HCM CITY — A smart healthcare system will save time for patients and increase the efficiency of treatment, medical experts said yesterday at a seminar on “Smart Healthcare in the 4.0 Industrial Revolution”.

The event was held as part of a four-day Pharmed & Healthcare Vietnam expo that featured the latest cancer treatments and smart advances in healthcare systems.

Trần Quý Tường, head of the Electronic Health Administration, said that only 30 seconds were needed for patients to register for a medical appointment using a smart healthcare system, instead of waiting a long time at hospitals. Patients can schedule a suitable date and time for appointments on a hospital’s website.

The system is based on three main pillars: smart clinic, smart medical services and smart medical management.

If all pillars work well, they can improve healthcare services. For the development of a smart healthcare system, there is a need for a basic legal framework, a national health database centre, and technical infrastructure, according to Tường.

In addition, the Department of Health of each locality should use a smart system for medical management, develop online services, and receive and transfer high technology to use for pharmaceutical production, medical equipment and vaccines.

HCM City Medical University Hospital has a self-registration area and is issuing electronic invoices. Patients can register for medical examinations and receive invoices through the hospital’s website.

In addition, patients’ health records are digitalised under the smart healthcare system.

Nguyễn Hoàng Bắc, director of the HCM City Medical University Hospital, said that electronic health records can help save time for treatment, and search for related information. It also supports doctors by monitoring patient’s situations.

However, only a few hospitals in the country are using this system due to a lack of infrastructure, equipment and human resources.

By 2030, the health sector expects to expand the smart healthcare system to all hospitals in the country.

New cancer treatment

At the expo yesterday, the Vietnam-Japan International JSC and ADPEX JSC held a seminar on “Measures to prevent cancer and heart-related diseases”.

The Vietnam-Japan International JSC introduced new therapies such as stem cell therapy, immunotherapy and functional foods to use in the prevention of cancer and heart-related diseases.

According to a Japanese expert, immunotherapy has a positive effect in the treatment of cancer by killing cancer cells in the body.

At the event,  Japanese experts described how Japanese use food supplement to protect and promote health.

The seminar was held to raise public awareness about prevention of cancer and heart-related diseases. — VNS