Hanoi (VNA) - A satellite hospitalproject has helped reduce patient overloads at hospitals, especially at central-level facilitiesin Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, in its five years of implementation, heard aconference in Hanoi on November 15.

Speaking at the event, Minster of Health NguyenThi Kim Tien said the project has contributed to improving ability on provisionof medical services at satellite hospitals and strengthening patients’confidence in hospitals outside city centres. This in turn increases patientvisits and treatment rates at satellite hospitals.

“The project helps reduce the number of patientsbeing sent from satellite hospitals to core hospitals for treatment and willease overcrowding at core hospitals,” said Tien.

She said the satellite hospital model has beendeveloped nationwide, not only in provincial and general hospitals but also atthe district-level like the general hospitals of Moc Chau (Son La province), MuongKhuong (Lao Cai province) and Tam Duong Health Centre (Lai Chau province).

“Satellite hospitals are not only public medicalfacilities but also non-State hospitals,” said Tien. “In HCM City, somesatellite hospitals attracted many patients visiting for examination andtreatment.”

“Professional skills of doctors at provincialand district hospitals were improved,” said Tien. “Doctors from core andsatellite hospitals held consultations though telemedicine, meaning patientswith complicated conditions were handled right at the district level, thusreducing accident and fatality rates.”

She added that doctors of central hospitalswould have more time to do scientific research and develop modern techniques ifprofessional skills of their colleagues at provincial and district levels wereimproved.

According to the Health Ministry’s MedicalService Administration (MSA) statistics, the project has developed 23 corehospitals with 127 satellite hospitals across the country after five years ofimplementation. Special priorities have been given to 10 professionalfields that experience serious patient overcrowding, namely cardiovascularcare, surgery, cancer treatment, obstetrics and pediatrics, emergency responseand first aid, clinical hematology, heart and injury surgery. 

Launched in 2013 as part of the Ministry’s planto reduce hospital overload, the project aimed to improve satellite hospitals’examination and treatment ability through training and by upgradinginfrastructure, facilities and telemedicine capabilities.

At the event, core and satellite hospitalsshared lessons and discussed measures to handle shortcomings.

MSA Director Luong Ngoc Khue said the rate ofpatients being sent to central hospitals for treatment has reduced in 85 percentof satellite hospitals and that patient congestion at central hospitals hasalso declined, especially at facilities in Hanoi and HCM City. 

Five years after implementation, 23 corehospitals have transferred nearly 2,000 medical techniques to satellitehospitals. Many complicated techniques were transferred successfully such asliver surgery from the E hospital and digestion and urinary cancer surgeriesfrom the K (Cancer) hospital, according to Khue.

He said satellite hospitals must be equippedwith medical facilities and medicine that meets transferred techniques. Somehospitals were short of skilled workers, especially doctors.

“On-site training and technique transferenceshould be strengthened along with after-training supervision in efforts totransfer modern surgery techniques,” he noted.

“Patient congestion was reduced at central hearthospitals like the National Heart Hospital and the Hanoi Heart Hospital and inother fields like cancer and tumour treatment, pediatrics, obstetrics, injuriesand orthopedics,” Khue added. - VNA