Contents on pricing on-demand medical examination and treatment services in Vietnam

Contents on pricing on-demand medical examination and treatment services in Vietnam

Facilities providing medical examination and treatment services are to establish pricing for on-demand medical examination and treatment services in Vietnam as follows:

- Establish various pricing levels for medical examination and treatment services depending on the specialty, the time the service is performed, the expertise of the service providers, the care and treatment personnel; the conditions of the facilities and the level of care; the quality and quantity of technical services.

- In the event of arising costs not included in the established pricing for medical examination and treatment: the unit may apply the cost method to determine and propose prices for the services, specifically:

+ If the unit incurs costs such as hiring additional domestic personnel (outside the unit’s permanent staff, the department providing on-demand services), or foreign personnel: these costs, including contract-based hiring fees, and expenses for meals, accommodation, travel, and interpreter services, as well as other reasonable and legitimate costs involved in hiring personnel, are to be included in the service price based on voluntary agreement with the service user;

+ If the unit provides home medical examination and treatment services, reasonable and legitimate additional costs incurred for service delivery may be included.

Principles in providing on-demand medical examination and treatment services in Vietnam

Facilities providing medical examination and treatment services must ensure the provision of on-demand services adheres to the following principles:

- Ensure compatibility with the functions, duties, organizational regulations, and activities, and assure completion of the assigned functions and duties;

- Besides meeting requirements on facilities, medical equipment, means, and personnel as regulated by law on medical examination and treatment, the facility providing on-demand services must meet the following additional requirements:

+ Ensure that the number of beds used for on-demand services at any one time does not exceed 20% of the average total number of beds used in the previous year (excluding beds on-demand for on-demand services placed in a separate area or independently from regular beds in departments, rooms funded by loans, mobilization, joint ventures, partnerships, public-private partnership (PPP) investments, purchases, investments from development funds, or other lawful capital sources according to regulations);

+ Ensure that the facility's experts and qualified practitioners allocate a certain percentage of their time (minimum 70%) for medical examinations and treatment for patients with health insurance cards, those without insurance cards but not using on-demand services, and support for lower-tier facilities.

- Publicize and clarify the list, pricing levels, and service availability for medical examination and treatment so that citizens and patients are informed and can choose services voluntarily in agreement with the service provider and the medical facility, ensuring that patients receive medical examinations and treatments according to authorized treatment protocols;

- Conduct separate accounting and monitoring of revenue, expenses, and provide full reflection in accounting books and financial reports; depreciation of fixed assets in accordance with legal regulations on the management and use of public assets; and fulfill all obligations to the State as prescribed by law in Vietnam.

More details can be found in Circular 21/2024/TT-BYT which comes into force in Vietnam from October 17, 2024.

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