised that the Caregiver service is still in the pilot phase and to stay informed of announcements from the Ministry of Public Health, the Doctor Ready application, and their respective healthcare facilities regarding available areas and services, as availability may vary between hospitals depending on system readiness and service capabilities.