The Ministry of Health is aggressively searching for a solution to the "disease" of overcrowding.

In the Draft Plan to Reduce Hospital Overcrowding for the period 2012-2020, the Ministry of Health set a target that by 2015, the practice of sharing beds would be essentially eliminated, ensuring that each inpatient would have their own bed in severely overcrowded hospitals.

Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien emphasized that adjusting hospital fees aims to better serve patients.

In the Draft Plan to Reduce Hospital Overcrowding for the period 2012-2020, the Ministry of Health set a target that by 2015, the practice of sharing beds would be essentially eliminated, ensuring that each inpatient would have their own bed in severely overcrowded hospitals.

Over the past period, the health sector has made efforts with many solutions; however, the problem of hospital overcrowding has only improved slightly and has not been solved at its root, and the set goals remain far from being achieved.

Strict measures are being taken to limit the number of patients sharing beds.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Health, the bed occupancy rate at medical facilities has decreased recently but remains at 111% nationwide. At the central level, overcrowding continues to be serious, increasing from 116% to 118% in 2011.

This is a pressing issue for the healthcare industry, especially in tertiary hospitals. For patients, it's a source of anxiety every time they have to be hospitalized for treatment.

Last week, speaking at a meeting with representatives from 38 central-level hospitals regarding new hospital fees, Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien emphasized that adjusting hospital fees contributes to helping hospitals have more sustainable financial resources, contributing to reinvestment in equipment to achieve the ultimate goal of better serving patients.

The Minister also requested that hospitals aggressively implement measures to limit patients sharing beds in order to gradually reduce overcrowding and shorten waiting times for patients.

Referring to on-demand medical services, the Minister of Health said that, currently, in the market economy, hospitals must meet the diverse needs of patients; otherwise, those with money will go abroad for medical treatment.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Tien stated that the policy of socialization in hospitals is encouraged by the Ministry of Health, but the fees charged must be assessed by state management agencies at all levels regarding revenue and expenditure.

The "cure" for the disease of overload.

According to the Minister of Health, a fundamental, long-term solution to the problem of hospital overcrowding cannot be implemented by the health sector alone; it requires the involvement of the entire political system and the people.

The fundamental and long-term solution to reduce hospital overcrowding is to strengthen and prioritize preventive healthcare and primary health care with the motto "prevention is better than cure"; enhance the operational capacity of local health centers; and establish a family doctor system to manage primary health right in the community. This is also a new direction in modern society that many people are interested in.

At the same time, the Ministry of Health will strengthen post-inspection work after hospitals implement the new hospital fee adjustments.

Mr. Nguyen Nam Lien, Deputy Director of the Planning and Finance Department, Ministry of Health, stated that when adjusting service prices, hospitals will have revenue, and naturally, the quality of services must also be improved. However, hospitals need time to rectify and upgrade the quality of their services.

The Ministry of Health has requested that hospitals use at least 15% of the revenue from examination fees and inpatient bed fees (based on the new hospital fee rates) to renovate and upgrade examination areas and wards, and to purchase equipment for examination rooms and wards.

Mr. Lien also stated that after 3-6 months of implementation, functional units of the Ministry of Health will conduct inspections at central hospitals and check the implementation situation at some local hospitals. During the inspection process, any hospital that provides service quality that does not match the adjusted hospital fees will have to make adjustments./.
Over the past period, the health sector has made efforts with many solutions; however, the problem of hospital overcrowding has only improved slightly and has not been solved at its root, and the set goals remain far from being achieved.

Strict measures are being taken to limit the number of patients sharing beds.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Health, the bed occupancy rate at medical facilities has decreased recently but remains at 111% nationwide. At the central level, overcrowding continues to be serious, increasing from 116% to 118% in 2011.

This is a pressing issue for the healthcare industry, especially in tertiary hospitals. For patients, it's a source of anxiety every time they have to be hospitalized for treatment.
Last week, speaking at a meeting with representatives from 38 central-level hospitals regarding new hospital fees, Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien emphasized that adjusting hospital fees contributes to helping hospitals have more sustainable financial resources, contributing to reinvestment in equipment to achieve the ultimate goal of better serving patients.

The Minister also requested that hospitals aggressively implement measures to limit patients sharing beds in order to gradually reduce overcrowding and shorten waiting times for patients.
Referring to on-demand medical services, the Minister of Health said that, currently, in the market economy, hospitals must meet the diverse needs of patients; otherwise, those with money will go abroad for medical treatment.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Tien stated that the policy of socialization in hospitals is encouraged by the Ministry of Health, but the fees charged must be assessed by state management agencies at all levels regarding revenue and expenditure.

The "cure" for the disease of overload.

According to the Minister of Health, a fundamental, long-term solution to the problem of hospital overcrowding cannot be implemented by the health sector alone; it requires the involvement of the entire political system and the people.
The fundamental and long-term solution to reduce hospital overcrowding is to strengthen and prioritize preventive healthcare and primary health care with the motto "prevention is better than cure"; enhance the operational capacity of local health centers; and establish a family doctor system to manage primary health right in the community. This is also a new direction in modern society that many people are interested in.

At the same time, the Ministry of Health will strengthen post-inspection work after hospitals implement the new hospital fee adjustments.
Mr. Nguyen Nam Lien, Deputy Director of the Planning and Finance Department, Ministry of Health, stated that when adjusting service prices, hospitals will have revenue, and naturally, the quality of services must also be improved. However, hospitals need time to rectify and upgrade the quality of their services.
The Ministry of Health has requested that hospitals use at least 15% of the revenue from examination fees and inpatient bed fees (based on the new hospital fee rates) to renovate and upgrade examination areas and wards, and to purchase equipment for examination rooms and wards.

Mr. Lien also stated that after 3-6 months of implementation, functional units of the Ministry of Health will conduct inspections at central hospitals and check the implementation situation at some local hospitals. During the inspection process, any hospital that provides service quality that does not match the adjusted hospital fees will have to make adjustments.

According to (VNA)-TN