Electronic health records in Hanoi hospitals: For convenience of patients

The electronic health record allows citizens to manage their medical history conveniently and provides healthcare professionals with up-to-date information anytime, anywhere.

Dr. Nguyen Dinh Hung, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Health, made the statement at a conference held this week by the Hanoi Oncology Hospital, which is the tenth public hospital in the capital to integrate electronic health records into the VNeID application to facilitate the sharing of patient health information among medical facilities. 

Dr. Nguyen Dinh Hung, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Health, speaks at the conference. Photo: VGP

"Out of 42 public hospitals, ten have adopted electronic health records, including Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Saint Paul General Hospital, My Duc District General Hospital, Van Dinh General Hospital, Hoe Nhai General Hospital, Ba Vi District General Hospital, Soc Son General Hospital, Quoc Oai District General Hospital, Dong Anh General Hospital, and Hanoi Oncology Hospital,” Hung said.

The Hanoi Oncology Hospital has 17 clinical departments, 6 paraclinical departments, and 10 functional rooms. The hospital has been running a pilot project to integrate electronic medical records into the VNeID (citizen electronic ID) app since May 2024. The hospital started applying information technology in medical examination and treatment, and hospital management, in 2016.

"Digital transformation in the healthcare sector has been identified as one of the most important tasks, an inevitable and urgent step to improve the quality of healthcare services, improve public health, and contribute to laying a solid foundation for the sustainable development of the healthcare sector. It is expected that more hospitals in Hanoi will soon use electronic health records in medical examination and treatment, making it easier and more convenient to manage patients' medical conditions," Hung said.

Digital transformation has changed the way medical staff work. "Therefore, the hospital needs to continue to promote the development of digital transformation processes in medical examination and treatment activities," he said.

Dr. Nguyen Dinh Hung stressed that electronic health records are used interchangeably by health insurance and treatment; promote a digital working environment and digital thinking; ensure publicity and transparency; as well as create favorable conditions for all patients.

After conducting a survey and inspecting the information technology infrastructure, HIS (hospital information management system), LIS (laboratory information system), RIS (diagnostic imaging information system), PACS ( image archiving and transmission system), and a number of clinical and paraclinical departments of Hanoi Oncology Hospital, the assessment council concluded that the hospital's information technology system meets the requirements for implementing electronic medical records, which will completely replace paper medical records. 

The appraisal council conducts a survey and inspects the hospital's information technology infrastructure and software systems. Photo: VGP

Dr Tran Quy Tuong, Chairman of the Vietnam Medical Informatics Association, urged the hospital to upgrade its software and equipment and to continue to fill in increasingly detailed regulations and guidelines.

"Hospitals need to ensure a data storage system, develop an annual data storage plan, ensure information security to deploy software more accurately and effectively, and connect with other software," Tuong said.

It's the next step in the digital transformation of healthcare, reducing professional mistakes, improving efficiency and quality, storing detailed historical information about patients, and increasing interaction between patients and healthcare professionals.

According to the Hanoi People's Committee, electronic medical records based on the VNeID application will enable medical facilities (including government and private ones) to conveniently share patients' health data, improving the quality of medical examination and treatment services.

It also reduces the number of paper documents people need to bring along when they visit the doctor. The system allows individuals to manage their medical history conveniently and provides updated information to healthcare professionals whenever and wherever they are, enabling them to take charge of their health and save the cost of medical examinations and treatment in urban medical facilities.

The move also provides doctors with all the information about the disease, medical history, and risk factors that affect health, so that doctors can make a more comprehensive assessment of the patient's condition, diagnose the disease more quickly and accurately, detect the disease earlier, treat it promptly when it is still in its early stages, and reduce the cost of examination and treatment. 

Electronic health records are integrated into VNeID, Vietnam's national e-identification platform. Photo: Baodautu.vn

Medical examination and treatment facilities in the city will be asked to send basic patient information to the National Insurance Database as soon as the patient completes the examination and treatment.

District People's Committees are responsible for providing computers, printers, scanners, and internet access; staff or a community digital transformation team to help people install the VNeID application; and integration of electronic health records with the VNeID application.

The Hanoi People's Committee has also set a target for 100% of medical facilities and people in the city to use electronic health records in the VneID application by 2025.

Speaking at the launch of the integration of electronic health records and the application of criminal record certificates via the VNeID app in early October, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said the move was a crucial step in the digital transformation of Hanoi and the entire country.

"The aim is to simplify processes for citizens while promoting transparency and convenience. This will lead to significant cost savings and increase public confidence in digital services," Chinh said.

More than 32 million electronic health records have been created, of which more than 14.6 million have been integrated into the VNeID application, he said, citing a Ministry of Public Security report.

"The electronic medical record system is expected to save about VND1.15 trillion (US$46.6 million) annually in purchasing paper-based medical records for 230 million patient visits," the Prime Minister said.

He emphasized that the roll-out of the service through VNeID is a key step towards achieving the country's long-term goals of building a digital government, improving public services, and fostering a more inclusive and connected society.