At the scientific conference, Major General, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Hong Son - Former Director of Military Hospital 175 pointed out many shortcomings in the current out-of-hospital emergency work, from lack of human resources, lack of unified models to the reality of people not being equipped with first aid knowledge. According to him, this is a "year-long headache" for experts and the entire health system.
"Many emergency cases were not properly approached, and were even caused further damage due to incorrect first aid techniques. When patients come to the hospital, that consequences make us even more miserable, said Mr. Son.
Faced with this situation, Military Hospital 175 was assigned to implement the State-level project: "Research, build and evaluate the effectiveness of the hospital-front emergency model", an important task in the national health strategy. The theme goal is to assess the current status of the emergency system, build models suitable for each area and test effectiveness in some southern provinces.
The study was implemented in six localities with different characteristics of geography, population and health system in Hanoi, Ha Nam, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Ho Chi Minh City and Tien Giang. Based on the survey, the research team proposed three emergency models corresponding to three areas: urban, town and rural areas, focusing on the Mekong Delta, the Northwest and Central Highlands mountainous areas.
One of the notable initiatives is the construction of a multi-purpose Road, Air and Waterway Emergency Center at Military Hospital 175. This is an extension of the project to build an Orthopedic Trauma Institute - to modernize the health system, serving both national defense and people's lives at the same time.
The proposed pre-hospital emergency model in Vietnam includes 4 stages: on-site medical response, on-site access, transportation to medical facilities and handover to hospitals. Each stage requires smooth coordination between people, ward and commune health stations, out-of-hospital emergency teams and coordination centers, Mr. Son explained.
In fact, the 115 emergency system in Ho Chi Minh City is one of the few units that is effectively operating the out-of-hospital emergency model. The center has implemented a red alert model, connecting satellite stations and hospitals to mobilize emergency resources as quickly as possible. However, according to Mr. Son, not all localities have similar conditions, especially in disadvantaged areas.
The worrying point is that public awareness of emergency care is still limited. Previously, many people in distress did not call 115 but called neighbors, or motorbike taxi drivers. Only when COVID-19 occurred did people change their habits and start to believe in a professional emergency system, Mr. Son shared.
Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Hong Son emphasized that to make the hospital-based emergency model operate effectively, it is necessary to have the synchronous participation of the entire system - from legal regulations, investment in equipment, human resource training to communication to raise people's awareness. Hospital emergency care is not only a medical professional, but also a responsibility of the whole society, Mr. Son concluded.
