Health Tech News: Telemedicine Becomes a Strategic Component
Reorganizing Health Services, Enhancing Capacity at Primary Level
On December 11 in Hanoi, the Agency of Health Examination and Treatment Administration (Ministry of Health) coordinated with UNDP, KOFIH, and Kangbuk Samsung Hospital (South Korea) to host the 2nd Vietnam-South Korea workshop on telemedicine. This activity is part of a project aimed at utilizing telemedicine to enhance access to health services for vulnerable groups in Vietnam.
Prof. Dr. Trần Văn Thuấn, Deputy Minister of Health and Chairman of the National Medical Council, stressed that telemedicine is more than just a technical solution; it is a method for reorganizing health services. The approach is designed to be patient-centric, shorten geographical distances, facilitate the sharing of specialized knowledge, and elevate the capacity of primary health facilities closest to the public.
The Deputy Minister reported that telemedicine in Vietnam has moved beyond a temporary measure during the COVID-19 pandemic and is now a strategic component of the modern health system. The remote examination and treatment model has been sustained, expanded, and serves tens of thousands of people annually, particularly in remote areas and among vulnerable populations.
On the legal front, the 2023 Law on Medical Examination and Treatment, along with its guiding documents, has officially recognized and created a legal framework for remote medical activities. This signifies the State’s commitment to using technology to ensure citizens’ right to safe and equitable healthcare.
Deputy Minister Trần Văn Thuấn also outlined three major concurrent national processes being aggressively pursued by Vietnam:
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National Digital Transformation, with healthcare identified as a priority sector.
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Institutional completion for new healthcare service models integrated with data, technology, and artificial intelligence (AI).
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Deepening, substantive, and selective international integration.
Key Politburo Resolutions, such as Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW on strategic breakthroughs in science, technology, and digital transformation, and Resolution No. 72 on strengthening public health protection, have provided a solid political foundation for digital health, emphasizing the consolidation of primary healthcare and the robust application of digital technology in service delivery.
Refining AI Governance and Health Data Security
Mr. Nguyễn Trường Nam, Deputy Director of the National Health Information Center, noted that remote medical examination and treatment increases dependency on digital infrastructure. As per Clause 19, Article 2 of the 2023 Law on Medical Examination and Treatment, remote care is a non-face-to-face form of service delivered through IT equipment and technology.
This reliance poses data safety challenges, including the risk of sensitive personal data leakage (e.g., medical conditions, test results), eavesdropping on online interactions (video calls, data transmission), and the risk of cyberattacks on connections between hospitals or IoMT (Internet of Medical Things) devices.
To govern and utilize Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare, the Ministry of Health plans to implement several measures:
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Completing the legal framework for AI use, developing regulations for AI validation, licensing, and quality monitoring in clinical practice.
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Enhancing data security, ensuring AI systems strictly adhere to information security regulations to prevent personal data breaches.
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Issuing ethical guidelines for AI in healthcare, specifying that all final treatment decisions must be supervised and confirmed by a physician to ensure professional accountability and protect patient rights.
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Continuing policy research and adjustment regarding AI in healthcare, using international standards to build standardized datasets and developing education and training programs for medical staff to effectively use AI in their work.
Dr. Nguyễn Trọng Khoa, Deputy Director of the Agency of Health Examination and Treatment Administration, stressed the crucial importance of standardizing health examination and treatment data across facilities for the effective deployment of electronic health records in remote care. Strengthening digital transformation in healthcare is essential to improve the quality of primary care services and contribute to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
