Vietnam: Guiding the determination of the number of days of use of inpatient beds for payment of medical bed costs outside of the scope of coverage by the health insurance fund

According to Circular No. 37/2018/TT-BYT of the Ministry of Health of Vietnam, determination of the number of days of use of inpatient beds for payment of medical bed costs shall be regulated as follows:

- The number of days of use of inpatient treatment services is defined by the day of dehospitalization minus (-) the day of hospitalization plus (+) 1. This formula shall be applied in the following cases:

+ Pathological conditions of a seriously-ill patient currently using inpatient treatment services have not been alleviated, he/she is dead or faces serious health problems and his/her family asks for permission to take him/her home or refer to another higher-level healthcare establishment;

+ A patient has been successfully cured by a higher-level healthcare establishment over the emergency care stage, but still needs to continue to use inpatient care services be referring him/her to another lower- or similar-level healthcare establishment;

- The number of days of use of inpatient care services is defined by the day of dehospitalization minus (-) the day of hospitalization. This formula shall be applied to other cases.

- If a patient hospitalized and hospitalized in the same day (or hospitalized in the previous day and hospitalized in the following day) is treated from more than 04 hours to under 24 hours, this treatment shall be considered as lasting 01 day. If that patient is received in the emergency care department without registering at the outpatient department, and has the emergency care and treatment duration of 04 hours or less (even in the case of dehospitalization, hospitalization, referral or death), he/she shall be entitled to payments for medical examination services, medicines, medical supplies and other technical services, but shall not be entitled to coverage of fees for his/her per-day emergency bed.

- If a patient is hospitalized and hospitalized in the same day and is treated for the maximum duration of 04 hours, he/she shall be entitled to payments for medical examination services, medicines, medical supplies and other technical services that he/she has used, but shall not be entitled to coverage of fees for his/her per-day emergency bed.

View more details at Circular No. 37/2018/TT-BYT of the Ministry of Health of Vietnam, effective from January 15, 2019.

- Thanh Lam -

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