The Ministry of Health is pushing to interconnect test results among healthcare facilities to reduce costs for patients.

According to data from the Department of Medical Services Administration, diagnostic testing currently accounts for 19.1% of the total cost covered by health insurance, equivalent to nearly 30 trillion VND per year.

It is estimated that reusing just 1-2% of existing test results could save 300-600 billion VND annually (USD 12.2 to 24.4 million), while improving the overall effectiveness of medical services.

This highlights the urgent need to optimize efficiency, reduce unnecessary spending, and ensure interoperability in test results.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 2025 Annual Scientific Conference of the Vietnam Medical Association on October 24, Dr. Nguyen Trong Khoa, Deputy Director of the Department of Medical Services Administration, stated that Vietnam has made significant progress in building a quality evaluation system for laboratories over the years.

To enable interoperability of test results, facilities must assess quality levels based on the Ministry of Health’s 2017 Decision No. 2429 standards.

Laboratories are required to publicly disclose their test quality, and this rating must be clearly displayed on test reports.

Dr. Khoa emphasized that not all test results are reusable - only specific types qualify.

The Ministry of Health is currently drafting a circular to provide clear guidelines for hospitals on the matter.

In the near future, the Ministry of Health will require provincial health departments to further enhance lab quality across all facilities under their management.

They must conduct evaluations and publicly disclose each laboratory’s quality rating according to Ministry standards.

This system will also align with the broader rollout of electronic medical records (EMRs).

Interconnected test results allow quick access to patient data, helping doctors make accurate diagnoses and treatment decisions, with projected savings in the hundreds of billions of dong annually.

Additionally, digital medical imaging brings significant benefits.

Digitized imaging allows remote analysis, boosting diagnostic efficiency.

Hospitals are also moving toward universal electronic health records, which allow physicians to utilize existing data instead of ordering repeated tests.

Currently, EMRs are secured at Level 3, depending on each hospital's system.

Healthcare facilities must invest in information technology infrastructure, including Hospital Information Systems (HIS), Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS), and cybersecurity protocols.

However, the operational cost of these systems remains high, with hospitals paying monthly service fees.

Dr. Khoa noted that a key challenge is that medical service fees do not yet include IT costs, which are also not reimbursed by health insurance.

In the future, these expenses may be incorporated into medical service pricing, but determining the cost structure will be complex.

The Ministry of Health has proposed that all provincial departments continue to disclose laboratory quality ratings and work toward nationwide standardization.

Hospitals must actively adopt shared coding systems and integrate EMRs, while external quality assurance centers must enhance their support role and ensure proper oversight.

Phuong Thuy