On October 30, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health announced that it would impose an administrative fine of more than VND100 million on Saigon Medical Services Company Limited, and an additional penalty of revoking the clinic's medical examination and treatment license for four months.
The violation was discovered when authorities received information from a patient's family accusing the clinic of keeping the patient to "fake illness and extort money".
This is not the first time the clinic has been fined by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health Inspectorate for similar behavior. Previously, in September 2023, the company was fined VND202 million and suspended for 4 months.
This administrative fine is reduced by half compared to the previous violation, but the consequences that this company faces could be much greater.
Because the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health said it will transfer the case file to the City Police Investigation Agency to clarify signs of law violations.
This is a necessary and very welcome move, demonstrating the determination of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health in strictly and thoroughly handling violations of ethics and the law by private clinics in the city.
The behavior of "faking illnesses to extort money" is not a new and rare phenomenon in some private clinics, especially clinics with foreign elements in Ho Chi Minh City and many other localities in recent times.
Although the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health Inspectorate has publicized a hotline and implemented drastic measures, many clinics are still fined with the highest fines (some places are fined up to 315 million VND) and have their operating licenses revoked for a period of time, but according to the leader of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, by the end of 2022, "these clinics are still not afraid".
We cannot deny the role of private clinics in supporting the public health system as well as contributing to improving the quality of medical examination and treatment for people.
However, the act of “faking illnesses to extort money” and other violations at some private medical facilities not only shows a lack of ethics, but also violates the law, causing public outrage and seriously affecting the image of the medical industry.
In order for clinics that violate the law to truly feel “afraid” and comply with the regulations, along with applying the maximum administrative fine, suspending the operating license of the facility and revoking the practice license of the doctors involved, the authorities need to add measures and sanctions that are sufficiently deterrent and effective in preventing violations!
