Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen urged the health sector to develop digital medical services, specialized geriatrics and better care for older people. He made the remarks at the 2026 scientific and technical conference of Thong Nhat Hospital, held on October 31.
Developing digital healthcare
The deputy minister said digitalization should cover electronic prescriptions, cashless payments, advance registration for remote consultations, electronic medical records and hospital databases. An electronic record should cover the patient's path from reception to discharge, while an identification code would track illness, medication use and treatment costs. Moving paper records to computers is only the first step. Tuyen also called for research, next-generation vaccines, stem-cell applications for some chronic diseases, and artificial intelligence and information technology in healthcare.
Improving care for older people
Care should include rehabilitation, nutrition, nursing care and support for independent living. Tuyen called for a model in which each province has a general hospital and hospitals have geriatric departments. By 2030, commune health stations should become public healthcare units able to care for residents near home. The sector should develop home, day-care and residential care and train caregivers, while strengthening specialized techniques, staff, equipment, complication prevention, clinical pharmacy, nursing, nutrition and rehabilitation.
Hospitals should support provincial facilities and health stations, guide non-communicable disease management, teach older people to care for their health and refer them when needed. Tuyen said the health sector should build a database of older people and update information from commune level to the Ministry of Health for disease assessment and policymaking. Le Dinh Thanh, director of Thong Nhat Hospital, said modern medicine should combine prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and long-term health management. Population ageing and multiple diseases among older people are creating new requirements; care should preserve independence, extend healthy life expectancy and improve quality of life.
Sources: Dân Trí
