Deputy Minister of Health Nguyễn Tri Thức chairs the conference to discuss proposals for organising the connection and integration of periodic health check-up data and the establishment of electronic health records for citizens. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam’s health authorities are pushing to expand digital medical records by linking routine health check-up data to the national electronic health record system on the VNeID application, a move officials say could significantly strengthen the country’s health care database and improve services for patients.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyễn Tri Thức said connecting and integrating information from periodic health examinations into the digital system would gradually build a comprehensive national repository of medical data, helping strengthen primary health care and support better patient management.

Speaking at a meeting on Tuesday on proposals to connect periodic health check-up data and expand electronic health records for citizens, Thức said early results show that digital health records integrated into the VNeID app are already delivering practical benefits for hospitals and patients during medical consultations and treatment.

A key policy framework guiding the initiative is Resolution No.57-NQ/TW issued by the Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam on December 22, 2024. The resolution focuses on breakthroughs in science and technology development, innovation and national digital transformation, with implications across multiple sectors including health care.

Health officials say implementing the resolution in the medical sector is expected to drive broad improvements, raising the quality of health care services while accelerating the development of a national health care database. Authorities also aim to build a modern, efficient and patient-friendly system capable of serving the public more effectively.

At the meeting, the National Health Information Centre reported that electronic health records linked to the VNeID application have been deployed across all 34 cities and provinces, covering around 30 million digital health records.

However most of the current data comes from examinations and treatment funded through the national health insurance system. Information from routine health check-ups and screening programmes has yet to be fully connected or integrated into the platform.

To address the gap, the centre proposed several measures to connect periodic health examination data from hospitals, local health stations and mobile screening programmes conducted at offices, schools and businesses. The plan is to update this information in the Ministry of Health’s medical examination database and synchronise it with the National Population Database so it can be displayed on the VNeID application.

During discussions, representatives from specialised agencies considered two options for integrating the data. Many participants suggested using the data reception system operated by Vietnam Social Security, saying the existing infrastructure and nationwide familiarity among medical facilities with the platform could allow for faster implementation.

Thức stressed that grassroots health care plays a crucial role in managing public health, including preventive medicine, routine health checks and community health management. He noted that different localities are currently running a range of health management programmes, making it necessary to establish a unified information technology infrastructure to ensure effective data management.

He added that data from periodic health check-ups should also be updated and displayed in the electronic health record integrated into the VNeID application.

In recent years, the health care sector’s digital transformation has focused on three main pillars: smart medical treatment, smart health care services and smart governance. At the same time the sector aims to reduce inconvenience and waiting times for citizens while building a smarter health care system that improves public satisfaction. — VNS