Public hospitals in the southern province of Dong Nai are facing a brain drain with many doctors moving into the private sector due to more attractive salaries.  

Dong Nai General Hospital

Last year, 97 doctors at public hospitals in Dong Nai left their jobs, including 20 from Thong Nhat General Hospital, 32 from Dong Nai General Hospital, eight from Dong Nai Paediatrics Hospital. Among those, 23 are post-graduates. 

In 2017, local public hospitals in Dong Nai saw the same number of doctors who stopped working.

So far this year, 18 doctors have stopped working at the province’s public hospitals. Most of them have moved to private hospitals due to better wages.

“The situation has reached an alarming level,” said Director of the provincial Department of Health Phan Huy Anh Vu.

Le Thi Phuong Tram, deputy director of Dong Nai General Hospital, said that the hospital has 300 doctors and medical staff with the average salary of VND9-15 million (USD391-652) per month. Among those, 40% have worked there for 2-5 years and 20% have served there for more than six years.

Tram added since early this year, six doctors at the hospital had left. She noted that doctors have often tended to work at public hospitals for several years and then after securing their practicing certificates, they move to private medical facilities.

According to Tram, her hospital conducted a survey showing that up to 70% of doctors at the hospital want their salary increased to VND20-25 million per month; meanwhile, 20% hope their salary will be VND25-30 million.

The hospital is seeking ways to diversify medical check-up services outside of working hours in order to allow doctors to increase their salaries.

Pham Van Dung, director of Thong Nhat General Hospital said that not only doctors but also nurses had been attracted to the private sector. More than ten senior nurses at the hospital recently stopped working.

Director of Dong Nai Province’s Department of Health Phan Huy Anh Vu said that to improve the situation, the department allowed Dong Nai General Hospital and Thong Nhat General Hospital to apply the work package model for their doctors.

It means that doctors will provide medical check-up and treatment for patients from the beginning to the end. Doctors will receive income from the package, depending on specific conditions. This is intended to make doctors more responsible to their patients, encouraging them to improve their skills and diversifying hospital services.

Lao Dong/Dtinews