Electronic Medical Records Too Expensive for Many Hospitals in Vietnam
The adoption of electronic medical records (EMRs) in Vietnam has been slow due to financial and technological constraints, local and foreign media reported.
So far, 70 healthcare facilities have transitioned to EMRs out of nearly 1,500 public hospitals and over 300 private ones in Vietnam. The Ministry of Health aims for all hospitals to switch to EMRs by 2025, but progress is lagging, said Nguyen Truong Nam, deputy director of the ministry’s information technology department. He attributed the slow adoption to the high costs of acquiring and installing digital systems.
Converting to EMRs at a provincial-level hospital with 300-500 beds costs more than VND10 billion ($393,000). Major hospitals like Cho Ray in Ho Chi Minh City, and Bach Mai, Viet Duc, and K hospitals in Hanoi face even higher costs, Mr. Nam noted.
Dr. Luong Cong Minh from Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital noted their transition cost VND13 billion ($510,800) for equipment and training. Mr. Nguyen Anh Dung, deputy director of the HCM City Department of Health, also highlighted staff limitations and privacy concerns as major hurdles in converting to EMRs.