Sunday, October 28, 2012

Vietnam's "class" hospitals

We read that the Central Pediatrics Hospital in Hanoi has voluntary treatment centers at the level of A, B, and C

If patients come to the voluntary treatment centers B and C, they have to wait ( the examination fee is VND90,000 - $4.5) , while at the center A, (where the examination fee is up to VND680,000 - $34) they will be served very quickly and at the best quality. The center A is established to meet the need of rich people, who can afford inpatient treatment cost of hundreds of USD per day. Patients coming to the voluntary treatment center A are warmly welcome and the entire center is equipped with air-conditioner. Each patient is taken care by one nurse, has private room. While patients who use medical services at other zones have to queue for half of a day to wait for their turn.Being tired and sick, many patients sit, lie around the lobby to wait for their turn, making up a scene in stark contrast with the voluntary treatment center A. For inpatient treatment, each poor patient has to share a bed with 2 or 3 or even 4 other patients, increasing the chances of cross-infection.

 Without paying more money, patients must wait months to get surgery. But with the "fast operation" service, they will have to wait for 10 days. At Viet Duc Hospital (Hanoi) this service exists under the name of "quick surgical services." Accordingly, if patients pay an additional VND2 million ($100).  People who have money just have to wait for 7-10 days.

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