A POLICY MODEL STUDY OF TRAVEL MEDICINE CLINIC OPERATION OF DEPARTMENT OF DISEASE CONTROL IN THE SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE. A CASE STUDY AT HATYAI NAWARAT CENTER, SONGKHLA PROVINCE

Abstract

 The objectives of this study were to investigate model of policy formulation, policy implementation, operating results as policy, factors associated with success and failure, including guidelines and directions for operating in travel medicine clinic in the special economic zone Hatyai Nawarat Center, Songkhla province which was suitable for the context of area in the future. The design of this study was a case study, health policy research. The technique for analysis was policy cycle. The samples were selected by purposive sampling. The samples were eight former and present Department of Disease Control administrators, experts, and staffs from medicine and public health units which have travel medicine clinic. The instruments for this study were 20-year national strategic plan, Thailand 4.0 framework, the eleventh and twelfth National Economic and Social Development Plan, Public health Development Plan, and Disease prevention and control plan which associated in the year 2016-2018. Analysis document of inside and outside crisis economic situation, concepts, systems theory, policy cycle analysis, policy formulation, policy implementation, management, guideline and result of management in policy implementation, In–depth Interview, evaluation report of operating results of travel medicine clinic development guideline as Department of Disease Control determined. The results were found that policy formulation model was additional improved model which focused on Activity or Action policy. There were objective setting, guideline, and mechanism of policy implementation in order to achieve objective and policy development qualification to be higher stage which conform to country development direction, Thailand 4.0 framework, the eleventh and twelfth National Economic and Social Development Plan, Public health Development Plan, and Disease prevention and control plan which associated in the year 2016-2018. The policy implementation model were model which focused on the principle of reason and there are steps in activity implementation moving to successful goals. The policy operating results, it was found that in the fiscal year 2017, almost all of the main components has been achieved except the main component 2, subcomponent 2.5. The successful factors for policy implementation were as policy conformed to the objectives which were clear, easy to understand and implement while the failure factors were due to the coordination, the less technical support from the departmental units, and the inappropriate infrastructure. Moreover, the staffs still lacked of knowledge in practice. The recommendation for further policy and practice were to continuously develop personnel ‘competencies, and build network of travel medicine. Furthermore, the structure of travel medicine should be within the special population group service job and the mechanism for clinic implementation should also classify travellers into group of countries.