Digital transformation to build smart hospitals: The inevitable direction of the healthcare industry

"Smart hospitals are no longer a futuristic concept but are becoming the new standard. In the context of patients increasingly expecting more fast, transparent, personalized services, digital transformation and lean management are inevitable directions." That was the comment of Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan at the Annual Conference of the Hospital Directors Club of Northern Provinces held on April 19 in Hai Duong province.

Annual Conference of the Hospital Directors Club of Northern Provinces. (Photo: VNA)

Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan emphasized: The health sector is facing the need for strong transformation in terms of thinking, organization and management, in order to meet the people's increasing expectations for the quality of health care. The theme "Smart hospitals and sustainable management" chosen for this year's conference reflects the urgent need for the digital transformation process of the entire sector.

In recent years, the hospital system has made many advances in management, quality and technology application. However, there are still many shortcomings: overload at the upper level, under-developed primary health care ; shortage of professional human resources, especially in remote areas; financial and autonomy mechanisms still have many obstacles; difficulties in bidding and purchasing medical supplies causing drug shortages; unsynchronized digital transformation, limited and unskilled IT human resources; uneven medical services...

Smart hospitals are no longer a futuristic concept but are becoming the new norm. As patients increasingly expect fast, transparent, personalized services, digital transformation and lean management are inevitable. Modern management also helps reduce waste, increase transparency, and improve service quality.

Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan speaks at the conference. (Photo: VNA)

Many large hospitals such as Bach Mai, Cho Ray, and 108 have taken the lead in applying electronic medical records, improving processes, and promoting professional ethics. Associate Professor, Dr. Dao Xuan Co, Director of Bach Mai Hospital, shared: The hospital has applied electronic medical records completely since November 2024; deployed the "Bach Mai Care" application to help patients proactively look up information and medical examination history; implemented a streamlined management project, standardized processes, and optimized costs; cooperated with many partners to develop a green, environmentally friendly hospital model.

According to him, digital transformation brings four major benefits: Improving the quality of medical examination and treatment thanks to electronic medical records; Optimizing processes, saving nearly 80 billion VND per year by eliminating paperwork; Improving patient experience through online services; Promoting research and application of artificial intelligence, such as the AI system for diagnosing lung cancer from CT images and histopathology developed by the hospital.

Regarding the expansion of electronic medical records, Dr. Ha Anh Duc, Director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management, said that the Department has recently advised the leaders of the Ministry of Health to sign documents on the list of inter-clinical tests with identification codes for each hospital. These lists all meet more than 90% of international standards. This is the first guarantee for data inter-connection nationwide. With this list, medical facilities will be able to apply electronic medical records more conveniently.

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/chuyen-doi-so-xay-dung-benh-vien-thong-minh-huong-di-tat-yeu-cua-nganh-y-te-212801.html