Ministry of Health: Towards free hospitalisation and health check-ups for all people

On April 19, the 2025 Annual Conference of the Hospital Directors Club of Northern Provinces, with the theme "Smart Hospitals and Sustainable Management", attracted the participation of more than 100 hospital directors from central and local hospitals.

Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan said hospitals are making efforts to improve the quality of medical examination and treatment.

Still lacking medicine and medical supplies

According to Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan, the health sector is tasked with pioneering the application of modern technology and management to improve and care for people's health. This year's conference takes place in the context of the health sector needing to strongly innovate its thinking and management methods, in line with the orientation of the Party, the State and Resolution 57-NQ/TW emphasizing the pioneering role of health in digital transformation and innovation.

Deputy Minister Thuan said that in recent years, the hospital system nationwide has had many changes in management, improved service quality and technology application, but many shortcomings still exist.

Although the bidding and procurement of drugs and medical equipment have improved, there are still places where there is a shortage of drugs and supplies, affecting professional activities. Digital transformation has achieved initial results, but implementation is uneven and there is a lack of human resources...

The leaders of the Ministry of Health require hospitals to strongly apply digital transformation, operate transparently and effectively in real time, build smart hospitals with patients at the center; consider patient safety and life as the top priority. It is necessary to perfect institutions, remove financial and bidding obstacles...

"It is necessary to increase investment in primary health care, ensuring that all people have access to essential, quality and safe health services. Aiming for the goal of each person having a regular health check-up every year, gradually moving towards the goal of free hospital fees for all people according to the policies and orientations of the Party and State leaders" - the Deputy Minister of Health emphasized.

Accelerating the implementation of electronic medical records

According to the Ministry of Health, currently only 153/1,500 public and private medical examination and treatment facilities nationwide have announced successful implementation of electronic medical records.

According to the Government's request, by September this year, 100% of hospitals nationwide must complete the implementation of electronic medical records. At the same time, data connection between districts, provinces and hospitals under the Ministry of Health will be established to take advantage of available data and reduce testing costs for people.

Patients visiting Bach Mai Hospital no longer have to fill out paper records and print films.

The Ministry of Health said Bach Mai Hospital and Cho Ray Hospital were assigned to act as medical data connection points.

According to leaders of many hospitals, implementing electronic medical records and connecting medical data will help save tens of thousands of billions of VND each year, reducing printing and imaging costs for patients.

Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Van Giap, Deputy Director of Bach Mai Hospital, said that at Bach Mai Hospital, the cost of printing films and medical records alone has exceeded 100 billion VND. Connecting medical data will facilitate professional support between levels.

The Ministry of Health's leaders also requested that hospitals continue to promote cashless payments, use of chip-embedded citizen identification cards, electronic route transfers, and electronic follow-up appointments on the VNeID application...

According to nld.com.vn

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/bo-y-te-huong-toi-mien-vien-phi-kham-suc-khoe-cho-moi-nguoi-dan-post400485.html