Dien Bien Provincial General Hospital Steadfast on Medical Frontline of Northwest Region

With over 30 years of development, Dien Bien Provincial General Hospital has established itself as the leading institution for medical examination, treatment, and community health care. Through continuous innovation, the application of advanced techniques, and accelerated digital transformation, the hospital is positioning itself as a high-quality healthcare center for the Northwest region.

Growing capacity and medical capability

Founded in 1993, on the basis of upgrading the former Dien Bien District Hospital, Dien Bien Provincial General Hospital is now a level-I provincial hospital under the Department of Health, with a planned capacity of 670 beds. As of July 2025, it employed a total of 503 staff, including 118 physicians, 220 nurses, 39 technicians, and a number of high-quality health professionals such as PhDs, specialist level II physicians and master’s degree holders.

Dien Bien provincial leaders visit and extend Lunar New Year greetings to doctors, medical staff, and patients at Dien Bien General Hospital

Its infrastructure has been continuously expanded and upgraded, covering more than 53,000 square meters across 13 interconnected buildings alongside new functional blocks, to meet increasingly demanding patient-care requirements. Modern equipment includes MRI scanners, multi-slice CT machines, endoscopy systems, automated laboratory analyzers, continuous renal replacement machines, minimally invasive surgery suites, laser lithotripsy systems, anesthesia machines and artificial kidney (hemodialysis) units.

To improve treatment quality, the hospital places strong emphasis on mastering advanced clinical techniques. Many modern procedures are now routinely performed, including minimally invasive gastrointestinal, urological, and gynecological surgeries; hip and knee joint replacements; vertebroplasty (spinal “cement” injection); continuous renal replacement therapy in critical care; cancer-marker testing; and HBV viral load measurement.

Alongside this, the hospital actively engages in professional collaboration with central-level hospitals through programs such as the “1816 Project”, telemedicine, and satellite hospital schemes. Notably, Dien Bien Provincial General Hospital is a key unit in the comprehensive cooperation agreement between the Provincial People’s Committee and Bach Mai Hospital. Through that partnership, numerous difficult techniques have been transferred and its medical teams have trained and practiced at top-tier healthcare institutions.

These outcomes not only boost the hospital’s professional capability but also help relieve pressure on central hospitals, reduce the rate of patient transfers and enable people to receive high-quality care locally.

Digital transformation – the foundation for sustainable development

In step with the national digital transformation trend, the hospital has already achieved significant results in digitizing management and clinical operations. Since June 2025 it began piloting its Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system, which was officially rolled out in August 2025. This is a major step toward data synchronization, improved clinical quality and time savings for both doctors and patients.

Its Hospital Information System (HIS), Laboratory Information System (LIS) and Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) have also been systematically invested in, enabling rapid information links and supporting precise diagnosis and treatment. Features such as appointment registration by phone, cashless payment and online information delivery provide outstanding convenience for the public.

The hospital also places special attention on information security. A secure health-data record system has been submitted to regulatory authorities for appraisal, ensuring safe operation of the digital system.

Putting the patient at the center of service

With the motto “focused on patient satisfaction”, the hospital is not only committed to medical excellence but also continually improving its environment and service attitude. It regularly conducts training classes on communication and behavior skills, establishes a code of conduct and promptly rewards exemplary individuals.

Facilities have also been upgraded under the “green - clean - friendly” model, featuring abundant greenery, clear signage, and comfortable waiting areas. The “smoke-free hospital” initiative has been strictly enforced, helping to create a clean and safe treatment environment.

“We have determined that patient satisfaction does not come simply from modern equipment or advanced techniques, but from the dedication in every action and every word of our medical team,” said Pham Tien Bien, Director of Dien Bien Provincial General Hospital.

According to Director Pham Tien Bien, the hospital’s greatest challenges today are attracting and retaining high-quality medical personnel and the rigid financial autonomy mechanism that still does not favor the development of high-level services. Although significant investment has been made in equipment for diagnosis and treatment, demand is still unmet. If investment in equipment socialization were permitted within regulations, the public could use higher-level medical services at lower cost through non-public units.

The hospital recommends that relevant authorities promptly institute preferential policies for salaries, housing and benefits for medical staff in disadvantaged regions; continue investing in modern equipment; shorten procurement procedures; and give public hospitals greater flexible autonomy.

Ngo San (Vietnam Business Forum)