Resuscitation of medical stations to retain doctors and patients

Don't let doctors suffer

“Since graduating from medical university, I have been working at this health station for 29 years,” shared Dr. Le Van Na, Head of Tan Phu Commune Health Station (Chau Thanh District, Dong Thap Province). We were even more surprised to learn that in the past 30 years, Dr. Na has only received training in the “Family Doctor” program once.

Dr. Na’s love for the profession and her dedication evoke a completely different view of the Head of the Medical Center - a position that is considered a “base” position for many doctors. Because there, doctors are not only disadvantaged in terms of improving their qualifications and accessing modern equipment compared to their colleagues working at higher-level medical facilities, but also in terms of status, income, etc. Therefore, it is not easy for many doctors to voluntarily stick with the Medical Center like Dr. Na in today’s market economy.

With many years of experience in health sector management, former Director of Dong Thap Province Health Department Doan Van Hong analyzed that for health stations to perform their duties well, there must be someone on duty regularly. Even doctors working here must accept giving up the opportunity to study further to develop themselves.

"If doctors at the health station regularly attend training sessions, they will not be able to follow the people closely, creating a gap and gradually losing trust and prestige at the health station," said Mr. Hong.

According to Mr. Hong, improving the quality of human resources for the health station is necessary, such as regularly organizing training courses to improve professional skills, building a reasonable compensation mechanism to attract and retain talent. The rotation must be calculated reasonably to create motivation, because if not careful, it will lead to many unpredictable consequences. The reality at the health station in Ward 2 (Sa Dec City, Dong Thap Province) is proof.

“Previously, Ward 2 Health Station had a doctor who knew how to use an electrocardiogram machine. But after this doctor was transferred, the station lost the machine because no one used it, so it had to be returned to the Medical Center,” said Deputy Head of Ward 2 Health Station Bui Thi Thu Trang.

Reorganize the network in an efficient and economical direction

“If a company or business had no revenue, it would have been dissolved a long time ago, but this is not possible for the health sector because it is the facility closest to the people. This raises the question of whether it is appropriate to reorganize the health care network in a streamlined manner, in line with the policy of efficiency and economy,” Dr. Hong suggested.

The function of a health station is very specific, besides examining and treating patients, it also carries out preventive medical activities. With the tasks prescribed by the Ministry of Health, the planning and construction of a health station also needs to be carefully calculated and surveyed; and proper investment in infrastructure, medicines and essential equipment.

“From the survey of health stations in Dong Thap, it can be seen that stations built in the border areas between two communes and wards often attract people to the station, increasing the attractiveness index. In some countries, there are no health stations but regional clinics. This is also a solution that can be considered,” Mr. Hong suggested.

Regarding this issue, Mr. Doan Tan Buu - Director of the Department of Health of Dong Thap province - informed that the Government is resolutely implementing the arrangement and streamlining of the apparatus to avoid waste and loss. Therefore, the consolidation and reorganization of health agencies is also a matter of concern.

“In Dong Thap, there was a merger of communes, wards and health stations, initially maintaining stable functions and tasks. However, to maintain an attractive index, careful calculations are still needed to motivate staff to continue to serve well. We are very concerned that if we do not have a comprehensive solution in time, it will cause waste and it will be very difficult to recover,” said Mr. Buu.

Improving the quality of health care services at commune and ward levels is an urgent task and requires the cooperation, support and assistance of the entire political system and society. It will be really costly and ineffective if health care services continue to operate in the same old way while gradually losing the trust of the people...