Nghe An's healthcare sector strives to enter an era of transformation.
Entering a new era, an era of national progress, the Nghe An Health sector strives to create strong, decisive, resolute, positive, and proactive movements, leveraging internal strength and confidence to overcome challenges and effectively implement development orientations and goals.... A reporter from Nghe An Newspaper had an interview with Dr. Le Thi Hoai Chung – Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Director of the Nghe An Department of Health – on this issue.
Execution: Thanh Chung - Technical support: Diep Thanh
Publication date: February 27, 2024
Entering a new era, an era of national progress, the Nghe An Health sector strives to create strong, decisive, resolute, positive, and proactive movements, leveraging internal strength and confidence to overcome challenges and effectively implement development orientations and goals.... A reporter from Nghe An Newspaper had an interview with Dr. Le Thi Hoai Chung – Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Director of the Department of Health – on this issue.
PV:At this time, Vietnam has begun to enter a new era, an era of national progress. The health sector is also in that process. Could you tell us about the fundamental foundations of the Nghe An health sector as it enters this new period?
Dr. Le Thi Hoai Chung:By the end of 2024, Nghe An province had a widespread and diverse healthcare system with various organizational models and forms. The Nghe An healthcare system includes 3 state management agencies, 46 healthcare service units, 460 commune-level health stations; non-public healthcare includes 18 general and specialized hospitals, 37 general clinics, 665 specialized clinics and medical services, and 3,160 pharmaceutical establishments. In addition, the province also has 4 healthcare units directly under ministries, sectors, and universities.
Special category. Photo: Thanh Chung
The entire public and private healthcare system in the province has 20,386 healthcare workers. Specifically, public healthcare has 13,842 people, and private healthcare has 6,544 people, reaching 57.47 healthcare workers per 10,000 people and 12.9 doctors per 10,000 people. Among these, 279 people have PhDs or specialist degrees (level 2); 1,417 people have master's degrees or specialist degrees (level 1); 6,716 people have university degrees; and 11,974 people have college degrees or lower.
In the healthcare system, at the district level, models of general hospitals and multi-functional medical centers have developed steadily. At the provincial level, many units have been invested in with advanced, synchronized equipment and integrated technology. Specifically, the Nghe An Friendship General Hospital and the Nghe An Oncology Hospital have been recognized by the Ministry of Health and assigned the task of being the highest-level medical examination and treatment center in the North Central region. The entire province has 17 medical examination and treatment units that are financially self-sufficient, and 1 unit that is self-sufficient in both recurrent and investment expenditures.
The quality of medical examination and treatment has been improved. Many new and advanced techniques have been effectively implemented, such as: applying molecular biology techniques in diagnosing embryonic abnormalities, genetic diseases, cancer, open-heart surgery, organ transplantation, and assisted reproduction... At this time, Nghe An has completed several goals in building a High-Tech Center for the North Central region in Vinh City; and is moving towards advising the Provincial People's Committee to submit to the Government the Project "Developing Vinh City into a Specialized Medical Center in the period 2025-2030, with a vision to 2045".
The province's preventive healthcare system has been strengthened and improved, meeting the requirements for disease control in the context of complex and changing disease patterns.
Administrative procedure reform and the application of information technology have been effective.Nghe An Health DepartmentNghe An province is building a smart healthcare system. Currently, 12 hospitals and medical centers in the province have implemented electronic medical records. The rate of cashless payments at hospitals throughout the province has reached 48.38%. Regarding the implementation of electronic health record software, the province has created 3,474,783 records, achieving over 93%, of which 3,124,908 records already have data.
PV:So, in this new phase, what development directions will the Nghe An Health sector focus on, Comrade?
Dr. Le Thi Hoai Chung:The Party and State of Vietnam have clearly outlined seven directions for implementation: improving the Party's leadership methods; strengthening the Party's role in building and perfecting the socialist rule of law state of the people, by the people, and for the people; streamlining the organizational structure for effective and efficient operation; digital transformation; combating waste; personnel work; and economic development.
To contribute alongside other sectors to the nation's advancement, the Nghe An health sector, in particular, must simultaneously implement the seven aforementioned orientations. However, the sector will focus on the application of information technology and digital transformation. We believe this is the prerequisite for the successful implementation of the remaining orientations. Because when information technology is promoted and digital transformation is accelerated, a smart healthcare system will be built, which will promote and change all pillars of healthcare, including management, disease prevention, and diagnosis and treatment.
Specifically, with smart healthcare governance and management, finances will become more transparent, leading to savings and preventing waste.
Smart healthcare in the hospital will delve into detailed, individualized information. For example, electronic health records with smart software can remind people of upcoming health check-up dates. Conversely, healthcare facilities and medical centers will have the names, addresses, and health information of individuals, along with notes on illnesses and health indicators that need monitoring and attention. Through this, healthcare facilities and medical centers can systematically track and monitor people's health; detect and prevent diseases effectively in the community early; and provide convenient and effective care and treatment thanks to the data from previous medical examinations and treatments integrated into the electronic records.
As for medical examination and treatment, the application of information technology and digital transformation helps facilities enhance consultations with experts; connect with higher-level hospitals; utilize treatment robots; and support patients right from the hospital entrance, reducing unnecessary waiting times. For example, increasing the number of cameras in hospitals and wards will limit visits from family members. Family members can clearly see images, vital signs, and the severity of the patient's condition on screens in waiting rooms and through apps.
Another key focus of the Nghe An Health Department is streamlining its organizational structure for greater efficiency and effectiveness. Specifically, the department and its units are establishing job positions and resolutely implementing measures to break the "come to work in the morning, leave in the evening" mentality. In medical examination and treatment units, the department is directing the establishment of departments to develop expertise, while streamlining offices to prevent waste...
In addition, the Nghe An Health Department is also promoting the health economy by granting more autonomy to medical examination and treatment units. Through this, units can proactively manage personnel, develop task plans, create financial strategies, and implement solutions to encourage and motivate staff to work diligently, contribute their talents, and increase their income.
PV:Could you tell us, in this new context, what are the requirements for each healthcare worker? What is the Nghe An Health Department doing to encourage and motivate its staff to better meet the demands of their duties?
Dr. Le Thi Hoai Chung:In any era, the requirements for healthcare workers are public service ethics and professionalism. Specifically, healthcare workers must work according to the requirements of their job positions, fulfill their responsibilities to the highest level, and enjoy their rights as stipulated by regulations.
To enhance the professionalism of medical staff, in the coming period, the Nghe An Health Department will continue to promote political and ideological education to help medical staff understand their responsibilities correctly, thereby acting appropriately; and to help medical staff improve their self-respect in performing their duties.mission.
To motivate medical staff, the health sector has been, is, and will continue to propose to the Ministry of Health to request the Government to consider and soon issue amendments to the salary scale and incentive policies to adequately encourage medical staff; to request the Ministry of Health to soon issue a new hospital price framework that accurately and comprehensively calculates costs; to request the Provincial People's Committee to allow the health sector not to implement the policy of downsizing civil servants and public employees to ensure the minimum number of employees; and to request the Provincial People's Committee to submit to the Provincial People's Council a policy to support units in their autonomous work to ensure the best conditions for units in carrying out medical examination and treatment to serve the health of the people.
PV:Thank you, comrade!