Suanprung Psychiatric Hospital

Our visit to the psychiatric hospital was very informative. We toured the facility including the alcohol treatment ward, inpatient pharmacy, outpatient pharmacy and remedication department. The alcohol treatment ward was set up differently than a typical psychiatric hospital in the US. The approximately 45 patients shared one large room, with only a curtain dividing their spaces.

In addition, the inpatient unit had an innovative system for dispensing medications to the wards. Each patient in the inpatient wards would be dispensed a weeks worth of medication at a time. The week's medication would be sent to their ward and it was divided into separate containers for the morning, afternoon, evening, and bedtime doses to lessen the burden on the nursing staff.

The outpatient pharmacy provided many patients with psychiatric and neurological medications. The remedication department consisted of pharmacists who would interview patients about their medication regimen and would work with their prescriber to improve their therapy if necessary. This department essentially worked to refill the patient's medications after a visit with the patient and consultation with his/her physician.