All public hospitals must implement remote medical examination and treatment.

The Ministry of Health requires all public hospitals to deploy a remote medical examination and treatment platform this year to help people access services easily and reduce overload.

This is one of the requirements inPlanPlan to deploy the Remote Medical Examination and Treatment Consultation Support Platform (VTelehealth) in 2023,just issued by the Ministry of Health.

Accordingly, before March 1, the Department of Information Technology, Ministry of Health, will build an infrastructure system and apply VTelehealth, piloting it at a number of hospitals. Before April 1, build a technical solution to integrate with the national population database system, using electronic identification accounts issued by the Ministry of Public Security (VNeID).

In 2023, the health sector will deploy VTelehealth at 100% of public medical examination and treatment facilities. This is to help people access medical examination and treatment services easily, reducing the burden on upper-level medical facilities, according to the Ministry of Health.

In addition, this platform will connect and share medical imaging diagnostic data with the Health Insurance Appraisal Information System of Vietnam Social Security, to appraise the payment of health insurance examination and treatment costs without using film printing.

Doctors from the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases consult on a severe tetanus case at An Giang Central General Hospital. Photo:Thu Anh.

VTelehealth integrates medical information technology products, including software: Hospital information system (HIS), electronic medical record system (EMR), laboratory management (LIS), picture archiving and communication system (PACS), remote treatment support solution (telemedicine).

The platform also integrates information technology services, including cashless payment services, value-added services on e-transactions and e-commerce in the healthcare sector.

Telemedicine has been deployed by the Ministry of Health since mid-2020 with two basic goals. That is, all medical facilities, especially at the district level, receive continuous professional support; all people receive regular and necessary medical support.

Previously, professional support was provided on a 1-1 basis, meaning one upper level supported one lower level; now it has been expanded to a 1-N model to expand the scope of benefits. The upper level hospital supports one lower level hospital, but all other hospitals in the network can participate in consultation and monitoring, thereby learning and improving their expertise.

The remote medical examination and treatment project also has the task of contributing to improving the professional level and quality of medical examination and treatment by combining doctors from higher levels and doctors from lower levels according to the 1-4-4-2 model. That is, one doctor from higher levels supports 4 doctors from provincial levels, 4 doctors from district levels and 2 doctors from commune levels. In which, the doctor from higher levels plays the role of a sponsor, supporting colleagues from lower levels when necessary.

Over the two years of the pandemic, the platform has played a vital role in the treatment of Covid-19 patients. Many critical cases have been consulted by leading experts without having to be transferred to higher levels, thereby saving their lives.