HCM City (VNA) –Thetime-saving and accuracy-improving electronic medical records system of Thu DucHospital in Ho Chi Minh City has been recognised by the ASEAN CIO/CSO Awards2017, and has become a model for other hospitals around the country.

The awards honour individuals and organisations in ASEAN for distinguishedachievements in the fields of information technology and information security.Through its technological innovations in medical examination, treatment andrecords-keeping, Thu Duc Hospital has increased its number of outpatients from200 to 5,000 per day.

“People usually think that investing into technology is costly but never careabout its benefits. In fact, technology innovations enhance managementcapabilities and avoid wasted spending,” said Nguyen Minh Quan, Director of thehospital.

Tang Chi Thuong, Vice Director of the HCM City Department of Health, said thatthe electronic medical records system at Thu Duc Hospital is a pilot projectthat will now be duplicated at the city’s big hospitals.

According to Quan, every hospital patient receives their own identificationcode. With this code, doctors can easily access the patients’ medical historyto make diagnoses and write prescriptions.

Patients can also automate their registration for medical examinations andreceive information online indicating waiting time and their appointed clinics.

Technology also helps to synchronise all procedures, especially in dispensingmedicines. Once a doctor writes out a prescription, the information istransmitted immediately to the hospital’s pharmacy, saving time for patientsand better managing the prescription’s quality.

Moreover, the hospital provides doctors with digital signatures, which allowthem to analyse medical test results on computers, reducing printing costs.

Le Cuong, an inpatient from Thu Duc district, is satisfied with thechanges. 

"This procedure saves waiting time and strengthens our belief in themedical staff. Since doctors can follow our disease history, they can offerbetter advice and perform examinations based on my health condition," saidCuong.
 
The Ministry of Health (MoH) announced that it will seek to promote technologyinnovations in healthcare, especially focusing on human resources managementsoftware, electronic medical records and a central management system connecting160 medical facilities in Vietnam.

Luong Chi Thanh, deputy head of the ICT department under the MoH, said thatVietnamese technology groups including VNPT, Viettel and FPT are developinginnovations in the medical field.-VNA