Telemedicine: Patient-centered, bridging geographical distances, and enhancing the capabilities of healthcare facilities.

Professor Tran Van Thuan, Deputy Minister of Health, stated that telemedicine is not just a technical solution, but a method of reorganizing healthcare services in a patient-centered manner, shortening geographical distances.

On December 11th, in Hanoi, the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management, Ministry of Health, in collaboration with UNDP, KOFIH, and Kangbuk Samsung Hospital - South Korea, organized the 2nd Vietnam-Korea Telemedicine Workshop.

This activity is part of the project "Applying telemedicine to enhance access to healthcare services for vulnerable groups in Vietnam".

Prof. Dr. Tran Van Thuan, Deputy Minister of Health, Chairman of the National Medical Council spoke.

Telemedicine, a strategic component in the organization of a modern healthcare system.

Professor Tran Van Thuan, Deputy Minister of Health and Chairman of the National Medical Council, stated that telemedicine is not just a technical solution, but a method of reorganizing healthcare services in a patient-centered manner, shortening geographical distances, sharing professional knowledge, and enhancing the capacity of healthcare facilities closest to the people.

"In Vietnam, telemedicine is no longer just a temporary solution during the pandemic, but has become a strategic component in the organization of a modern healthcare system. From over a thousand telemedicine points established during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the telemedicine model continues to be maintained, expanded, and gradually deepened, serving tens of thousands of people each year, especially in remote areas and vulnerable groups," the Deputy Minister of Health informed.

Alongside practical implementation, Vietnam has gradually perfected the legal framework for this field. The Law on Medical Examination and Treatment of 2023, along with its guiding decrees and circulars, has officially recognized, regulated, and created a legal framework for telemedicine activities.

This is a significant step forward, demonstrating the government's determination to integrate technology into serving the people's right to equitable and safe healthcare.

According to Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan, Vietnam is currently strongly promoting three major processes simultaneously. Firstly , national digital transformation, with healthcare identified as one of the priority areas directly impacting people's quality of life. Secondly , perfecting the institutional framework for new healthcare service models linked to data, technology, and artificial intelligence. Thirdly , increasingly deep, substantive, and selective international integration.

In that spirit, the Vietnamese Politburo has issued several important resolutions, creating a solid political foundation for the development of digital healthcare. Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW identifies science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation as strategic breakthroughs. Resolution 59-NQ/TW emphasizes the need to improve the quality of international integration through cooperation in knowledge, technology, and governance.

In particular, Resolution No. 72 on some breakthrough solutions to strengthen the protection, care, and improvement of people's health has focused on consolidating grassroots healthcare and strongly applying digital technology in the provision of healthcare services.

"Telemedicine, in this context, is not just a technical solution, but a method of reorganizing healthcare services in a patient-centered way, shortening geographical distances, sharing professional knowledge, and enhancing the capacity of the healthcare system closest to the people," Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan stated.

The scene at the conference.

The Ministry of Health will continue to research, evaluate, and adjust policies related to AI in healthcare.

According to Mr. Nguyen Truong Nam, Deputy Director of the National Center for Medical Information, Clause 19, Article 2 of the 2023 Law on Medical Examination and Treatment stipulates: "Telemedicine is a form of medical examination and treatment that does not involve direct contact between the medical practitioner and the patient, but is carried out through information technology and equipment."

Telemedicine increases reliance on digital infrastructure; medical data is continuously generated, transmitted, and processed over the network. This leads to: Sensitive personal data (medical conditions, test results, endoscopic images, diagnostic results, etc.) being easily leaked. Online interactions (video calls, sending photos/films, connecting telemedicine devices) being easily stolen or eavesdropped on. Connections between multiple hospitals or IoMT (Internet of Medical Things) devices are at risk of attack.

Mr. Nguyen Truong Nam believes that, in order to use and manage artificial intelligence in healthcare, it is necessary to complete the legal framework regulating the use of AI in healthcare. Accordingly, the Ministry of Health will develop regulations on the verification, licensing, and quality control of AI in medical examination and treatment, ensuring that only AI systems that meet standards are deployed in clinical practice.

To enhance the quality of medical data and protect patient data, the Ministry of Health will coordinate with relevant agencies to ensure that AI systems strictly comply with information security regulations, avoiding the risk of personal data leaks.

Dr. Nguyen Trong Khoa, Deputy Director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management, Ministry of Health, delivered a speech.

The Ministry of Health will issue ethical guidelines on AI in healthcare, clearly defining the responsibilities of all stakeholders. All final treatment decisions must be overseen and confirmed by a physician, ensuring professional accountability and protecting the rights of patients.

The Ministry of Health will continue to research, evaluate, and adjust policies related to AI in healthcare, ensuring that new technological solutions are applied effectively, safely, and appropriately to the Vietnamese healthcare system, while also meeting ethical standards in medical examination and treatment. Accordingly, it will utilize international standards to build standardized datasets and develop educational and training programs for doctors and healthcare professionals to understand and effectively use AI in their work.

According to Dr. Nguyen Trong Khoa, Deputy Director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management (Ministry of Health), standardizing medical examination and treatment data at medical facilities is crucial for the application of electronic medical records to serve remote medical examination and treatment.

To contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the commitment to "leaving no one behind" in Vietnam, information presented at the workshop indicated that strengthening digital transformation in healthcare is crucial for improving the quality of primary healthcare services, through specific areas such as: upgrading software, perfecting digital solutions, providing information technology equipment, training, and improving the legal framework for telemedicine...

Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan, and domestic and international delegates at the conference.

Source: https://suckhoedoisong.vn/y-te-tu-xa-lay-nguoi-benh-lam-trung-tam-rut-ngan-khoang-cach-dia-ly-nang-cao-nang-luc-cua-co-so-169251211200545291.htm