Hanoi Mayor Vu Dai Thang recently signed and issued a plan to implement the Politburo’s Resolution 72-NQ/TW on breakthrough solutions to strengthen the protection, care, and improvement of people's health.

The city aims to pilot AI starting from March 2026 at the three hospitals. Currently, medical facilities are preparing infrastructure and human resources for implementation.

Dr. Do Dinh Tung, Director of Duc Giang General Hospital, said that AI is expected to be applied first in the field of diagnostic imaging, supporting the analysis of data from X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs at the hospital.

According to Tung, the AI system has the capability to support the early detection of several dangerous conditions such as cancer, stroke, cardiovascular diseases, and lung pathologies. In the initial phase, the pilot will focus on the Department of Diagnostic Imaging and related specialties to evaluate the practical effectiveness of AI in assisting doctors with reading and analyzing medical images.

At Hanoi Oncology Hospital, Dr. Vo Quoc Hoan, Deputy Head of the General Planning Department, said that since 2025, the hospital has used AI software to assist in reading X-ray films, helping analyze nearly 21,000 cases. After imaging results are available, AI records suspicious lesions as a reference source to help doctors avoid omissions, especially in lung cancer screening.

In the near future, the hospital plans to expand AI applications in diagnostic imaging such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT), and supporting smart radiotherapy planning. AI can also assist in reading pathological specimens, speeding up the analysis process and reducing the risk of missing details.

Beyond clinical expertise, AI is also used in medical record management, professional regulation monitoring, and control of issues related to health insurance and medical cost payments.

“The hospital is also developing an AI chatbot to provide information on medical procedures, examination schedules, service prices, treatment processes, and navigation instructions within the hospital. The chatbot is in the testing phase and is expected to be put into use soon,” Hoan said.

Multiple benefits 

Medical experts acknowledge that AI in medical examination and treatment can bring many benefits to both doctors and patients.

For doctors, AI helps analyze large volumes of medical imaging data quickly while suggesting abnormal signs that might be missed during the film-reading process. This technology also serves as a reference tool to help doctors make more accurate clinical decisions.

However, leaders of Duc Giang Hospital emphasized that AI only plays a supporting role, while the final professional decision will still be made by doctors.

For patients, AI can help detect diseases earlier, increase diagnostic accuracy, and shorten the waiting time for results. This improves the quality of care and patient experience, especially amid an increasing number of patients at hospitals.

During the pilot implementation at hospitals, some initial difficulties have arisen, particularly regarding technological infrastructure.

Hospitals need to equip themselves with computers powerful enough configurations for AI operations. Additionally, hospitals must standardize data or optimize systems to fit practical operations. They must self-finance the software, personnel, and operating systems as there is no direct revenue source from this technology yet.

At a recent exhibition, the "Health Station 4.0" model by Duc Giang General Hospital received high praise from experts due to its digital applications and seamless connectivity between the hospital and primary healthcare facilities.

The highlight of this model is the digitalization of the entire medical examination and treatment process. Health stations are connected via remote consultation (telehealth) with hospital doctors, creating a professional "mentorship" mechanism. 

Notably, the hospital has piloted the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for transporting medicine and biological samples. This is the first hospital in the country to implement such an application. 

Previously, transporting lab samples or emergency medicine between the hospital and health stations was primarily done by road. In a crowded city like Hanoi, this could take 15–30 minutes, or even longer during peak hours.

In contrast, UAVs shorten the transport time to just 5–10 minutes by flying in a straight line, independent of traffic conditions.

Vo Thu