Reorganize hospitals to better care for people's health

On the afternoon of June 1, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha listened to the Ministry of Health report on the draft of the Master Plan for Restructuring Hospitals under the Ministry of Health (the Plan), with the participation of leaders of a number of ministries, branches and localities.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha asked the Ministry of Health to clarify further criteria for determining leading hospitals, such as investment mechanisms, facilities, human resources, technical research capacity, new treatment regimens, and the ability to support lower-level specialized and general hospitals... - Photo: VGP/Minh Khoi

Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan said that the Ministry of Health currently has 34 affiliated hospitals that are undertaking the tasks of providing final-level medical examination and treatment, directing the medical sector, training medical human resources, especially at the postgraduate level; researching and developing new diagnostic and treatment techniques and methods; supporting state management of the sector; international cooperation in research, transfer of new techniques, and training human resources, etc.

According to the Project, the arrangement and reorganization of hospitals under the Ministry of Health must ensure comprehensiveness and synchronization; harmoniously combine inheritance and stability with innovation and development; create favorable conditions for providing high-tech services in health care for cadres and people; be consistent with the policies, orientations and strategies for the development of the health sector, build a number of modern hospitals on par with the region and the world; be implemented according to a roadmap, in accordance with the conditions of each unit and locality, ensuring practicality, efficiency and feasibility, creating stability in the operation of the unit.

Specifically, the Ministry of Health will only retain leading hospitals, taking on the role of responding to and providing professional support at the national level; having the capacity to conduct applied research, develop new specialized techniques; receive and transfer advanced techniques; provide specialized training and practical training for resident physicians, and provide advanced professional training; and ensure that all people can access geographically convenient medical examination and treatment facilities.

Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan said that it is expected that the Ministry of Health will have 30 affiliated hospitals - Photo: VGP/Minh Khoi

Some current specialized hospitals have not met the criteria of leading hospitals, but belong to a number of priority specialized fields that need to continue to invest resources to develop specialized techniques to respond to changes in disease patterns, in line with the planning for the development of a specialized, high-tech medical network.

It is expected that the Ministry of Health will have 30 affiliated hospitals; 3 hospitals will be reorganized into practice hospitals, or merged with other hospitals under the Ministry of Health; 1 hospital will be transferred to local management.

At the meeting, Chairman of the Quang Nam Provincial People's Committee Le Tri Thanh agreed with the Ministry of Health's arrangement plan for Quang Nam Central General Hospital. Accordingly, this hospital will continue to be under the Ministry of Health until 2025 and will be invested in facilities, trained staff and doctors to meet the standards of a Grade 1 hospital by 2025 and have autonomy in regular spending. By 2026, Quang Nam Central General Hospital will become the third facility of Hue Central General Hospital. In addition, leaders of the Hanoi and Vinh Phuc People's Committees said they are ready to receive hospitals under central ministries and branches in the area, including the Ministry of Health.

Vice Chairwoman of Hanoi People's Committee Vu Thu Ha said the city is ready to receive hospitals under ministries and branches in the area - Photo: VGP/Minh Khoi

Representatives of the Ministries of Home Affairs, Finance, Justice, and Planning and Investment also discussed and requested the Ministry of Health to clarify the criteria for selecting affiliated hospitals, hospitals transferred to localities, and hospitals rearranged; the suitability with the health network development plan; the ability to mobilize forces to respond to urgent public health situations;...

Taking note of the comments, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha stated that the Project must properly and seriously implement the Central Government's directive: Ministries (except the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security) and ministerial-level agencies shall not manage hospitals, but gradually transfer them to local management. The Ministry of Health shall only manage a very small number of leading hospitals.

Separating state management and administration of affiliated hospitals not only better meets people's needs for medical examination and treatment, but also helps the Ministry of Health focus resources on research and promulgation of management mechanisms and policies to meet requirements in the new situation.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha said that separating state management and administration of affiliated hospitals will both better meet people's needs for medical examination and treatment and help the Ministry of Health focus resources on research and promulgation of management mechanisms and policies to meet requirements in the new situation - Photo: VGP/Minh Khoi

The Deputy Prime Minister said that it is necessary to have a new perspective in implementing the arrangement and reorganization of hospitals under the Ministry of Health to ensure the balance between the central and local levels; promote autonomy and socialization in areas with favorable conditions to allocate resources for strong investment in low-lying areas in terms of health; develop specialties suitable to the current disease model...

Therefore, the criteria for arranging and reorganizing hospitals under the Ministry of Health must be scientific and clear, ensuring that after the arrangement, the hospitals will develop more strongly, have better organizational structures and capacity to connect in chains and lines. "All plans must be suitable to reality, taking into account the interests of the people and patients. Do not cut back or arrange machines or mechanically," the Deputy Prime Minister noted.

The Deputy Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Health to study and fully absorb the opinions at the meeting to complete the Project. In particular, it should clarify the criteria for determining leading hospitals, such as investment mechanisms, facilities, human resources, technical research capacity, new treatment regimens, and the ability to support lower-level specialized and general hospitals;...

The Ministry of Health also needs to evaluate the compatibility and operating mechanism of the hospitals after the arrangement; suitability with practical conditions; refer to the experience of some countries that have done well in the socialization of healthcare;...

Baochinhphu.vn

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/sap-xep-to-chuc-lai-benh-vien-de-cham-lo-suc-khoe-cho-nhan-dan-tot-hon-102230601190905781.htm