Cho Ray Hospital, established in 1900, is one of the largest hospitals in Vietnam. With its long tradition, highly qualified and dedicated workforce and proper investment for modern infrastructure, equipment and materials, Cho Ray Hospital is rated the “Special Hospital” by the Ministry of Health of Vietnam. The Vietnam Business Forum has an exclusive interview with Mr Nguyen Truong Son, Director of Cho Ray Hospital, on outstanding activities of the hospital.
Cho Ray Hospital is known as one of best hospitals in Vietnam. So, could you briefly introduce remarkable achievements of the hospital in the past years?
In 2010, Cho Ray Hospital will celebrate its 110th founding anniversary. The hospital has grown up from a small clinic to a leading sickbay in Vietnam with following noteworthy achievements.
The first achievement is the human resources. At its inception, the hospital served only one country (Cho Ray). After the national liberation and reunification, it was ranked the first-rate medical unit by the Ministry of Health. In 2010, it was named the “Special Hospital.” However, the most prideful feat is the development of human resources. To date, the hospital has more than 3,000 staffs, including more 400 doctors and many nurses.
Secondly, the hospital has deployed many modern technical processes to improve the quality of medical services for patients. One of the most brilliant successes is the organ transplant. To date, Cho Ray Hospital is possibly the largest unit to transplant kidneys in Vietnam. The hospital also plans to carry out liver and heart transplant programmes in 2010 and 2011. It has built a complete treatment process consisting of radiation therapy, chemotherapy and surgery. In addition, it has a modern and synchronous machine and equipment system for better diagnosis and remedy.
Thirdly, we are proud of our training, scientific research, subordinate guidance and international cooperation. So far, the hospital has been promoting the role of a leading hospital in southern Vietnam. With the formation of a specialist instruction centre, in 2010, Cho Ray will train nurses and doctors in southern Vietnam as well as foreigners from Pakistan, the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. This is actually a great achievement in terms of training. The hospital is also the centre of technology transfer under the Project 86 launched by the Ministry of Health.
Our other achievement is the self-financing operation although we are a public hospital. In 2009, Cho Ray Hospital made total revenues of more than VND1,500 billion - amongst the highest for a single medical unit in the country. Last but not least, drug management, bidding management, equipment and materials are also amongst notable achievements.
With these important achievements, how do you rate the role of Cho Ray Hospital in the Vietnamese medical system at present, especially in the south?
Cho Ray Hospital is the highest-level hospital for the southern region which covers 23 provinces. It is the last medical unit to treat diseases for the people, specially dangerous cases. It also guides lower-level medical units. We are also very happy because that role has been brought into full play. Many technology transfer programmes conducted by Cho Ray Hospital have been successful, including the transfer of open heart surgery technology to Kien Giang Hospital and Military Hospital 175, the transfer of coronary intervention technology to Khanh Hoa Hospital, the transfer of kidney transplant technology to Binh Dinh Hospital. This shows the hospital is benefiting the health sector in the southern region.
Under the current quick socioeconomic development, what challenges is Cho Ray Hospital facing?
In fact, the social development trend is a motivation for hospitals to change and develop to meet the healthcare requirements of the people. The more society develops and the higher living standards people have, the higher requirements for health services will be. That is the motivation and the goal for hospitals to strive for.
However, the rapid social development poses more challenges for hospitals. The biggest challenge is many hospitals tend to trail the social development. If we compare our hospitals with those in regional countries, we will see our backwardness in equipment and technology. The lag is also seen in our country. Uneven development is normal but our fear is the risk of falling behind.
Secondly, apart from the threat of lagging behind, the social developmental will lead to the development of hospitals, given the strong expansion of private-run clinics in the past years as an example. With proper investment in facilities, equipment and flexible operations, private medical facilities are creating certain challenges for the public medical system. This development not only creates competition but also causes drain of brainpower of hospitals. Cho Ray Hospital is also facing this challenge.
The third challenge is the lag of policies in relation with very rapid development. Although health is a special industry, health insurance, hospital fee and salary policies are not reflected in the reality. A doctor can earn a multiple income in a private clinic in comparison with a public unit. This is a contradiction.
The final challenge is the limited finance for development. While the investment source from the State Budget is declining, hospitals are still facing up with many difficulties in mobilising capital from private sources although this is considered an immense source.
Before such challenges, what solutions and orientations has Cho Ray Hospital adopted?
We have determined that we will continue improving the quality of human resources in the coming years because this is a critical and decisive factor. To achieve this objective, the hospital has carried out many policies, including recruiting, training and treatment.
Secondly, we will upgrade the professional level of our personnel and foster the code of conducts.
Thirdly, we will enhance the quality of health services, aiming to satisfy health care requirements of the people. This is an ultimate objective. All other objectives are for this because the eventual activity of the medical practice is the care for health of the people. To heighten the quality of health services, we must ensure managerial activities, facilities, equipment, medical ethics and culture, etc.
Quoc Hung
Vietnamese
