Hospitals "rush" to complete electronic medical record implementation in September

On March 14, the Prime Minister issued Directive No. 07/CT-TTg on promoting the implementation of the project to develop applications of population data, identification and electronic authentication to serve national digital transformation in the 2022-2025 period, with a vision to 2030 in ministries, branches and localities in 2025 and the following years.

The Ministry of Health has identified the implementation of electronic medical records as a key and top priority task, with heads of agencies and units taking full responsibility for this work... Hospitals and institutes with beds nationwide must complete this by September 2025.

Electronic medical records: Key tasks

The Ministry of Health has just issued Decision 1150/QD-BYT approving the Plan for implementing electronic medical records. Approved with this Decision is the Plan for implementing electronic medical records.

Statistics from the Ministry of Health show that Vietnam has nearly 1,500 public hospitals, more than 380 private hospitals, and nearly 70,000 private clinics.

In the national digital transformation, the Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Health to direct and urge 100% of hospitals nationwide to deploy electronic medical records; connect data between district and provincial hospitals of localities with hospitals under the Ministry of Health, take advantage of connected and interconnected data to reduce testing for people, to be completed in September 2025.

In mid-March 2025, the Minister of Health also issued a document on promoting digital transformation and implementing Project 06 in agencies and units in the health sector, requiring leaders to set an example and pioneer in awareness, innovation in thinking and methodology on digital transformation.

For medical examination and treatment facilities, the Ministry of Health emphasizes prioritizing resources, urgently deploying electronic medical records (ensuring completion before September 30, 2025), electronic health books integrated on the VNeID application, exchanging medical examination and treatment data between medical facilities at all levels, electronic medical examination and treatment facility transfer forms, electronic re-examination appointment forms, reusing test results, etc.

To date, all 63 health departments have entered records, information on medical examination and treatment facilities, and information on practitioners into the National Management System for Registration and Licensing of Medical Examination and Treatment Practices. 100% of medical examination and treatment facilities nationwide (including both public and private) have deployed information technology applications with hospital information management software (HIS).

Many medical examination and treatment facilities have equipped 100% of doctors and staff with computers and provided free wireless networks for patients and their families. Notably, 39% of medical examination and treatment facilities nationwide have deployed network safety and security systems.

In particular, 100% of hospitals have connected their hospital information management software (HIS) with the Vietnam Social Security agency to perform electronic health insurance appraisal.

Prioritize all resources

As of mid-April 2025, nationwide, 153 medical examination and treatment facilities have announced that they have deployed electronic medical records, not using paper medical records. Of these, 2 health departments have deployed electronic medical records, not using paper medical records in all hospitals under the Department, namely the Department of Health of Phu Tho province and the Department of Health of Bac Ninh.

Regarding electronic payment of hospital fees, medical examination and treatment facilities have made remarkable progress compared to 5 years ago. Currently, 71% of facilities have applied electronic payment, of which, 31% are through direct bank connection, 10% through the national public service portal, 15% by other forms; 29% of all hospitals still apply cash payment.

The Ministry of Health emphasizes prioritizing resources and urgently implementing electronic medical records. (Photo: TG/Vietnam+)

Associate Professor Dao Xuan Co - Director of Bach Mai Hospital said that the hospital currently has 57 units with a scale of 3,600 beds and more than 4,000 medical staff and employees serving the work. Every day, the hospital receives 7,000-10,000 outpatients and about 4,000 inpatients.

Implementing the direction of the Government and the Ministry of Health, Bach Mai Hospital identified digital transformation and application of information technology as the top priority task, prioritizing all resources and resolutely directing implementation. Bach Mai Hospital is the first special-class hospital under the Ministry of Health to successfully deploy electronic medical records and officially implement "full-process" paperless medical examination and treatment from November 15, 2024.

From the actual medical examination and treatment of Bach Mai Hospital, the Director of Bach Mai Hospital said that the implementation of electronic medical records helps to minimize errors due to handwritten notes and illegible handwriting, while allowing quick and complete access to patient medical history information. This helps doctors make accurate and timely diagnoses and treatment regimens. Electronic medical records help eliminate the use and storage of paper documents, save space and reduce printing and storage costs.

Just by not printing X-ray films, CT scans, MRIs, and not printing test orders, results, medical records, etc., Bach Mai Hospital saves nearly 80 billion VND each year. This money continues to be invested and upgraded.

According to statistics from Thanh Son District Medical Center (Phu Tho Province), in the past, a paper medical record could be up to 50-60 sheets of A4 paper, but when the hospital implemented electronic medical records, the paper medical record was reduced to only 4-5 sheets. Each year, the center examines and treats about 22,000 inpatients. If all used paper medical records, the amount of printed paper would be up to 1.1 million sheets. Currently, the hospital has implemented electronic medical records, the amount of printed paper has been reduced to only 1/10.

On April 11, the Ministry of Health issued a list of common codes for paraclinical techniques and terminology (Phase 1). The issuance of this list aims to implement the roadmap for standardizing the list of medical tests, diagnostic imaging and functional examinations, aiming to connect test results between medical facilities, as a basis for promoting electronic medical records in medical examination and treatment facilities and standardizing health sector data.

A total of 2,964 indexes were issued this time, including Hematology-Blood Transfusion: 1,022 indexes; Biochemistry: 447 indexes; Microbiology: 174 indexes; Pathology: 81 indexes; Radiology: 1,240 indexes. This code list is applied uniformly nationwide, including all public and private medical examination and treatment facilities.

According to the Ministry of Health, the issuance of this Decision is important and has great significance because the connection of testing data will contribute to reducing paraclinical costs for patients, limiting unnecessary re-testing, saving costs and time for patients in accordance with the Government's direction.

Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan affirmed that information technology and digital transformation have made important contributions, creating great changes in social activities in general and in the health sector in particular. Information technology has made profound and fundamental changes, becoming an indispensable means and tool in the activities of the health sector./.

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/cac-benh-vien-rao-riet-hoan-thanh-trien-khai-benh-an-dien-tu-trong-thang-9-post1033290.vnp