Vietnam intends to build 14,000 remote medical centers to ensure all people access to quality medical care. (Photo: soyte.hanoi.gov.vn)

The project wants to give everyone access to medical consultation, examination, and treatment by doctors from the communal to the central level. Local medical centers will receive routine and emergency support from central hospitals via a telehealth network to avoid overloading at central hospitals, improve access to quality healthcare, and reduce costs.

In two pilot months, 1,000 clinics, including clinics in remote mountain regions, have been connected to 30 central hospitals in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Many critical cases were successfully treated at local clinics via remote consultation without needing to be transferred to a central hospital.

Clinics on remote islands such as the Truong Sa archipelago and Co To island have consulted with Bach Mai hospital, Vietnam-Germany Friendship hospital, Medical University hospital, and Hue Central Hospital.

Associate Professor, Doctor Luong Ngoc Khue, Director of the Medical Examination and Treatment Department, said: “Telemedicine is one of the most important projects run by the Ministry of Health’s Management Center for Remote Health Examination and Treatment. Local hospitals can receive professional assistance from a central hospital using modern technology.”   

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said at the inaugural ceremony of 1,000 remote medical examination and treatment centers in Hanoi: “Vietnam intends to expand the network to 14,000 medical centers to ensure all people access to quality medical care and connect with the global medical network. It’s good news that Vietnam’s telemedicine has been expanded to Laos and Cambodia. In the future central hospitals will connect with foreign hospitals to share experience.”