Data · BAANLYY Scores™ · Methodology

The BAANLYY Hospital Access Score, defined

A transparent framework for comparing Thai neighbourhoods on healthcare access: four equally-weighted sub-factors — hospital & JCI proximity, emergency response capability, specialist & facility depth and capacity & reliability — each scored 0–25 for a 0–100 total, benchmarked against BAANLYY's own JCI-Accredited Hospitals Directory.

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By Kirby Scofield
Founder of BAANLYY · International real estate broker, investor & relocation specialist
Last updated 7 July 2026 · Last reviewed 7 July 2026

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Status, upfront: this page defines the Hospital Access Score methodology in full detail. The evidence base already live today is the JCI-Accredited Hospitals Directory (12 verified facilities, 7 cities) and a simpler Healthcare Access sub-factor already built into the live Family Score. This four-factor, 0–100 breakdown is the disclosed framework for a more detailed version — not yet computed and published per area. We say so plainly rather than implying a score that doesn't exist yet.

01

The four sub-factors

Sub-factorPointsHow it would be measured
Hospital & JCI proximity0–25Drive time and distance to the nearest hospital of any kind, and separately to the nearest JCI-accredited facility from BAANLYY's JCI-Accredited Hospitals Directory. Areas within a short drive of a JCI-verified hospital score highest; areas relying on a small local clinic with no nearby international-standard facility score lower.
Emergency response capability0–25Whether the nearest facility runs a staffed 24/7 emergency room, typical ambulance response time for the area, and the presence of trauma-capable emergency services versus an outpatient-only clinic that would refer serious cases elsewhere.
Specialist & facility depth0–25Range of specialists on staff or visiting (cardiology, oncology, orthopedics, paediatrics and more), presence of dedicated specialty centres, and on-site diagnostic imaging capability (CT, MRI) rather than referral to another facility for imaging.
Capacity & reliability0–25Bed capacity at the nearest major facility, presence of an international patient department with English-speaking staff and direct insurance billing, and the facility's track record of continuous operation and accreditation renewal over time.
02

The formula

Hospital Access Score = Hospital & JCI Proximity (0–25) + Emergency Response Capability (0–25) + Specialist & Facility Depth (0–25) + Capacity & Reliability (0–25), for a maximum of 100. All four sub-factors are equally weighted by default, the same disclosed, equal-weight approach BAANLYY uses for its Transit Score and Walkability Score — every BAANLYY score follows the same transparent-methodology principle, even where the specific factors differ by purpose.

03

The evidence base: Thailand's JCI-accredited hospitals

Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation is an internationally recognised healthcare quality standard. As of 2026, Thailand reports 65 JCI-accredited organizations — the most in Southeast Asia — of which BAANLYY has individually verified 12 facilities across Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Phuket, Koh Samui and Nakhon Ratchasima in its JCI-Accredited Hospitals Directory. Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok was the first hospital in Asia to earn JCI accreditation, in 2002. An area's Hospital & JCI Proximity sub-score is set relative to which of these verified facilities, if any, actually serves it — not a blanket assumption that every hospital carries the same accreditation standard.

04

Why emergency response is scored separately from specialist depth

Two areas can both sit near "a hospital" and still offer very different value depending on what's needed. A facility with a staffed 24/7 emergency room and short ambulance response time is what matters most in a genuine emergency, while a facility's roster of specialists, dedicated centres (cardiac, oncology, orthopedic) and on-site imaging matter more for ongoing or planned care. Splitting Emergency Response Capability and Specialist & Facility Depth into their own sub-factors captures that difference instead of treating "near a hospital" as a single undifferentiated outcome.

05

How this relates to other BAANLYY tools

06

Frequently asked

Is the Hospital Access Score live for specific areas today?Not yet as a standalone computed 0–100 score per neighbourhood. This page defines the methodology — the four sub-factors, their weighting and how each would be measured. The evidence base already live today is BAANLYY's JCI-Accredited Hospitals Directory (12 individually verified facilities across 7 cities), plus the simpler Healthcare Access sub-factor already built into the live BAANLYY Family Score. We disclose that gap explicitly rather than implying a live per-area score already exists.
How is this different from the Family Score's Healthcare Access factor?The Family Score's Healthcare Access factor is one of six weighted inputs (worth 15 of 100 points) measuring proximity to hospitals and clinics with paediatric services and international-patient capability, built specifically for relocating families. The Hospital Access Score defined on this page is a dedicated, four-factor deep dive intended to score healthcare access on its own 0–100 scale for any resident, independent of the family-specific factors that sit alongside it in the Family Score.
Which hospitals does this draw from?The JCI (Joint Commission International) accreditation status referenced in the Hospital & JCI Proximity sub-factor comes from BAANLYY's own JCI-Accredited Hospitals Directory — 12 facilities individually verified across Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Phuket, Koh Samui and Nakhon Ratchasima, out of 65 JCI-accredited organizations reported in Thailand as of 2026. Areas outside those 7 cities are scored against the nearest verified facility, whichever city it sits in, and areas without a nearby JCI-verified option are scored on general hospital access alone for that sub-factor.
Why weight emergency response separately from specialist depth?Because the hospital you need in an emergency is not always the one best suited to managing a chronic condition or planned procedure. An area 10 minutes from a 24/7 trauma-capable ER but without an on-site cardiac or oncology centre serves acute emergencies well but might require travel for specialist care — scoring these separately avoids treating "near a hospital" and "near the right kind of care" as the same thing.
Does a high Hospital Access Score mean an area is right for retirees?Not on its own. Healthcare access is one meaningful input among several — see the separate BAANLYY Retirement Destinations Score, which weighs healthcare access alongside cost of living, expat community, climate and visa access at the city level. This page is a comparison tool for healthcare access specifically, provided for general research purposes only, not medical, investment or relocation advice.
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This is a disclosed proprietary methodology for general research purposes only — not medical, investment, legal or relocation advice. Hospital accreditation and capability details referenced here reflect BAANLYY's published research as of 2026 and are subject to change; always verify current accreditation and capabilities directly with the facility or the Ministry of Public Health.

Sources & References

Sources & References

Primary and official sources are cited above. Government rules, fees and procedures in Thailand change over time and vary by office; always confirm current requirements with the relevant authority before relying on them. BAANLYY never takes paid placement in editorial content.