Health ministry kicks off hospital integration project

September 05, 2013 | 11:42

(0) user say

In late August 2013, the Ministry of Health (MoH) kicked off a project to build satellite hospitals in non-urban provinces based on a prime-minister-approved project aimed at reducing hospital overload between 2013 and 2020.

The project would greatly enhance links between centrally-run hospitals and those at the grassroots level to increase overall capacity and service quality.

Accordingly, the project will consist of two phases.

The first phase will run from 2013-2015 with the MoH injecting capital into 45 provincial hospitals as satellite units of 14 nucleus hospitals.

The second phase, from 2016-2020, will be to design a plan based on the progress of the first phase and incorporate economic development conditions.

Of the 14 nucleus hospitals, eight are under direct MoH management and the other six are managed by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health.

The project has estimated capital of $81.2 million of this $34 million will come from the state budget and the hospitals will share in putting up the other $47.3 million.

The nucleus hospitals will be tasked with developing the network of satellite hospitals and ensuring they are equipped with modern technologies and qualified staff.

Bach Mai Hospital, the largest in the north, will manage six satellite hospitals in Bac Giang, Vinh Phuc, Thai Binh, Thanh Hoa, Ha Tinh and Lao Cai, while the National Hospital of Pediatrics will manage five in Ninh Binh, Bac Giang, Vinh Phuc, Hai Duong and Thai Binh.

Since 2005, the Ministry of Health has piloted a satellite hospital project in conjunction with state-run Bach Mai and Vietnam-Germany hospitals. The project focuses on training, technology transfer, medical equipment provisioning, and distance e-consulting for treatment via the internet.

By By Chi Tin

What the stars mean:

★ Poor ★ ★ Promising ★★★ Good ★★★★ Very good ★★★★★ Exceptional