Hanoi (VNS/VNA) – The National Assembly’s Committee for Social Affairscontinued its meeting on October 3 on the implementation of autonomy at publichospitals.

The committee’s chairwoman Nguyen Thuy Anh said that since late last year, thecommittee had set up inspection teams to monitor the implementation of themechanism which was regulated in the NA’s resolution 10 years ago.

So far, inspection teams had carried out their work in 10 provinces and citiesand received reports from other localities on the issues nationwide, Thuy Anhsaid.

After 10 years, the implementation of autonomy at public hospitals had seensome positive results.

At present, all public hospitals across the country have been given moreindependence, which helped raise the quality of health care services, increasethe application of technology in diagnosis and treatment, and improvedfacilities.

The mechanism had also increased incomes of health workers.

However, the committee had found shortcomings during the implementation,including insufficient instructions for specialised hospitals at thegrass-roots level.

There were shortages of controlling mechanisms, leading to unnecessaryhealthcare services which increased costs for patients as well as for thehealth insurance fund.

“The meeting today was an open forum with different parties, with an aim topublish all information to people and voters nationwide on the implementationof the mechanism at public hospitals and clarify difficulties, shortcomings andresponsibilities of the Health Ministry,” said the chairwoman.

The deputies would also discuss solutions to improve health care services, sheadded.

In the report on theHealth Ministry’s responsibilities delivered at the meeting, Minister of HealthNguyen Thi Kim Tien said that the independent mechanism for public hospitalshad made great contributions to raise the quality of healthcare services andpatients’ satisfaction, and reduce overloading at many hospitals in big citiesand provinces.

The Cancer (K) Hospital, the Central Paediatrics Hospital and the NationalHospital for Endocrinology had reduced the rate of shared patient bedsto between 60 and 70 percent, the minister said.

Thanks to the mechanism, index of patients’ satisfaction at public health carefacilities was up to 1.96 in 2018 as compared to 1.92 in 2017.

Along with progress, the minister highlighted difficulties in theimplementation of the mechanism, such as imbalance in infrastructurefacilities, medical equipment and human resources among hospitals at centraland grass-roots levels.

The mechanism allowed the hospitals to set up or dismantle their ownorganisations or departments.

This could lead to hospitals setting up departments to increase income whiledismantling sections which were not profitable.
In fact, health careactivities require the involvement of all departments in hospitals, said Tien.

The pricing of health care services had faced difficulties due to beingregulated in many different legal documents.

Deputy Nguyen Anh Tri affirmed that the mechanism was correct, but stillcontained many shortcomings.

Meanwhile, deputy Nguyen Ngoc Phuong said: “For years, the health care sectorhad gained achievements and the Health Ministry had been active in implementingthe mechanism.”

“However, many public hospitals had not yet been given absolute independence ininvesting in facilities and recruiting health workers,” Phuong said.

He asked relevant ministries and sectors to clarify the issues and seeksolutions.

Deputy Nguyen Thanh Xuan showed evidence that Can Tho city had 13 independenthospitals. But the committee’s inspection teams found that these entities stillhave to consult management agencies.

In response, Minister Tien said that the autonomy mechanism for publichospitals was indispensable and in line with the trend of public financialreform in the market economy.

“However, the implementation of the mechanism needs attention becausethe sector’s activities were directly related to people,” she said.

The Health Ministry would co-operate with other sectors to help hospitalsgradually overcome the hurdles, she added.

At the meeting, representatives of the Ministry of Finance said they woulddraft and issue circulars guiding financial independence for district-levelhealthcare centres.

The ministry also recommended revisions on the Law on Health Care to encouragepeople to use services at clinics and hospitals at grass-roots level./.