A patient pays for medical services at Chợ Rẫy Hospital in HCM City. VNS Photo Thu Hằng

HCM CITY — HCM City’s Chợ Rẫy Hospital and State-owned Vietcombank are issuing debit cards for use by outpatients.

Speaking at a ceremony on Monday to release the new card, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyễn Trường Sơn said the adoption of e-payment would help patients save time and efforts and increase transparency and patient satisfaction.

Besides, at this time of COVID-19, cashless payments help reduce contact between people, he said.

The Ministry of Health encourages health facilities across the country to go cashless, especially major central hospitals, he added.

Nguyễn Tri Thức, director of the hospital, said the hospital provides treatment and health checks to nearly 10,000 inpatients and outpatients every day.

“The [debit] cards will record patients’ personal information and medical history, making it more convenient for follow-up examinations.”

“It also helps streamline the workflow for medical personnel.”

Inpatients can also pay using apps that enable various cashless payment methods such as through bank accounts, credit cards and e-wallets, he added. — VNS