Review of Telemedicine Business Models in Vietnam

Vu, Lung; Le, Sang Minh; Vu, Ha Thai

Review of Telemedicine Business Models in Vietnam

Autores

Vu, Lung

Le, Sang Minh

Vu, Ha Thai

Editor

Washington, DC: World Bank

Descripción

This review was conducted using secondary data combined with key informant interviews aiming to (1) understand the current state of telemedicine services in Viet Nam, their business models and challenges; and (2) provide recommendations to guide national-level policy makers on how to strengthen telemedicine services in Viet Nam. Over the past five years, Viet Nam has seen a moderate growth in the number of telemedicine services, revenues, service offerings, and patient volume. Furthermore, these services’ functionalities can be grouped in three major types: (1) providing access to a second opinion on imaging and diagnostic tests, especially for providers working at commune or district hospitals (disadvantaged/ lower level of care); (2) using teleconsultations to screen and triage patients, then move a small proportion of patients who need in-person visits to offline facilities; and (3) enabling digital provider-to provider consultations on certain disease conditions or diagnostics. The authors recommend the government of Viet Nam to urgently establish a regulatory framework to keep up with the rapid development of telemedicine services in the country, which includes clinical guidelines for telemedicine practices for ensuring quality of care and protecting health workers and patients.