About HSRI

Health Systems Research Institute (HSRI) was established in 1992 by the Health Systems Research Institute Act, 1992. It is an autonomous state agency established by the Health Systems Research Institute Act B.E. 2535 (1992), at about the same time as the Thailand Research Fund (TRF) and the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA). Its organizational structure and management system are designed to focus on flexibility so as to be able to respond to the goal of “better knowledge management for better health systems”.

In accordance with the national social and economic contexts, its objectives are to create and stimulate the generation and synthesis of policy relevant health systems knowledge, encompassing evidence, tools, methods and interventions.

Briefly stated, aiming at strengthening the health system, HSRI has a mandate to sponsoring national processes to support evidence-informed policy decision-making, including the synthesis of issue-focused policy briefs and deliberations.

HSRI Governance and Infrastructure

HSRI governance includes the HSRI Board, chaired by the Public Health Minister and HSRI Director serves as the secretariat.The Board consists of 17 high level executive members,including 9 representatives of concerned government offices and 7 senior experts.

The Board shall supervise and provide policy guidance for HSRI strategy and direction, as well as monitor and evaluate HSRI’s performance. To date, its governance also includes the new watchwords i.e., cooperation, transparency, accountability, and preparedness.

Nine Permanent Committee Members

   1. Minister of Public HealthChairperson
   2. Permanent Secretary of Public HealthDeputy Chairperson
   3. Permanent Secretary for Agriculture and Cooperative 
   4. Permanent Secretary for Education 
   5. Permanent Secretary for Science and Technology 
   6. Permanent Secretary for Industry 
   7. Secretary – General of Commission on Higher Education 
   8. Secretary – General of the National Research Council 
   9. Secretary – General of the National Economic and Social Development Board 

Seven Senior Expert Committee Members

   1. Prof. Dr. Prawase Wasii 
   2. Prof. Dr.Wicharn Panich 
   3. Prof. Dr. Wichit Srisuphan 
   4. Dr.Mongkol Na Songkhla 
   5. Asso. Prof. Dr.Juree Vichit-Vadakan 
   6. Prof. Dr. Thep Himathongkam 
   7. Director of Health Systems Research InstituteSecretariat
   

One of the strengths of HSRI is its networking approach and creation of “subsidiary agencies” that are institutional mechanisms working collaboratively with allied organizations. Later on, many subsidiary agencies have been established as autonomous agencies such as the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth), the National Health Commission Office (NHCO), and the Healthcare Accreditation Institute (Public Organization). At present, HSRI has seven subsidiary agencies called “affiliated institutions” as follows:

  1. Central Office for Healthcare Information (CHI)
  2. Medical Audit (MA) Development Office
  3. Institute for Development of Human Research Protection (IHRP)
  4. Health Insurance System Research Office (HISRO)
  5. Thai Health Institute (THI)
  6. Institute of Health Promotion for People with Disability (IHPPD)
  7. National Healthcare Financing Development Office (NHFDO)

HSRI’s Architecture and Organizational Structure

HSRI’s architecture is intentionally designed to be autonomous, working in partnerships with its alliances and engagement of multi-stakeholders including policy maker, other potential research users and civil society. At the same time, HSRI keeps its functional and organizational structure small, simple and flexible.

This makes it easily changed to facilitate dynamics of the health system and the national context. There are only 30 staffs with small government budget from 16.2 million Baht in 1993, up to 138.43 million Bath in 2002, and 85.5 million Baht in 2008.

Meanwhile, fundraising from other sources is gradually increased from 2.6 million Baht in 1994 up to 267.98 million Baht in 2007.