Things that need to be resolved at Nghe An Dermatology Hospital
Revenue is not enough to cover expenses, Nghe An Dermatology Hospital is in a situation of "eating and drinking in moderation", this year's revenue is paid for last year's... For many months now, officials and employees have not been paid.
7 months salary arrears
In early July 2024, Nghe An Newspaper received an "urgent letter regarding late salary payment" from "all staff" of Nghe An Dermatology Hospital (the letter was not signed by the writer)...
This “urgent letter” reads: “From November 2023 to May 2024, we have worked for a total of 7 months. However, the hospital is delaying our salary during this time, which has greatly affected our lives and our families... According to the hospital's working regulations, we work 8 hours a day, fingerprinting according to regulations, so we have no time to work overtime, all income depends on the hospital's salary which is only paid monthly.”
Reporters of Nghe An Newspaper learned information from a number of officials, civil servants, and workers at Nghe An Dermatology Hospital and were told: Up to this point, the hospital still owes salaries and allowances to civil servants from December 2023 to June 2024 (a total of 7 months).
Nghe An Dermatology Hospital was established on September 23, 2019 on the basis of upgrading Nghe An Leprosy Prevention and Dermatology Center; is a grade 3 hospital, specialized at the provincial level under the Nghe An Department of Health; autonomous unit group 2. The hospital currently has 2 functional departments, 4 clinical departments; the total number of current staff is 33 people. The hospital has the functions and tasks of examination, emergency, treatment, rehabilitation; staff training; scientific research; line direction; disease prevention and control; international cooperation; unit management...
Currently, the hospital's regular operating expenses depend entirely on the hospital's revenue, the State budget only provides some funds for disease prevention and house repairs.
In recent years, the number of outpatients at Nghe An Dermatology Hospital has not met the plan. The hospital has not been able to use advanced techniques to examine and treat patients. The hospital's revenue is low, mainly coming from examination fees, testing services and treatment techniques (which outside spas can also do)...
With revenue not enough to cover expenses, Nghe An Dermatology Hospital is in a "hand-to-mouth" situation, having to use this year's revenue to pay off last year's debt. Specifically, in 2022, the hospital requested to pay salaries and allowances for officials from the salary reform fund set aside from 2019 and earlier, nearly 1.4 billion VND, and paid until November 2022. The remaining deficit of more than 110 million VND was transferred to 2023 to compensate. It was not until February 14, 2023, that the hospital had enough money to pay salaries and allowances for officials in December 2022.
There are many reasons leading to the current situation of Nghe An Dermatology Hospital. Mr. Huynh Phuc Son - Director of the Hospital said: As soon as it was established, the hospital was heavily affected by the Covid-19 epidemic. From 2020 to the end of 2021, the hospital had almost no patients and no income.
In September 2022, the hospital pharmacy had to close due to its operation not being in accordance with legal regulations such as the Law on Management and Use of Public Assets; Circular No. 15/2011/TT-BYT. Afterwards, the Head Pharmacist of the Department of Pharmacy - Medical Supplies (the only person with a pharmacy practice certificate, qualified to manage the pharmacy) submitted a resignation letter. Therefore, the hospital was unable to reopen the pharmacy.
Next, due to lack of funds to purchase equipment (specifically, lack of biochemistry analyzers, hematology analyzers, etc.), the hospital could only perform 58 technical categories (reaching 38% of the approved technical categories). Also because the organizational structure, personnel, and basic medical equipment have not been completed, the hospital has not been able to sign a health insurance medical examination and treatment contract with the Social Insurance agency.
In 2023, by December 31, the hospital will have enough money to pay salaries and allowances to employees until July 2023. The amount still owed to employees (including salaries and allowances from August to December 2023) that has not been spent is over 1,412 billion VND...
By 2024, as of May 18, the hospital's total revenue was VND1,158 billion. The hospital had regularly spent and paid social insurance for its employees VND453.8 million; at the same time, it had used the remaining amount of nearly VND705 million, plus loans from the Career Development Fund to pay salaries and allowances for employees from August 2023 to October 2023, with an amount of VND714.5 million.
In addition to the above reasons, it must also be said that: In the past, the leadership of Nghe An Dermatology Hospital has lacked dynamism, creativity, sense of responsibility, and thinking has not kept up with the requirements. In this unit, there is no internal solidarity, lack of democratic concentration, lack of exemplary behavior and lack of concern; there are cadres and civil servants who are not dedicated to the work of the collective.
Need for drastic change
The construction and development of Nghe An Dermatology Hospital is a correct policy, consistent with the development trend in general and of Nghe An province in particular, meeting the needs of medical examination, treatment and aesthetic care of the people.
To “save” this hospital, recently, the Department of Health has organized a general meeting, analyzed, pointed out the causes and proposed solutions to help the hospital stabilize. The Department of Health has also established a hospital support team with 2 Deputy Directors of the Department as Team Leader and Deputy Team Leader, with the participation of all departments and offices... The support team has implemented many solutions to help Nghe An Dermatology Hospital, but the hospital lacks initiative to accept and is slow to change.
In May 2024, Nghe An Department of Health continued to hold meetings and work with Nghe An Dermatology Hospital to listen to the results of activities; the situation of payment of salaries, allowances and contributions according to regulations for civil servants and employees; the resolution of related problems...
On May 29, 2024, the Director of Nghe An Department of Health issued Notice No. 1604/TB-SYT concluding and assigning tasks, requesting Nghe An Dermatology Hospital to focus on overcoming shortcomings and limitations and relevant departments and individuals to support the hospital.
Accordingly, the Director of the Department of Health requested the leaders of Nghe An Dermatology Hospital to build internal solidarity, unity, democracy and focus on overcoming identified shortcomings, limitations and violations... The working group supporting the hospital continues to discuss and direct measures to overcome and remove difficulties and obstacles to promote effective hospital operations as soon as possible.
The Department of Health's Medical Affairs Department reviews and evaluates the implementation of technical lists at the hospital; directs and guides Nghe An Dermatology Hospital to complete procedural documents according to regulations to soon sign a health insurance medical examination and treatment contract.
The Financial Planning Department inspects the hospital's financial activities according to regulations; advises on salary payment plans for the most recent months of 2024 for employees and workers at the hospital, coordinates with the Personnel Organization Department to study current regulations to report and propose to competent authorities in implementing hospital autonomy from group 2 to group 3.
The Department of Health's Organization Department directed the Hospital to review its organizational structure and human resources, and advise on plans to arrange appropriate personnel in charge of hospital pharmacy expertise.
The Practice Management Department coordinates with other departments to guide regulations on legal procedures and licensing processes for hospital pharmacies.
The Pharmacy Department continues to support and guide hospitals on regulations on bidding for drugs and consumable medical supplies, ensuring that they meet the requirements for medical examination and treatment.
The Department of Health has also requested the hospital to exploit its strengths, develop key services such as treating skin abnormalities to both meet people's needs and generate legal revenue for the unit; continue to improve the conditions for implementing professional activities, attracting patients, increasing revenue from career activities, ensuring enough legal revenue to pay salaries, allowances, and payments of officials and employees at the hospital... The Department of Health will also continue to increase human resource support for the hospital; support the addition of missing equipment.
The solutions that the Department of Health has proposed are very clear. The important thing is that Nghe An Dermatology Hospital must also make efforts to “save itself” by changing to improve./.
