Network providers are ready to provide digital infrastructure and ensure network security for the digital transformation process in Hanoi. (Photo: Cao Hung/tuoitrethudo.com.vn)

Hanoi residents are becoming familiar with online public services that replace face-to-face administrative procedures.

The VneID application developed by the Public Security Ministry is widely used for identification and electronic authentication. Using the app on the national public service portal, citizens can apply for passports online.

Mai Dang Thanh Thanh, a resident of Cau Giay district, said, “The VneID is quite popular and is easy to use. With its relatively high speed, it saves a lot of time.”

At Quoc Oai General Hospital in Hanoi’s outlying Quoc Oai district, recent months there have been no crowds in the reception area registering for medical appointments. A QR code reader has solved the problem. All a patient needs is a chip-based citizen ID card.

Nguyen Van Lam, a resident of Quoc Oai district, recalled that in the past when he went to see the doctor, he had to carry his health insurance card, health record book, and ID for the hospital to check the information and his photo. Now his chip-based citizen ID card has reduced the amount of time and paperwork needed.

“I have gone for a medical exam at the hospital many times, but now it’s more convenient. I don't have to carry two or three cards anymore," said Lam.

A member of the mobile online public service support team is instructing a resident in Truc Bach ward, Ba Dinh district, Hanoi. (Photo: VGP)

Medical exams and treatments using a chip-based citizen ID card at Quoc Oai General Hospital benefits patients, doctors, and nurses.

According to Chu Thi Mai Hoa of the Department of Medical Examination at Quoc Oai General Hospital, “This helps us, the nurses, shorten the process of comparing insurance cards and citizen IDs and providing numbers for patients. As a result, the patients’ waiting time is reduced.”

This has saved the costs of card issuance and health insurance card management. Medical examination and treatment facilities in Hanoi use VneID.

Nguyen Thi Tam, Deputy Director of Hanoi Social Insurance, said, “573 medical establishments in the city have used chip-based citizen ID cards to register 194,000 people for medical examination and treatment.”

According to Nguyen Thi Mai Huong, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Information and Communications, Hanoi has built the core parts of a smart city. Hanoi’s Department of Information and Communications in charge of making Hanoi a smart city. Phase one was from 2018 to 2020.

During that period, Hanoi focused on developing a foundation for an e-government. It made a fundamental breakthrough implementing IT in a single urban government system. It deployed a one-door software app to provide level 3 and 4 public services online that can handle nearly 1,700 administrative procedures, connects more than 440 public services to the National Public Service Portal.

As a result, 99% of administrative procedures in Hanoi are now completed on or before the deadline.

Tran Sy Thanh, Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee, said that the reform is needed by both individuals and businesses.

“But the change in our way of thinking has led Hanoi’s Party Committee and the municipal People's Committee to take drastic measures since the beginning of the term to realize the Party and Government policies,” said Thanh.

Becoming a smart city by 2030 is a goal that Hanoi must reach to deserve to be the capital of Vietnam. Taking the initiative in adapting to the Fourth Industrial Revolution is necessary if Hanoi wants to mobilize new resources for future development.