Social services in medical examination and treatment facilities in Vietnam from March 1, 2025

Social services in medical examination and treatment facilities in Vietnam from March 1, 2025

Social services in medical examination and treatment establishments for patients, and patients' relatives in Vietnam (hereinafter collectively referred to as patients) include one or more of the following services:

(1) Providing emergency assistance services for patients:

- Assess the risk, psychological, and social needs to screen and classify patients. During the assessment process, pay attention to patients who are children, women, persons with disabilities, individuals with mental health disorders, elderly victims of violence, abuse, exploitation, disasters, or suspected victims of violence, abuse, exploitation, and other cases requiring urgent support;

- Coordinate with departments, units, and relevant functional agencies to support psychological, social issues and meet the patients' urgent needs for medical care, financial aid, drinking water, food, clothing, and essential items appropriate to the actual situation of the patient and the medical examination and treatment establishment;

- Where necessary, refer patients to appropriate health facilities, educational institutions, police agencies, or other agencies and organizations based on the patients' support needs.

(2) Providing guidance, intervention, and rehabilitation services for patients:

In addition to the provisions set out in (1), the provision of guidance, intervention, and rehabilitation services for patients shall be carried out as follows:

- Organize receptions, create the best conditions for patients when visiting medical examination and treatment establishments, aiming to achieve patient satisfaction;

- Prepare a Social Work Record (where necessary and appropriate) in accordance with Appendix I attached to Circular 51/TT-BYT;

- Develop, implement an intervention plan, assist patients according to the provisions at Clause 1, Article 4 of Circular 51/TT-BYT;

- Monitor, evaluate the intervention activities as regulated in Clause 2, Article 4 of Circular 51/TT-BYT.

(3) Health education communication:

- Develop a health education communication plan for the community;

- Coordinate with departments, units within medical examination and treatment establishments to develop communication and health education plans for patients;

- Collaborate to develop content and materials to introduce and promote the image, services, and activities of medical examination and treatment establishments to patients and the community through organizing activities, programs, events, conferences, workshops, internal information channels, and on digital platforms.

(4) Organize resource mobilization for social work activity implementation:

- Serve as the focal point in developing resource mobilization plans for social work activities, including mobilizing resources to support individual patients;

- Organize resource mobilization to implement social work activities according to the plan stipulated at point a, Clause 4, Article 2 of Circular 51/TT-BYT and legal regulations.

More details can be found in Circular 51/TT-BYT which takes effect from March 1, 2025.

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