Initial outcomes of Vietnam's satellite hospital project

 24-Aug-15, VOV5

In 2013 the Health Ministry launched a project to develop satellite hospitals to reduce overcrowding at central hospitals. The satellite hospital project launched 2 years ago provides personnel training and transfers medical techniques from central hospitals to provincial health clinics. 

Image: healthplus.vn

A network linking central, core hospitals and provincial, satellite hospitals has been established to help the satellite hospitals improve selected departments, transfer technology, and upgrade infrastructure. 

In 2 years the rate of patients sent to central hospitals has declined sharply and several satellite hospitals are now performing advanced medical procedures.

Khanh Hoa’s General Hospital has performed 34 open heart surgeries. Doctor Nguyen Van Xang, the hospital’s director, said heart patients in the province now have very little need to go to Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City for treatment.

14 core hospitals have taken responsibility of transferring medical techniques to 48 satellite hospitals in five areas that have serious patient overcrowding - cardiovascular, surgery, cancer, obstetrics, and paediatrics. Seven core hospitals in the south are currently involved in transferring medical techniques to 15 satellite hospitals in 10 provinces. Satellite hospitals are still short of human resources, medical equipment and facilities.

 Read the full article  

 Insights