On September 9, the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management (Ministry of Health) issued an urgent document to the Departments of Health of provinces and centrally-run cities and non-public medical examination and treatment facilities, requesting to strengthen inspection and rectification of private medical examination and treatment activities.
According to the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management, in the past time, the private healthcare system has made positive contributions to people's health care, while contributing to reducing the burden on public hospitals.
However, besides establishments operating in accordance with regulations, there are still some private medical examination and treatment facilities, especially general clinics, that violate the law. These acts are detected through management, inspection, examination as well as reflections from the press and people.
Request for surprise inspection, strict handling
One of the notable recent cases occurred at Phuong Do International General Clinic in Hong Bang, Hai Phong. The Investigation Police Agency of Hai Phong City Police has prosecuted 19 defendants to investigate violations of the law in medical activities, with signs of fraud, drawing diseases, and extortion.
The incident caused public outrage and showed that the violations in medical examination and treatment activities not only caused property damage but could also directly affect the health, even the lives of patients.
Faced with this situation, the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management requests Departments of Health of provinces and cities to urgently strengthen inspections of the operation of private medical examination and treatment facilities in the area.
Localities are required to establish surprise inspection teams, comprehensive inspections of private establishments, in which special attention should be paid to establishments that regularly have complaints and petitions from people.
The Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management requests resolute and strict handling of violations. Depending on the severity, functional agencies may apply additional penalties such as revocation of the right to use operating licenses or professional certificates for violating establishments and individuals.
Behaviors that need special rectification include: practicing beyond the scope of licensed expertise, abusing paraclinical indications, "inventing diseases, extorting money" and acts that pose a risk to the life and health of patients.
There are signs of crime and must be transferred to the police agency
The Ministry of Health also requests that if the inspection process detects that an establishment or individual shows signs of criminal law violations, functional agencies must urgently prepare a dossier and transfer it to the Police agency for investigation and handling according to regulations.
In addition to handling violations, localities are also required to publicize the list of violating medical facilities, facilities suspended from operation or licenses revoked on mass media and the Electronic Information Portal of the Department of Health.
Public disclosure is aimed at helping people have more information when choosing medical examination and treatment places, and at the same time strengthening community supervision of the operation of private medical facilities.
Director of Department of Health is responsible if violations are prolonged
The urgent document of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management clearly states that Directors of Departments of Health of provinces and centrally-run cities are responsible to the Minister of Health and before the law if a situation occurs where medical examination and treatment facilities in the area violate the law for a long time without being thoroughly handled.
The Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management requests Departments of Health to urgently implement the above contents, and at the same time report the results of inspection and handling of violations to the Ministry of Health for synthesis and reporting to the Ministry's leaders.
