In the past few days, information has been circulating on social networks about hospital health workers demanding to pay the full amount for emergency care for M.T.A. After that, Nam Dinh General Hospital suspended a number of health workers for verification and clarification.
Minister Dao Hong Lan affirmed that she had requested the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management to send a document to the Nam Dinh Department of Health to urgently review the process of receiving and treating M.T.A. for emergency care according to the provisions of Article 44, Law on Medical Examination and Treatment No. 15/2023/QH15. At the same time, if violations are detected, related individuals and groups will be strictly handled.
Let's wait for the conclusion of the authorities, whether or not to request full payment to treat patients at Nam Dinh General Hospital.
Regarding the information "enough money for emergency care", Minister Dao Hong Lan directed: " treating patients is a top priority, regardless of the reason".
A decisive saying is, when a patient is taken to the hospital for emergency care, the job of a doctor is to save people.
Doctors and medical staff of hospitals also really want to save people, that is the responsibility of the profession, the heart of medicine. No doctor sees a patient in danger but does not treat them.
Clause 1, Article 44 of the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment stipulates: "Prompt first aid, emergency care, medical examination and treatment for patients...". The law clearly stipulates that medical facilities must comply.
However, an emergency patient is not just a pair of hands and a department of study of a doctor, but many other things come with it. Patients must be tested, film taken, medication and many other requirements for medical supplies.
Therefore, Clause 5, Article 44 stipulates: "Patients are only required to pay for medical examination and treatment costs according to the provisions of law". This means that patients have to pay for medical examination and treatment.
Minister Dao Hong Lan requested that emergency care must be provided "regardless of the reason", but in case the patient does not pay, how will it be handled?
Doctors can sacrifice time and effort for patients, but if doctors cannot pay for patients' medicine and medical supplies, the hospital must have a source to compensate.
Therefore, it is necessary to have a source of funding for special cases, including emergency patients who do not pay fees, so that medical facilities can comply with the provisions of the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment and doctors can feel secure in treating patients without being pressured to "pay enough money for emergency care".
