The benefits and acceptability of a strengthened physician-nurse collaboration and a multidisciplinary team approach are demonstrated in the medical wards of a Thai acute-care hospital (Chulalongkorn University Hospital). The strengthened physician-nurse collaboration should be introduced or strengthened in all medical wards. Because of the lack of appropriately trained personnel, concentrating resources into a small unit or ward may be the appropriate measure at present if a multidisciplinary team approach is to be integrated into the medical ward of acute-care hospitals in South East Asia.