Of which, the endocrine specialty has 99 medical techniques, the gynecology specialty has 249 medical techniques and the eye specialty has 248 medical techniques.

The medical techniques under the list will be applied temporarily at all medical examination and treatment facilities nationwide that have registered to conduct remote medical consultation, examination and treatment since September 30.

The decision came into effect from September 30 – the date of signing for promulgation.

The health ministry said remote examination and treatment would help people access medical services more quickly, conveniently, economically and safely.

People did not have to go to the hospital if it was not necessary. It aimed to reduce overcrowding for central-level hospitals as well as limit gatherings of a large number of patients if another wave of the pandemic started, the ministry said.

Additionally, it also assisted local-level hospitals to improve people’s faith in the quality of the hospitals’ medical services, the ministry said.

In a related move, the ministry has launched a remote healthcare consultation and support (telehealth) network that connected 1,000 medical examination and treatment facilities in remote and underprivileged areas with nearly 30 central-level hospitals in Hà Nội and HCM City.

The goal of the project is that all patients can be managed, consulted, examined and treated by doctors from the commune to the central levels. All people at the grass-roots level can access high-quality healthcare services provided by experts at higher-level medical facilities.

According to the health ministry, there are currently 1,400 public hospitals and 275 private medical facilities, 30,000 general clinics, 11,500 commune and ward health stations, providing medical examination and treatment services in the country. Deploying the telehealth system helps hospitals at provincial and district levels get deeper, faster, and broader medical technologies from central-level hospitals./.