Are there signs of lack of transparency at Le Loi General Clinic in Vinh City?

Mr. TT (43 years old) said: I myself have phimosis and erectile dysfunction. Searching for treatment on social networks, I saw that Le Loi General Clinic advertised that it treats these diseases.

On September 25, I went to the clinic and was advised by the clinic staff to do some tests and ultrasound. Then, a clinic staff who claimed to be a doctor (no name tag) concluded that I had phimosis and needed surgery. This person advised me on 3 circumcision service packages, which cost 3.9 million VND, 6 million VND and 9-10 million VND respectively. Because I didn’t have much money, I agreed to use the 3.9 million VND package.

During the circumcision, the “doctor” said that “there were many penile warts, fatty cysts, and infections inside” and asked me if I wanted to treat them as well. He also said that if I treated these parts, I would have to pay an additional 16 million VND. The total cost of the surgery was 20 million VND.

The surgical assistant asked me to sit up to see the incision and said that they would not treat the inflammation, the raised grains, the fat, etc., but would only suture it, and that if any problems occurred, the clinic would not be responsible. I was very scared but had no money, so I asked the clinic to reduce the price. After the agreement, the clinic settled on 17 million VND for all expenses and instructed me to transfer this amount to the account of Thai Duong Investment and Trading Services Company Limited.

Mr. TT added: After 1 day of the procedure, I returned to the clinic to clean up. Through research, I learned that many people were also put in a fait accompli situation, arising after the procedure. The clinic does not have a price list for each type of service, especially the infection treatment package. I found that the clinic only made verbal agreements, showing signs of "ripping off" customers.

Similarly, Mr. VH (41 years old) also said: I was diagnosed by the clinic with phimosis, blood vessel compression that does not pump blood, and was prescribed a circumcision procedure. I chose a service package that cost more than 6 million VND. During the surgery, the “doctor” discussed with me that there was residue on the skin, blood vessel compression, inflammation, penile warts… if only the surgery was completed and sutured, if any problems occurred later, the clinic would not be responsible.

Next, the clinic staff advised on some services such as skin peeling, blood vessel clearing, and wart burning for 30 million VND. Because I was worried about my health, I agreed to have the procedure done. The total amount I had to pay was over 30.105 million VND. Of which, the examination fee was 405,000 VND transferred to the account of Thai Duong Investment and Trading Services Company Limited; 29.7 million VND transferred to an individual account.

Mr. VH said: There is unreasonableness in medical examination and treatment costs, lack of transparency in the clinic's operations (there is psychological exploitation, profiteering from patients' money during the examination and treatment process).

According to the people's feedback, the reporter had a meeting with the clinic's representative. At the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Trung Tinh - the person in charge of the clinic's professional expertise said: The reason for the service is that it is only possible to detect inflammatory factors when the foreskin has been cut off and the patient is completely conscious when deciding to use the service... At the time of the meeting, the clinic did not post the full price list for each type of service, only posting the price list for medical examination with paraclinical services.

In a patient's medical record, there is a record of performing physiological treatment. However, according to Decision No. 979/QD-SYT dated September 6, 2019 of the Department of HealthNghe AnRegarding the approval of the list of specialized techniques performed at Le Loi Private General Clinic and Decision No. 435/QD-SYT dated April 19, 2021 of Nghe An Department of Health on approving the addition of the list of specialized techniques performed at Le Loi Private General Clinic, this clinic is allowed to deploy 152 techniques and of which there is no andrology technique - physiological treatment.

It is known that Le Loi General Clinic has been fined many times by the authorities. In 2021, Nghe An Department of Health fined Le Loi General Clinic VND 80 million and revoked its operating license for 2 months. In 2020, Le Loi General Clinic was also fined VND 27 million by Nghe An Department of Health.

Previously, on May 31, 2019, Nghe An Department of Health decided to revoke the medical examination and treatment practice license of Thai Duong Private General Clinic (No. 99 Le Loi, Vinh City) of the investor, Thai Duong Investment and Trading Services Company Limited. The reason was that Thai Duong General Clinic had committed a violation: Not enough practitioners suitable for the scope of professional activities, violating sub-item b, clause 1, Article 43 of the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment... After the license was revoked, the investor continued to submit documents to request permission to establish Le Loi General Clinic, also operating at the above address.

With the people's feedback, it is thought that the authorities need to step in to inspect and examine this clinic./.