Shifting management mindset from reactive to proactive The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has proposed a comprehensive roadmap to innovate the operations of ward and commune health centers. Instead of maintaining the traditional method of waiting for patients to arrive, the new model aims to establish “continuous community-based health care teams.” The core objective is to transform health centers into proactive coordination hubs, managing resident health directly within the community and reducing unnecessary overcrowding at tertiary hospitals.
Structure and operation of primary healthcare teams According to the proposal, each healthcare team will consist of a minimum staff including:
-
Leadership: One family doctor or general practitioner.
-
Coordination: One nurse in charge of care process management.
-
Technical support: One pharmacist for medication management and one public health officer for prevention and immunization.
-
Local network: Two to six health collaborators serving as direct links to clusters of households.
Implementation plan and evaluation criteria Ho Chi Minh City plans to pilot this model in areas with populations ranging from 30,000 to 40,000 people. Each ward or commune will be divided into 5-7 small sectors, each managed by a fixed medical team. The model’s effectiveness will be measured through practical indicators such as the percentage of residents with electronic health records, periodic check-up rates, and local disease control capabilities. This approach has proven effective in several countries, including Brazil, the UK, and Thailand.