Hanoi's medical sector must lead the way in digital transformation to make significant progress and meet the growing demand for healthcare and medical treatment. On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Vietnamese Health Workers' Day (February 27, 1955 - 2025), Nguyen Dinh Hung, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Health, talks to Hanoimoi Newspaper about the issue.

Nguyen Dinh Hung, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Health. Photos: Hanoimoi

How's Hanoi's healthcare sector performing in recent years?

Over the past 70 years, the capital's healthcare system has grown to cover the entire city. Each year, the health system examines and treats more than ten million people, performs surgery on hundreds of thousands of patients, and saves the lives of many critically ill people.

The capital's health sector has built a digital platform for communication and data sharing among medical facilities, in an effort to promote the use of information technology to improve the quality of health services. In addition, electronic medical records, health insurance registration and examination with chip-embedded ID cards, appointment scheduling by phone, and cashless fee payment have brought many conveniences to the people.

Digital transformation is an inevitable trend as it brings more convenience to people. Can you talk more specifically about the benefits and difficulties of digital transformation in the capital's healthcare sector?

Hanoi has ten public hospitals and three private hospitals that are adopting electronic medical records to monitor treatment and reduce medical errors. Smart medical kiosks are being drastically deployed in healthcare facilities, shortening the registration process for medical examinations and reducing waiting time for patients. However, the initial stage always faces many difficulties and challenges: infrastructure is not yet synchronized; data is still scattered and cannot be shared among medical facilities.

In your opinion, what is the impact of digital transformation on the overall value of the healthcare industry?

The most comprehensive solution is a common software for the whole system, which means a common digital health platform from central to local level for all hospitals. However, this requires huge resources, solidarity from all entities in the sector and strong leadership. Along with this, there is a need for a support mechanism for those working in information technology, and the IT platform must be strong enough to meet the digital transformation needs of the sector.

A kidney transplant at the Saint Paul General Hospital in Hanoi.

With judicious use of information technology and digital transformation, we will be able to bring specialized care and knowledge to the city, narrowing the gap of expertise among medical professionals, helping people to be monitored and cared for in their neighborhoods, and thus reducing hospital overcrowding.

What key issues will the capital's health sector focus on so that people do not have to go abroad for treatment?

First and foremost, the health sector in the capital must focus on applying highly innovative management techniques, improving management skills, setting up the organizational structure to ensure successful and efficient operations, and eliminating unnecessary intermediaries.  At the same time, it must assemble a group of skilled workers and implement solutions quickly and significantly.

In particular, it is important to develop a strategy to nurture human resources with knowledge, skills, and innovative and creative thinking to meet the requirements of the digital economy and Industry 4.0. In addition, Hanoi must promote international cooperation, develop specialized science and technology, new techniques, and high-quality medical services to increase patient satisfaction so that people do not have to go abroad for treatment.

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Vietnam's Health Workers Day, what message would you like to send to the team of doctors in the capital?

My sincere thanks goes out to the former heads of the Hanoi Department of Health as well as all of the workers in the entire industry who have dedicated their lives to expanding the capital's health sector in a way that is increasingly sustainable. We'll continue to build on our achievements. With the duty and morality of a doctor, we will do everything in our power to care for the health of the people.

Thank you for your time!