Developing Health Stations into specialized clinics for district doctors
According to the proposal of the Ministry of Health, included in the draft circular guiding the functions and tasks of commune and ward health stations, which is being consulted until May 28, commune health stations are allowed to perform techniques, procedures, surgery, testing, diagnostic imaging, and operate as a miniature hospital.
Discussing this issue with Lao Dong reporter, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Lan Hieu, Director of Hanoi Medical University Hospital and Director of Binh Duong General Hospital, a delegate of the 15th National Assembly, said: "In my opinion, we should not turn health stations into "mini" hospitals. In addition to the function of preventive medicine, the Health Station should become specialized clinics of district-level doctors according to the schedule every day of the week and month".
Associate Professor Hieu proposed developing the former commune health stations into specialized clinics. Every day of the week, there will be 1 specialist coming to see and provide medicine, for example, 2nd is a cardiologist, 3rd is an entomologist, 4th is a Obstetrician, 5th is a pediatrician...
Meanwhile, district-level health care now known as grassroots health care will soon abolish the policy of autonomy of district-level hospitals, returning to the budget so that hospitals can pay salaries to health care staff.
"It is necessary to return to the regime of paying hard salaries to medical staff if the hospital only has the only source of income from insurance but still retains autonomy in operation, appointment, investment in purchasing machinery... The additional source of income for medical staff will come from developing services and techniques beyond the line" - Associate Professor Hieu analyzed.
Provincial health workers do not implement over-specialty techniques such as organ transplants
As for provincial hospitals, Associate Professor Nguyen Lan Hieu said that they should focus on treating essential diseases that affect a large number of people. Do not perform over-specialized techniques such as organ transplants.
At the city level, the central government needs to build specialized centers in complete general hospitals, closely linked to universities. Avoid the phenomenon of over-professional hospitals that will not be able to comprehensively care for people's health.
"Develop the family doctor system seriously. There needs to be many different models between rural areas, urban areas, the elderly, children... Developing remote medical examination and treatment (Telehealth) is considered a method of prevention and treatment of the health care system of the people" - National Assembly delegate Nguyen Lan Hieu emphasized.
According to the proposal of the Ministry of Health, commune and ward health stations are under the comprehensive management of the commune-level People's Committees and are under the professional management of the health departments.
According to the draft, the station has the function of providing professional and technical services on primary health care, including: Preventive medicine, medical examination, treatment, rehabilitation, reproductive health, food safety, population, social protection, prevention and control of social evils...
In terms of expertise, commune health stations are assigned many new tasks and powers such as performing techniques, procedures, surgery and transferring patients to medical examination and treatment facilities. This place can be used for tests, imaging diagnosis and functional exploration... Previously, these techniques were mostly performed at district-level medical facilities.
Regarding the list of positions of Commune Health Stations, the Ministry of Health proposes leadership and management positions: Station Head; Deputy Station Head; Chief of Station Office; Head of Department under Station; Deputy Head of Department under Station (when meeting the standards for the number of Department employees)...
The common professional job positions include Administrative Specialist, office; General Specialist; Administrative, office staff; Accountant; Fundraising Officer; Support and service job position; Service staff; Protection....
Thus, it is possible to imagine the model of a Commune Health Station operating as a miniature hospital.
