Some notes for referral of subclinical services in Vietnam

According to Circular No. 09/2019/TT-BYT of the Ministry of Health of Vietnam, some notes for referral of subclinical services are as follows:

- Healthcare establishments shall only be allowed to refer patients or pathology specimens to receiving healthcare establishments accredited by competent entities for provision of subclinical services and shall be required to sign agreements in principle with subclinical service providers.

- Healthcare establishments receiving patients or pathology specimens used as a basis to render subclinical services shall not be entitled to refer patients or pathology specimens to other third-party healthcare establishments.

- Encryption of subclinical services: Healthcare establishments sending patients or pathology specimens (hereinafter referred to as sending healthcare establishments) shall encode subclinical services in the following syntax: XX.YYYY.ZZZZ.K.WWWWW, including:

+ XX.YYYY.ZZZZ stands for the subclinical service;

+ The letter “K” stands for the subclinical service rendered by another healthcare establishment;

+ WWWWW is the set of alphabetical symbols standing for the code of the healthcare establishment assigned by the Ministry of Health. 

- Service cost payment:

+ Payment of costs of subclinical services shall be subject to regulations laid down in clause 6 of Article 27 of Decree No. 146/2018/ND-CP of Vietnam’s Government and shall be made at the prices quoted by healthcare establishments receiving patients or pathology specimens but restricted to the prices of healthcare services specified in Circular No. 39/2018/TT-BYT.

+ Upon rendering such service, the receiving healthcare establishment shall not be allowed to collect any other medical costs related to such service from the patient.

View more details at the Circular No. 09/2019/TT-BYT of the Ministry of Health of Vietnam, effective from August 01, 2019.

- Thanh Lam -

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