Gia Lộc

HCM CITY— An Phúc General Health Clinic in HCM City’s District 10 saw an increase in the number of patients from 29,192 in January last year to 33,817 by the end of the year, thanks to improvements made under the Department of Health’s set of criteria.

The clinic is using IT in the supervision of its doctors following the department’s treatment protocols, and its health staff have been trained in basic knowledge of control of hospital-acquired infections.

Assessment and supervision of staff also comply with regulations and technical procedures on the control of hospital-acquired infections.

Patients can also input their satisfaction level on a computer after they are examined and treated.

The An Nhiên General Health Clinic in Tân Bình District, which offers physical rehabilitation based on traditional medicine, is now equipped with sufficient equipment along with a clean and spacious facility.

The clinic serves patients with chronic non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and accidents which cause a high risk of morbidity.

The cost of health examination and techniques for treatment has to be openly published, according to the health department’s requirement.

Other general health clinics in the city are learning from these two model health clinics’ operations.

Dr Tăng Chí Thượng, the department’s deputy head, said that the model of An Nhiên General Health Clinic also should be expanded to serve the community, because the country, including HCM City, faces an increase of incidences of chronic non-communicable disease.

Besides general health clinics, such clinics like An Nhiên help contribute to comprehensive healthcare services in the city, according to Thượng.

More good-quality general health clinics are needed to provide healthcare services to residents and reduce patient overload at public general and specialised hospitals.

In the first six months of last year, more than 1.1 million patients visited general health clinics in the city, an increase of 6 per cent compared to the same period in 2017.

However, according to Thượng, general health clinics should receive more investment and their health staff should improve their techniques to raise quality.

Many of all of the 215 general health clinics scored less than three out of the maximum five for quality, under the department’s assessment.

Thượng said: “General health clinics assessed the score of one should close their doors.”

The department will strengthen inspections of general health clinics with scores of two or three and help them improve, Thượng said.

He said that the social insurance agency should stop signing contracts with general health clinics that have scores of one or two in quality.  

Next month, the department will launch a mobile phone application for good-quality health facilities that have received a score of three and above.

“The department will continue posting good-quality general health clinics on its website for residents to choose from,” he said.

Thượng also instructed general health clinics to connect their websites with the department’s portal to provide regular updates.

The department updated the quality criteria and explained it at a meeting held last Friday.

“All 215 general health clinics have to operate seriously and comply with legal regulations,” he said.

If any clinic is found in violation, the department will fine them.

The department has instructed health divisions under people’s committees in the city’s districts to strengthen the monitoring of general health clinics.

Nguyễn Mạnh Cường of the department’s inspectorate said that 52 general health clinics were fined a total VNĐ2.3 billion last year. Of these, one clinic was suspended.

Violations concerned health records of patients, improper test prescriptions, and others. — VNS