Telehealth may suffer without fixes

VMED Group is currently working on platforms to support customers in telehealth performance between doctors and patients so that patients can pay for services as they use them. In April, the company launched Scale Vietnam to support startups.

Telehealth may suffer without fixes, Source: Shutterstock

“This move is a must as we had to suspend working with hospitals on platforms for telehealth because of a lack of regulations, including the payment for doctors involved in such activities,” a representative of VMED told VIR.

VMED supports the implementation of the Ministry of Health’s telehealth scheme for 2020-2025 with a series of intensive remote solutions for surgery, obstetrics and paediatrics, cardiology, emergency resuscitation, e-records, archiving and communication, telemedicine, and others.

Despite VMED’s actions, telehealth solutions have not been widely deployed in Vietnam, and mostly only at the level of small projects such as at Hospital 108, Viet Duc, Military Medicine 175, and select others. This has caused difficulties for medtech solutions and service providers like VMED.

Other players in the field include Viettel Solutions, VNPT, FPT Healthcare, and Isofth. Recently, Viettel coordinated with more than 1,000 hospitals to inaugurate a telehealth centre, and is currently supporting many other hospitals to develop this platform.

According to experts, a lack of legal foundation is a main reason that telehealth is not yet flourishing as expected. Moreover, regular and in-person medical treatment activities are gradually recovering from the pandemic peak.

The amended Law on Medical Examination and Treatment announced in February 2023 added regulations on telehealth to keep up with the sector’s developments. According to the new law, telehealth was defined as a form of such services without direct contact between practitioners and patients, but carried out through equipment or IT.

Article 80 of the new law also clearly defines the responsibilities of telehealth establishments, as well as those who support telemedicine exam and treatment services. In addition, the supported medical treatment establishments must pay the costs of supporting services remotely to the supporting establishments at the level agreed upon between the two sides.

Ngo Thanh Hai, lawyer at LNT & Partners, said, “This can be considered as an innovative step, for it contributes significantly to reducing overload at central-level hospitals by utilising modern technology.”

The new law also allows medical establishments to negotiate expenditures when cooperating in such services. “Specific provisions such as requirements to implement remote treatment, legal responsibility for diagnosing diseases, and prescribing drugs when conducting remotely will be elaborated on by the government, among other aspects,” Hai added.

The digital transformation of the healthcare industry also faces the challenge of data fragmentation. With more than 60 provinces across the country and over 700 district hospitals and thousands of commune health stations and clinics, synchronising the data system is not easy.

According to Dr. Vu Quoc Binh, chairman of Dr. Binh Tele_Clinic, the economic and social effects of telehealth are enormous.

“The health sector in Vietnam is currently facing many problems, including overload of the hospital system, shortage of health workers, infectious diseases, rapid increase in medical costs, low investment capital, and more. Therefore, breakthrough solutions like telehealth can bring medical services to the largest number of people, with lower costs and higher efficiency,” Binh said.

Healthcare pros call for legal advances in telehealth Despite strong interest among medtech businesses and hospitals, the legal framework for telehealth performance in Vietnam remains incomplete, making the amendment to the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment an ever-urgent need.

'Doctor for Everyone' telehealth system scaled up The Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH) has signed MoUs with the Ministry of Health and the UNDP regarding cooperation on telemedicine applications to improve access to health services for disadvantaged groups.