Speaking with VietNamNet, Dr. Ha Anh Duc, Director of the Department of Medical Services Administration under the Ministry of Health, noted that Vietnam currently has 52,000 clinics, approximately 400 private hospitals, and 1,600 public hospitals. As required by the Government and Ministry of Health, all hospitals nationwide were instructed to complete the transition from traditional paper-based records to electronic medical records within September.

However, during the 4th session of the Government's Steering Committee on Science and Technology Development, Innovation, Digital Transformation, and Project 06 on September 24, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan reported that only 630 medical facilities nationwide have fully implemented EMRs and eliminated paper records.

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Thanks to the electronic medical record system, doctors can access patient files and medical images from anywhere within the hospital. Photo: Vo Thu

Among them, 84 out of 125 first-class provincial public hospitals (approximately 70%) have completed the implementation. All 31 hospitals under the Ministry of National Defense have switched to EMRs (100% compliance), and 66% of Ministry of Public Security hospitals have followed suit, with the remaining institutions striving to meet the deadline. Only 140 out of 399 private hospitals have implemented EMRs.

The health minister acknowledged that some hospitals transferred from the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs to the Ministry of Health are struggling with software system transitions and administrative restructuring. Additionally, delays in procurement procedures have also slowed down EMR implementation nationwide, making it unlikely to meet the September 30 deadline.

Some localities, however, have shown strong progress. Provinces such as Vinh Long, Nghe An, and Lao Cai have completed assessments and activated EMR systems at 100% of public and private healthcare facilities.

EMRs gaining ground in Ho Chi Minh City and other major cities

At a conference on September 26, representatives from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health stated that the city currently has 164 hospitals, 38 regional health centers, 168 ward-level clinics, 296 community health points, and 10,627 clinics.

Among these, 153 out of 164 hospitals have implemented EMRs, accounting for over 93% of the city’s entire healthcare network. All 60 public hospitals have launched EMRs, along with 13 out of 14 ministry-affiliated hospitals and 80 out of 90 private hospitals.

In Can Tho, according to the Department of Health, 22 out of 53 hospitals have declared EMR implementation since early September, including one central-level hospital, 17 public hospitals or health centers, and 4 private hospitals. The city aims to reach 100% EMR adoption for all inpatient facilities by September 30.

In Hanoi, the local health department reported that by September 23, 32 out of 42 public hospitals (about 76%) had adopted EMRs. However, the rate among private hospitals remains significantly lower. The department urged all private hospitals to allocate resources and personnel to complete EMR implementation before the deadline.

Experts estimate that a provincial-level hospital needs to invest over 10 billion VND (approximately USD 410,000) to roll out an EMR system. For large-scale hospitals such as Bach Mai or Viet Duc, this figure is considerably higher.

Such implementation costs include modern, stable IT infrastructure, hospital information systems (HIS), laboratory information systems (LIS), picture archiving and communication systems (PACS), and other hardware. Yet currently, IT costs - including EMR deployment and maintenance - are not included in the pricing structure of medical services, making it difficult for even willing hospitals to secure funding.

Vo Thu