Family Accommodation for Families of Hospitalized Children: A Gap in Public Service Provision in Thailand

Abstract

This academic article examines the institutional gap in public service provision for family accommodation for families of hospitalized children in Thailand. Drawing on Public Service-Dominant Logic (PSDL), Family-Centered Care (FCC), and collaborative governance, the article uses qualitative documentary and comparative literature analysis to examine family accommodation through four dimensions: accessibility, service integration, resource and stakeholder management, and health equity. The analysis draws on academic literature, policy documents, and institutional information from Thailand and Singapore. The findings indicate that although Thailand has made substantial progress in universal health coverage and access to medical treatment, family accommodation remains unevenly available and insufficiently integrated into the formal healthcare and social support system. Existing provision depends substantially on hospital initiatives, nonprofit organizations, and charitable partnerships, resulting in variations in accessibility, coordination, and continuity. The Singapore case demonstrates how hospital-linked referral, organizational partnerships, and coordinated service delivery can reduce practical barriers to family participation in pediatric care. The article argues that Thailand's central challenge is not simply a lack of accommodation facilities but limited institutional integration of family support within the broader health and social service system. It therefore proposes a National Family Accommodation Support System (NFASS) to establish common standards, coordinated referral mechanisms, sustainable financing, and equity-oriented monitoring. The proposed framework aims to reposition family accommodation from a fragmented or charity-dependent service toward a coordinated component of Thailand's public service ecosystem.