The Ministry of Health has just sent an official dispatch to the Heads, Directors of affiliated units and local Departments of Health, and Private Hospital Association on strengthening the management of practice and advertising of medical examination and treatment services.
The Ministry of Health stated that according to information reported by press agencies and authorities, in recent times, in some provinces and cities, there have been cases of fake practice licenses, certificates of completion of fake practice, fake professional qualifications, practical instructions that have not been properly implemented, advertising medical examination and treatment services incorrectly or exceeding the scope of activities.
To ensure the management of medical examination and treatment facilities, the practice of medical examination and treatment, the issuance of practice licenses, advertising of medical examination and treatment services in accordance with current legal regulations, the Ministry of Health recommends that heads/ directors of units implement a number of key contents, specifically:
Regarding the practice of medical examination and treatment, the Ministry of Health stated that for the inspection of practice guidance facilities, medical examination and treatment facilities that have been declared as qualified as practice guidance facilities, the Directors of Hospitals and Institute with beds under the Ministry of Health, private hospitals must strictly implement the principles prescribed in Clause 2, Article 23 of the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment.
The head of the medical examination and treatment facility is fully responsible before the law and the leaders of the Ministry if violations occur.
Medical examination and treatment facilities that have not been declared qualified as practice guidance facilities: The Director of the Hospital and Institute with Beds under the Ministry of Health, the Private Hospital urgently directs the development of practice content, practice plans and completes procedures to announce qualified facilities as practice facilities, and is serious in practical guidance work, granting certificates of completion of practice procedures according to the provisions of law on medical examination and treatment.
Regarding the issuance of practice licenses, the Ministry of Health requires the Departments of Health of provinces and centrally run cities to direct functional units to strictly implement regulations on issuance, re-issuance, extension, adjustment, suspension, and revocation of practice licenses according to their authority.
At the same time, coordinate with competent authorities to inspect, monitor and strictly handle violations if any. The head of the Department of Health is fully responsible before the law and the Ministry of Health if any violations occur.
Regarding advertising for medical examination and treatment services, the Ministry of Health requires the Departments of Health of provinces and centrally run cities to preside over and coordinate with competent agencies to strengthen inspection, supervision, and strictly handle violations (if any) for medical examination and treatment facilities in the area that do not advertise medical examination and treatment services properly or exceed the scope of professional activities in any form.
In this document, the Ministry of Health assigned the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management to preside over and coordinate with relevant units to inspect and supervise the implementation of legal regulations on medical examination and treatment according to Plan No. 603/KH-BYT dated May 12, 2025 of the Ministry of Health.
Medical practitioners will be managed using identification numbers
At the national online conference on assessing the peak period of fighting against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods in the health sector on May 23, Dr. Ha Anh Duc - Director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management, Ministry of Health said: Currently, the Departments of Health of provinces and cities have been decentralized to 70% of administrative procedures... Therefore, it is extremely necessary to promote inspection, examination, and coordination with competent authorities.
"Regarding solutions, we propose that the Ministry's leaders build a database of medical practitioners nationwide, regardless of administrative boundaries. All practitioners will be managed the same as the current personal identification. What profession is practiced, to what extent, during what period of time, were there any violations or not?... All that information will be put on the national data portal for management, regardless of public or private health care" - Dr. Ha Anh Duc said.
Regarding drug management, we are also developing a Circular related to electronic prescriptions, coordinating with the Department of Drug Administration, controlling the identification of doctors allowed to prescribe, how doctors prescribe, what drugs are prescribed, which drug sellers... will all be managed. We are also coordinating with the Drug Administration of Vietnam to have a national database on pharmaceuticals, data on drug stores nationwide...
"At the same time, we will continue to step up inspection and examination of the current management of pharmaceutical practice" - Dr. Duc emphasized.
