Patients at Hà Đông General Hospital in Hà Nội.— Photo vov.vn

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Health has launched a pilot scheme allowing a single family member to register a hospital fee guarantee with a bank on behalf of an entire household, paving the way for a treat first, pay later model in public health care facilities.

Hà Đông General Hospital in Hà Nội is the first institution to trial the initiative.

Under the scheme, patients use a mobile application to input personal details such as their citizen identification number, phone number and full name.

The app enables them to book appointments, access diagnostic imaging results and view doctors’ conclusions.

To activate the hospital fee guarantee service, users link the application to their bank account and transfer a designated amount.

They can then proceed with examinations and treatment without having to queue to make advance payments or settle bills at the cashier’s desk.

Upon arrival at the hospital, patients only need to inform staff that they are using the guarantee scheme.

All medical expenses are automatically deducted from the linked account.

There is no need to carry cash or wait in line to make deposits.

Detailed statements of charges, invoices and test results are displayed transparently on the application, allowing patients to monitor and verify costs.

The system also enables remote guarantees, meaning users do not have to present the app at the admissions desk.

For elderly patients, relatives can complete the procedures remotely and register the guarantee on their behalf.

When arriving at the hospital, older patients simply present their citizen ID card and inform staff that the fees have been guaranteed, after which the information is synchronised on the system.

They no longer need to queue to make payments or wait for refunds of unused advances.

Any unused balance can be released immediately back to the guarantor’s bank account upon cancellation.

The model is designed to make hospital visits more convenient for patients while reducing pressure on payment counters, limiting direct contact and improving transparency and standardisation of procedures.

Previously, patients often had to queue multiple times to make deposits and reclaim unused funds.

Now, after completing their examination and signing off on the itemised bill, they can leave immediately without prolonged waiting.

Nguyễn Minh Ngọc, a resident of Ngô Quyền Street, said she used the system during a dental visit to the hospital two weeks ago after being introduced to it by a cashier.

After downloading the 'VN Y tế' app and transferring a spending limit into her account, payments were automatically deducted according to the services used.

In the past, she had to take a number, queue to pay an advance and, if she decided to add another service during the visit, she had to queue again to make another payment.

It meant more walking back and forth and more waiting, she said.

“With the fee guarantee, patients save a great deal of time.”

She added that the entire registration, examination and treatment process took just over an hour.

Vũ Thuý Quỳnh, from Mộ Lao Ward, said the system not only reduced queuing time but also spared her repeated trips to the cashier’s desk, particularly when consultations ran late.

“Previously, if you had a morning appointment and test results came back around noon, the payment counters would be crowded. If you missed the hospital’s payment window, you had to wait until the afternoon,” she said.

“Now, once the examination is finished, there is no need to queue. The app handles the payment automatically and any remaining balance can be refunded after a simple cancellation request.”

Data show that the hospital receives between 1,500 and 2,000 inpatients and outpatients each day.

Nguyễn Thị Hương Giang of the hospital’s finance and accounting department said the high patient volume had placed considerable strain on both patients and cashier staff.

Since the guarantee software was introduced, however, that pressure had eased markedly.

Nguyễn Thành Vinh, Director of Hà Đông General Hospital, said that in the initial phase around 70 per cent of patients using on-demand services had opted for the guarantee scheme.

Processing time at reception and cashier counters had fallen by approximately 30 per cent, with significant reductions in advance payments and refunds.

The model, he added, had not disrupted the hospital’s overall operations.

The health sector plans to roll out the scheme next at the Agricultural General Hospital before expanding it to other facilities.

According to the ministry’s Department of Medical Service Administration, although Việt Nam’s health care sector has made significant strides in professional standards and digital transformation in recent years, a paradox remains.

While clinical expertise continues to advance, hospital fee collection procedures at many facilities remain outdated.

At present, most hospitals, public and private, provincial and central, still require patients to pay advances before treatment.

Against this backdrop, officials describe the hospital fee guarantee portal as a humane and practical solution.

The model enables patients to seek treatment with greater peace of mind, without worrying about immediate financial shortfalls or repeated advance payments and refunds, and provides greater financial control, even in cases involving high treatment costs. — VNS