Minister of Health Đào Hồng Lan speaks at the event. — VNS Photot Thanh Hải

LÀO CAI — Promoting digital transformation, innovating governance, and applying high technology in medical examinations and treatment are the main themes of the 2026 Annual Conference of the Northern Provinces Hospital Directors Club, taking place in Lào Cai Province on May 23.

With the theme “Smart Hospital - Smart Leadership,” the conference has become an important bridge for sharing hospital management experiences, keeping abreast of modern medical advancements, and promoting professional cooperation among healthcare facilities in the northern provinces.

In recent years, the club has focused on discussing current issues in the healthcare sector, such as hospital autonomy, digital transformation, quality management, high-tech development, and improving emergency care capabilities. It has also recognised many management initiatives, effective operating models, and new development trends of the hospital system in the current period.

Speaking at the conference, Minister of Health Đào Hồng Lan emphasised that digital transformation and the development of smart hospitals were no longer just trends but had become a vital requirement for every healthcare facility.

Minister of Health Lan emphasised that the health sector was facing the demand for comprehensive reform in governance, digital transformation, high-tech development, and improvement of the quality of medical examination and treatment. In particular, digital transformation, smart hospitals, stem cell technology, cell therapy, and innovation had been identified as strategic directions, creating a foundation for a modern, transparent, and patient-centred healthcare system.

“To succeed, hospital leaders must have vision, a determination to innovate, and the courage to take responsibility,” said Lan.

Minister Lan said building a smart hospital would not simply be about investing in modern equipment or high-tech software systems, but more importantly, it must help improve management efficiency and enhance the patient experience.

“A smart hospital needs to reduce waiting times, streamline administrative procedures, minimise professional errors, effectively manage medications, supplies, public assets, and optimise operational resources.”

The health minister also emphasised the decisive role of the hospital's leader in this process. 

President of the Northern Provinces Hospital Directors Club, Director of Bạch Mai Hospital, Prof. Dr. Đào Xuân Cơ, speaks at the event.— VNS Photo Thanh Hải

At the event, President of the Northern Provinces Hospital Directors Club, Director of Bạch Mai Hospital, Prof. Dr. Đào Xuân Cơ, said that smart hospitals should not start with smart machines. Smart hospitals must start with smart leaders, smart thinking, smart management, and a smart work culture.

“Hospitals need to innovate more drastically, have more transparent governance, use resources more efficiently, and serve the people better,” said Prof. Cơ.

In particular, Cơ said, the spirit of the Party's 14th Congress documents set very clear requirements for the health sector: It must strongly innovate its governance model, develop science and technology and digital transformation, build a fair, high-quality, efficient and internationally integrated health system; and at the same time ensure that all citizens receive sustainable health care, protection and improvement.

Healthcare reform is not just about investing in more facilities or equipment, but more importantly, it's about reforming management thinking, improving the quality of service to the people, increasing transparency and efficiency, and maximising the capacity of the entire Vietnamese hospital system, according to Prof. Cơ.

The Bạch Mai Hospital director suggested that hospital leaders review their entire hospital management system, develop a genuine digital transformation roadmap, and cultivate a culture of accountability among leaders.

“We must build hospitals where every process is geared towards one ultimate goal: patients receive better, faster, safer, and more humane service,” Prof. Cơ added. 

Director of the Department of Medical Services Administration, MoH, Hà Anh Đức, shares the report on the digital transformation plan in healthcare. — VNS Photo Thanh Hải

The 2026 conference emphasised the direction of building smart hospitals, modern governance, and developing a digital healthcare system.

Participants focused discussion on strategic areas and emerging trends in modern medicine, such as building and operating smart hospitals; applying artificial intelligence (AI) in hospital management, diagnosis and treatment; digital transformation in healthcare; and hospital quality management.

They also shared new advances and innovations in nursing in the digital age; developing inter-hospital emergency models; applying 3D technology in personalised medicine; robotic surgery; organ transplantation; gene therapy, stem cells and precision medicine. Many in-depth reports focused on modern hospital governance models, big data applications, electronic medical records, AI-assisted clinical decision-making, and smart hospital operations management.

The Ministry of Health plays a guiding role throughout the conference, focusing on perfecting mechanisms and policies and promoting digital transformation in healthcare in the spirit of building a modern, efficient, and patient-centred healthcare system.

Many important issues related to medical examination and treatment management, hospital financial management, health insurance, medical data, information security, and the development of high-quality human resources were also discussed at the event. — VNS