Bac Mai Hospital holds a ceremony to announce the EMR system

In his remarks, Assoc. Prof., Dr. Dao Xuan Co, Director of the hospital, highlighted the hospital's significant scale, comprising 57 units with a capacity of 3,600 beds and over 4,000 medical staff and employees. The hospital serves a large patient population, receiving 7,000 to 10,000 outpatients and around 4,000 inpatients daily. Recognizing the critical role of digital transformation in healthcare, Bach Mai Hospital, guided by directives from the Government, Ministry of Health, and other relevant ministries and sectors, has prioritized this area. The hospital's Party Committee and Board of Directors have issued numerous resolutions and decisions outlining digital transformation initiatives for the period 2024-2025 and setting a strategic direction for 2030.

Demonstrating its commitment to digital transformation, the hospital initiated the transition of its medical examination and treatment software at the end of the Lunar New Year 2023. By July 1, 2024, the hospital achieved a significant milestone, becoming one of the first central hospitals to successfully integrate its data with the Social Security portal, complying with the Ministry of Health’s Decision 4750/QD-BYT. This integration paved the way for the implementation of electronic medical records. A pilot phase of electronic medical records was launched in six units in mid-July. Following a successful evaluation of the pilot, the hospital further refined the process and successfully rolled out electronic medical records across all units on October 11, 2024. On October 25, 2024, the hospital successfully completed an assessment of the basic level of implementation for its electronic medical records system.

This achievement marked a significant milestone for Bach Mai Hospital, with the leadership announcing the successful implementation of electronic medical records two years ahead of schedule. The hospital is now the first top-tier hospital nationwide to achieve this level of digital transformation in healthcare.

During a ceremony recognising this accomplishment, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan commended Bach Mai Hospital for its impressive progress in implementing electronic medical records, acknowledging the crucial role of collaboration and support from the Ministry of Public Security and Vietnam Social Security.

"This success would not have been possible without the unwavering support of the Ministry of Public Security and the Vietnam Social Security system," stated Minister Lan.

Highlighting the ongoing efforts to advance digital healthcare, Minister Lan revealed that by November 1, 2024, 106 medical facilities nationwide had implemented electronic medical records, demonstrating encouraging initial results. However, acknowledging that this number remains modest compared to the total number of medical facilities, Minister Lan emphasised the continued priority placed on the widespread adoption of electronic medical records.

"The success of Bach Mai Hospital inspires confidence that other facilities can achieve this goal. In a context of limited funding, the innovative approach adopted by Bach Mai Hospital should be replicated across the country," she concluded.

 The delegates perform the official procedure of implementing electronic medical records at Bach Mai Hospital

Vietnam Social Security recognises the crucial role of electronic medical records (EMR) as foundational data in the healthcare sector, highlighting its inevitable development trajectory. EMRs offer significant benefits for the public, healthcare professionals, and the healthcare sector as a whole. They streamline healthcare practices, facilitate the settlement and reimbursement of health insurance medical examination and treatment costs by Vietnam Social Security, and represent a significant breakthrough in the digital transformation of the healthcare sector.

For Bach Mai Hospital, a leading national hospital with a high volume of patients, the implementation of the EMR system is especially impactful.

The advantages for patients are numerous. EMRs eliminate the need to carry multiple documents, such as diagnostic results, test results, and medication lists. Patients no longer have to worry about losing crucial information as all their data is securely stored in the software system. The hospital benefits from reduced storage space for medical records, facilitating easier access and retrieval. The system also streamlines patient examination and admission procedures, shortening wait times for registration and medical treatment. Doctors have a clearer understanding of patient history and medication usage, leading to improved diagnoses and treatment plans. Financial benefits include reduced printing costs for diagnostic imaging and test results, as well as streamlined workflows that minimize staff movement between departments.

For the broader healthcare sector, the implementation of EMR, alongside electronic health records, provides comprehensive, accurate, and timely health data for population management.

For Social Security offices, EMRs facilitate easier management of health insurance costs through the use of health insurance cards and transparent, seamless electronic health records. This helps prevent misuse of medications and tests and reduces fraud. Furthermore, by enabling medical facilities to share electronic results, EMRs help save costs and increase benefits for health insurance participants seeking medical treatment./.