According to Dr. Dao Viet Phuong, Deputy Director of the Stroke Center at Bach Mai Hospital, only about 23.2% of patients in Vietnam receive emergency care within the critical “golden hour” - defined as the first 4.5 hours after symptom onset. Just 20% of patients are transported to hospital via professional emergency services, a key factor influencing survival and recovery.

Dr. Phuong shared the data at an international conference on non-communicable disease prevention marking the 45th anniversary of the hospital’s Respiratory Center.

Barriers delay life-saving treatment

Vietnam is currently among the countries with the highest stroke incidence globally. Yet access to timely emergency care remains limited, with multiple bottlenecks slowing patients’ journey to treatment.

Every passing minute during a stroke can destroy millions of brain cells. However, many patients fail to recognize early warning signs, choose to travel to hospital on their own instead of calling emergency services, or are transferred between facilities before reaching specialized care.

Pre-hospital emergency systems (EMS) remain underdeveloped and unevenly distributed. Optimized treatment models such as “drip and ship” - administering clot-dissolving drugs before transferring patients - and advanced neurovascular interventions have yet to be widely implemented.

As a result, the window of opportunity to save lives and reduce long-term disability is often missed.

A national strategy and the role of technology

In response, Vietnam has introduced a comprehensive national strategy for stroke prevention and control for the 2025-2035 period. The plan aims to reduce new cases, lower mortality rates and minimize long-term complications.

A key pillar of the strategy is raising public awareness. Recognizing early symptoms such as facial drooping, limb weakness or speech difficulties - and calling emergency services immediately - could save thousands of lives each year.

At the clinical level, the Stroke Center at Bach Mai Hospital has developed an ecosystem to support stroke care, including the establishment of 10 regional stroke units in Thanh Hoa, with further expansion planned in Quang Ninh, Lao Cai and Thai Nguyen.

In 2026, this network is expected to extend to island and coastal areas, improving access to timely intervention.

Artificial intelligence is also emerging as a transformative tool in stroke care. AI can assist doctors in analyzing brain imaging, detecting abnormalities earlier and enabling faster, more accurate treatment decisions.

Digital platforms and risk management applications are being developed to monitor patients remotely, provide early warnings and support preventive care. At the same time, personalized treatment based on individual patient data is expected to improve outcomes, reduce complications and optimize costs.

Alongside these efforts, Bach Mai Hospital has introduced a range of new digital systems, including a multilingual information portal, centralized Smart ICU management, the “Bach Mai Care” application, a cashless vehicle fee system and integrated security camera networks.

These initiatives are expected to enhance healthcare quality, streamline hospital operations and strengthen safety and security across the system.

Phuong Thuy