Reducing the load on the upper line, improving the quality of the lower line
Many provincial and central hospitals have sent doctors to provide professional support to lower-level hospitals, health centers and commune health stations.
The General Clinic of Hanoi Medical University Hospital - Vinh Hung facility - has just been put into operation under a model in coordination with Vinh Hung Ward Health Station. The health station undertakes primary health care and preventive medicine, while the clinic provides professional support, supplements doctors and modern techniques to improve the quality of medical examination and treatment.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Lan Hieu - Director of Hanoi Medical University Hospital - said that this model helps to detect diseases early, treat them promptly and transfer them to appropriate levels, thereby reducing pressure on upper-level hospitals. The clinic operates 24/7 with many specialties, approved by the Ministry of Health for more than 1,100 medical examination and treatment techniques. Equipment systems such as CT Scanner, digital X-ray, 4D ultrasound and electronic medical records and remote consultation support accurate diagnosis. In addition to medical examination and treatment, the clinic also coordinates to implement vaccination, manage chronic diseases under HI, health education communication and build an initial emergency center for the community.
In Hanoi, Ha Dong General Hospital, Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Hanoi Geriatric Hospital and Dai Mo Ward Health Station have signed professional cooperation agreements to implement Resolution 72 and Directive 17.
Dr. Nguyen Dinh Hung - Deputy Director of Hanoi Department of Health - said that hospitals will support grassroots levels in terms of expertise, technology transfer and human resource training so that people can access quality services right in their localities.
In mountainous provinces such as Tuyen Quang, grassroots healthcare plays an important role in primary health care. Thanks to upgrading facilities and human resources, people can get medical examinations, receive medicine and get free health check-ups right at commune health stations, reducing travel time and costs. However, many localities still lack doctors and equipment, and many health stations only have 1-2 doctors.
According to Dr. Nguyen Trong Dien - Director of Hanoi Department of Health, grassroots healthcare still faces difficulties in terms of human resources, expertise and people's trust. Hanoi is currently short of nearly 2,500 medical staff, including about 900 doctors. Many health stations lack general practitioners, and facilities and equipment are not synchronized. Therefore, it is necessary to simultaneously supplement human resources, improve expertise and invest in facilities so that people can feel secure in medical examination and treatment at the grassroots level.
Promoting remote consultation and technical transfer
The application of information technology and remote medical examination and treatment is bringing positive effects, especially for people in remote areas. This form helps save time and costs, and at the same time supports consultation, training and professional transfer to lower levels.
In Hanoi, the remote medical examination and treatment network has the participation of many large hospitals such as: Hanoi Oncology Hospital, Hanoi Heart Hospital, Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital and Xanh Pon Hospital. Units regularly hold online consultations, support the treatment of difficult cases and transfer techniques to grassroots levels.
Hanoi Heart Hospital is currently connected to about 120 medical facilities nationwide, contributing to narrowing the gap in health care between regions. Health insurance participants also have expanded benefits such as payment for remote medical examination and treatment, home examination, rehabilitation and periodic prenatal check-ups.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Lan Hieu informed that remote medical examination and treatment helps patients access medical services quickly and safely, and effectively supports doctors. However, it cannot completely replace direct examination and there are still difficulties in equipment, data security and legal corridors. According to Mr. Hieu, it is necessary to continue to develop specialized clinics in communes, promote digital transformation and improve the capacity of lower-level healthcare in the direction of putting patients at the center.
