Pharmacy Service Integration into the Universal Coverage Scheme in Thailand: Case Study of Common Illness Care

The Common Illness (CI) service in Thailand integrates drug stores into the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) scheme to expand primary care access and reduce hospital congestion. Drug stores provide assessment, treatment, and follow-up for 32 minor ailments under guidelines. This study reviews CI implementation, service delivery models, and monitoring mechanisms, and proposes a patient journey framework to identify system gaps. This study adopted a multi-method design, combining a scoping review with qualitative in-depth interviews. The scoping review followed Arksey and O’Malley’s framework, refined by Levac and Khalil. We searched peer-reviewed and grey literature in Thai and English (2022–2025) in PubMed, Scopus, ThaiJO, and sources from the NHSO, Ministry of Public Health, and Pharmacy Council. We extracted data and synthesized findings. To map the patient journey, we conducted in-depth interviews with patients seeking care for common illnesses. CI care now covers 32 common illnesses using standardized procedures for eligibility checking, assessment, dispensing, counselling, and three-day follow-up. Drug stores provide fast, convenient community access, reducing unnecessary hospital visits. Implementation varies across provinces, with monitoring primarily using reimbursement data and limited indicators on service quality, patient outcomes, or equity. Patients and pharmacists’ welcome CI services, noting shorter waiting times, lower travel costs, and reduced hospital crowding. However, patients sometimes misunderstand entitlements and expect unnecessary medicines, while pharmacists face digital system problems and payment delays. Pharmacists emphasize honest practice for program sustainability and recommend wider insurance coverage, stronger management and referral systems, and more reliable digital infrastructure to support CI services under UHC.