Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien has highlighted the significance of a public private partnership (PPP) model in raising healthcare quality and easing overload at public hospitals. The benefits of patients should be placed on the top of the collaboration, the minister said at a conference in Ho Chi Minh City on March 10. According to Minister Tien, the ministry is carrying out many projects to reduce hospital overload at central and grassroots levels, including those on satellite hospitals, family doctors and health insurance coverage of total population. Luong Ngoc Khue, head of the ministry’s Department of Medical Examination and Treatment, said the partnership should be established on the basis of voluntariness, equality, mutual benefit and transparency, and within the legal framework. It is a must for hospitals to take the initiative in work and for the ministry as well as municipal and provincial People’s Committees to supervise the coordination, the official said. The ministry said that public hospitals are constantly overloaded with up to 5,000 patients each day while private ones have yet to attract many patients despite their efforts to improve health check-up and treatment quality. Most of the 170 private hospitals across the country are equipped with modern equipment and qualified medical workers, but only 40-60% of their patient beds have been used, it added. Notably, Ho Chi Minh City-based Cho Ray Hospital has joined hands with 14 private hospitals and gained positive results. However, unclear mechanisms in patient transfer and human resources have hindered the coordination between public and private hospitals, the conference heard. (Vietnamplus.vn March 11)
