THE PRACTICE OF NEUROLOGY IN THAILAND - A DIFFERENT TYPE OF MEDICAL SPECIALIST

A survey of 1700 patient encounters during 1 week of practice by 23 neurologists in Thailand delineates a different scope of specialty practice compared with that of many Western nations. Thai neurologists had an average of 96 patient encounters per week of practice, with two thirds of all encounters in ambulatory care. However, one half of all encounters were for self-referred patients, three fourths of all encounters were regular patients for whom the neurologist provided continuing care, and about one half of all encounters were thought to reflect health problems that fall within the scope of general internal medicine. The data suggest that Thai neurologists function in health care delivery as general internists with special competencies and interests in the field of neurology. This balanced style of specialist practice serves to reinforce the primary care infrastructure of the health system in developing countries.