The Ministry of Health to rectify the quality of hospitals and warn of the risk of medical incidents in Vietnam

The Ministry of Health to rectify the quality of hospitals and warning ofthe risk of medical incidents in Vietnam (Internet image) 

Regarding this matter, LawNet would like to answer as follows: 

On April 14th, 2024, the Ministry of Health issued Official Dispatch 2100/BYT-KCB on rectifying quality management and patient safety, and warning of medical incidents for prevention in Vietnam.

The Ministry of Health to rectify the quality of hospitals and warning ofthe risk of medical incidents in Vietnam

To minimize medical incidents and the risk of such incidents, enhance patient safety and satisfaction, the Ministry of Health request the heads of units to rectify the management of quality management and patient safety, and warning ofmedical incidents for prevention as follows:

- The heads of units are responsible for seriously implementing and executing solutions to improve quality, enhance patient safety, and prevent risks and medical incidents. They should urge and encourage proactive detection and reporting of incidents and adhere to regular and ad hoc reporting as instructed in Circular 43/2018/TT-BYT.

- Review and classify safety risks, prioritize handling, and promptly address high-risk safety issues that impact the lives of patients and healthcare staff.

- Regularly review technical procedures, standardize, make timely modifications and additions, especially for procedures that are no longer suitable, emphasizing procedures such as Emergency patient classification, infection control, management of drugs, equipment, and medical supplies in the Emergency, Intensive Care, and Surgical departments... to determine the specific list of incidents that each unit must report, identify safety risks that may occur according to the specific characteristics of each procedure and function of the department/ward, each specialized department of the hospital.

- Strengthen training on ensuring patient safety, enhance the responsibility of each healthcare staff member (including new employees, interns) in detecting and voluntarily reporting medical incidents; encourage reporting of risks, and not tolerate actions that obstruct the reporting of medical incidents by management positions (head of department/ward, shift leader...); provide guidance to patients and their families on how to cooperate in identifying and accurately reporting medical incidents.

- Strengthen inspections, supervision, and regular reporting on the implementation of regulations and instructions on preventing medical incidents, ensuring patient safety, and preventing and minimizing errors in the unit. Inspectors and supervisors are responsible for reporting the results to the management level (the head of the inspection team of the hospitals, Department of Health, Ministry of Health.).

List of issues to be supervised and prevented at units in Vietnam

- Accurately identify patients to avoid confusion in service provision.

- Prevent risks and errors in information exchange and communication; regularly check, supervise, and enhance the quality of medical record implementation; implement specialized consultation procedures as prescribed.

- Comply with regulations on the safety of surgery and procedures, strictly implement the surgical safety checklist issued in Decision 7482/QD-BYT dated December 18th, 2018 by the Ministry of Health.

- Properly implement procedures and regulations for the deployment and application of new techniques and methods in the unit.

- Ensure safety in the use of medical equipment. Regularly review and evaluate the quality of medical devices and instruments, propose replacements, repairs, and additions to ensure safety and effectiveness.

- Prevent and control hospital-acquired infections.

- Prevent the risk of fire, maintain security and order, and address incidents related to the hospital environment.

- Identify and prevent the risk of patient falls.

- Ensure timely and effective provision of essential drugs, equipment, transportation, and emergency care for patients.

- Implement electronic prescriptions, digitize prescription records, minimize handwritten prescriptions, and move towards completely electronic prescription software.

(Attachment issued with Official Dispatch 2100/BYT-KCB)

Nguyen Ngoc Que Anh

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