Vietnam to establish unified national standards for emergency medical care

Vietnam's Ministry of Health is set to standardize pre-hospital emergency care nationwide, aiming to replace the current system where each locality implements its own criteria. Dr. Ha Anh Duc, Director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management, stated that unified standards are crucial for developing an effective external emergency system.

The ministry will standardize various emergency vehicles, including specialized ambulances, patient transport vehicles, rapid urban access vehicles, watercraft, and specialized equipment for remote areas. A clear distinction will be made between ambulances responding to emergencies and those solely transporting patients. Personnel standards will also be unified, covering emergency team structures and training programs for doctors, nurses, technicians, and ambulance drivers.

Dr. Duc noted that in many countries, ambulance drivers are trained members of emergency teams, capable of providing initial treatment. Vietnam plans to gradually adopt this model, developing the role of pre-hospital emergency medical technicians (paramedics) and establishing formal training programs in medical institutions. A key objective is to enhance community first aid skills, prioritizing training for teachers, students, hotel and restaurant staff, pool attendants, security personnel, and community collaborators.

Financial mechanisms are also under review, with the Ministry of Health exploring policies to ensure funding for essential emergency services, health insurance coverage for external emergency care, and appropriate pricing frameworks. These pricing structures will differentiate between routine patient transport, transport with an emergency team, and specialized emergency care to ensure public access while sustaining service providers. The plan also aims to establish unified emergency triage protocols from call reception to dispatch and patient transport, prioritizing urgency and facility capacity to ensure timely and appropriate treatment.

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