Vietnam’s K Hospital Punishes 7 Health Staff for Wrongdoings

K Hospital in the capital city of Hanoi has decided to punish its seven health staff for wrongdoings after the health minister ordered the hospital to clarify the responsibility of handling complaints from patients. In particular, patients at the hospital said some doctors and nurses in the pediatrics department failed to show the correct attitude when patients asked for help in stopping fluid transfusions or replacing bedcovers. The minister also received complaints about patients having to pay doctors to get examined quicker, some people being examined without queuing as they knew doctors or nurses, and up to four patients having to share a bed. K Hospital was given the lowest rank among the four hospitals based on the satisfaction level of patients, data from a survey by the health ministry said. Recently, Ministry of Health has established five inspectorates to check 37 national hospitals to evaluate their quality and services, state media reported. Inspectors will focus on checking doctors’ skill and treatment services. Evaluation of service quality is taken as a basis to improve hospitals’ quality and ranking. (infonet.vn Dec 20, baodansinh.vn Dec 20)