Vietnam’s Healthcare System Decentralization: how well does it respond to global health crises such as covid-19 pandemic?

Main Article Content

Huy Van Nguyen
Joseph Debattista
Minh Duc Pham
An Thi Minh Dao
Stuart Gilmour
Hoa Lan Nguyen
Tien Van Nguyen
Phuong Mai Le
Phuong The Nguyen
Anh Thi Ngoc Tran
Kien Duy Vu
Son Thai Dinh
Minh Van Hoang

Abstract

This article discussed Vietnam’s ongoing efforts to decentralize the health system and its fitness to respond to global health crises as presented through the Covid-19 pandemic. We used a general review and expert’s perspective to explore the topic. We found that the healthcare system in Vietnam continued to decentralize from a pyramid to a wheel model. This system shifts away from a stratified technical hierarchy of higher- and lower-level health units (pyramid model) to a system in which quality healthcare is equally expected among all health units (wheel model). This decentralization has delivered more quality healthcare facilities, greater freedom for patients to choose services at any level, a more competitive environment among hospitals to improve quality, and reductions in excess capacity burden at higher levels. It has also enabled the transformation from a patient-based traditional healthcare model into a patient-centered care system. However, this decentralization takes time and requires long-term political, financial commitment, and a working partnership among key stakeholders. This perspective provides Vietnam’s experience of the decentralization of the healthcare system that may be considered as a useful example for other countries to strategically think of and to shape their future system within their own socio-political context.

Article Details

How to Cite
Nguyen, H. V. ., Debattista, J. ., Pham, M. D. ., Dao, A. T. M. ., Gilmour, S. ., Nguyen, H. L. ., Nguyen, T. V. ., Le, P. M., Nguyen, P. T. ., Tran, A. T. N. ., Vu, K. D. ., Dinh, S. T. ., & Hoang, M. V. . (2021). Vietnam’s Healthcare System Decentralization: how well does it respond to global health crises such as covid-19 pandemic?. Asia Pacific Journal of Health Management, 16(1), 47-51. https://doi.org/10.24083/apjhm.v16i1.619
Section
Commentary
Author Biographies

Huy Van Nguyen, Graduate School of Public Health, St. Luke’s International University, Tokyo, Japan

Graduate School of Public Health, St. Luke’s International University,

3-6-2 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan

Joseph Debattista, Metro North Public Health Unit, Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Queensland Health, Brisbane, Australia

Metro North Public Health Unit, Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Queensland Health, Brisbane, Australia

Minh Duc Pham, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

An Thi Minh Dao, Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam

Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam

Stuart Gilmour, Graduate School of Public Health, St. Luke’s International University, Tokyo, Japan

Graduate School of Public Health, St. Luke’s International University, Tokyo, Japan

Hoa Lan Nguyen, Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, MA, USA

Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, MA, USA

Tien Van Nguyen, Department of Health Organization and Management, Faculty of Public Health, Thai Binh University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Thai Binh, Vietnam

Department of Health Organization and Management, Faculty of Public Health, Thai Binh University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Thai Binh, Vietnam

Phuong Mai Le, Graduate School of Public Health, St. Luke’s International University, Tokyo, Japan

Graduate School of Public Health, St. Luke’s International University, Tokyo, Japan

Phuong The Nguyen, Graduate School of Public Health, St. Luke’s International University, Tokyo, Japan

Graduate School of Public Health, St. Luke’s International University, 3-6-2 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan

Anh Thi Ngoc Tran, Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, National Cancer Center, Korea

Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, National Cancer Center, Korea

Kien Duy Vu, OnCare Medical Technology Company Limited, Hanoi, Vietnam

OnCare Medical Technology Company Limited, Hanoi, Vietnam

Son Thai Dinh, Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam

Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam

Minh Van Hoang, Hanoi University of Public Health, Hanoi, Vietnam

Hanoi University of Public Health, Hanoi, Vietnam

Most read articles by the same author(s)