HCM City: Centralised database to connect all patients' records
HCM City: Centralised database to connect all patients' records by 2025
All residents in Ho Chi Minh City will have electronic medical records connected to the database of the city's health facilities by 2025, according to the municipal People’s Committee.
Patients receive physical therapy at District 11 Hospital in HCM City. (Source: VNA)
HCM City (VNA) - All residents in Ho Chi Minh City will haveelectronic medical records connected to the database of the city's healthfacilities by 2025, according to the municipal People’s Committee.
The records will be compiled from 2019 to 2025 which was approved by ViceChairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Thanh Liem.
The database connections will ensure updated information on patients, andultimately universal health coverage for all its residents.
By 2022, the city will collect initial data on residents’ health includingname, age, gender, birth, address, ID, and medical history. The data will beupdated year-by-year until 2025.
After collecting and setting up the data, relevant agencies will analyse andcarry out a surveillance health index of residents to evaluate diseasescenarios in the city.
Artificial intelligence will be applied in research and will forecast trendsrelating to health. Then suitable strategies to improve health of residentswill be suggested.
The committee has instructed relevant agencies to increase investment in ITinfrastructure to ensure data security.
Software used for electronic medical records will have to match the city’selectronic architecture and the Ministry of Health’s technical standards.
The software will also be used widely and be compatible with relevant healthinformation systems.
When a health facility admits a patient, it will be responsible to search forinformation related to their health and medical history in the system andupdate their medical information in their electronic medical records.
According to the committee, via electronic medical records, patients will beexamined and treated more rapidly and accurately.
When typing the code of a patient’s electronic medical record, doctors willaccess the latest information about the patient, helping them improve diagnosisand treatment.
Residents in the city will also have access and be aware of their records sothey can be proactive in maintaining their health.
A steering board, which will be set up for the implementation of electronicmedical records, will include managers of agencies in health, IT and othersectors./.
Each Vietnamese citizen will have an electronic medical record in late 2019, as heard at an event by the Electronic Health Administration of Vietnam to kick off the national electronic health record project in Hanoi on June 14.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) is drafting a circular on a pilot programme for electronic medical records in a bid to save time and money for both doctors and patients.
First-class health care facilities nationwide under the management of the health ministry are required to apply electronic health care records starting from March 1, according to a circular issued by the ministry.
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Patients receive physical therapy at District 11 Hospital in HCM City. (Source: VNA) 
