Vietnam Ministry Plans to Expand Family Doctor Model

Vietnam’s Ministry of Health plans to expand the family doctor model to 80% of provinces and cities nationwide by 2020, according to an online conference held on July 15, state media reported. The model will provide continuous basic healthcare services to families, individuals and the community in an effort to improve the quality of primary healthcare and to reduce hospital congestion, said Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, Vietnam’s Health Minister. Speaking at the event, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam also asked the health ministry to develop the healthcare system at the grass-roots level along with the family doctor model and propose financial resources and priorities for the expansion of the country’s grass-roots healthcare system. The health sector suggested that provinces and cities should pay more attention and call for further investment in expanding the family doctor model based on their existing commune health clinic system. Statistics from the health ministry showed that 336 family-doctor clinics, including six private clinics, have been established in six provinces and cities nation-wide by June 2016. They provide basic healthcare services, including services covered by the health insurance fund. (baochinhphu.vn July 15, qdnd.vn July 15)