At Cho Ray Hospital, on almost any day of the week, even though it's past 11 a.m., there are still hundreds of people standing in line waiting for their turn to be examined. A large portion of them are elderly individuals and people with multiple underlying health conditions.
A 65 year old man, Nguyen Van Ut, from Tra Vinh Province said that he suffers from hepatitis, osteoarthritis, gout, diabetes, and high blood pressure simultaneously. His condition worsened, and his son took him to Cho Ray Hospital from 3:30 a.m., but upon arrival, he still couldn't avoid having to queue and wait wearily.
The same overcrowd of patients was seen in An Binh Hospital in District 5.
Not only in general hospitals but also in specialized hospitals, patients are queuing extensively in examination and treatment areas. At Ho Chi Minh City Eye Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital, and Ho Chi Minh City Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital, many patients, despite it being well past noon, are still waiting for their turn after having arrived early.
Most patients come from provinces such as Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Tay Ninh, Tien Giang, and Vinh Long. The waiting areas are filled with patients occupying all available seats, while long lines of individuals wait patiently for their turn. After enduring long waits of over 2-3 hours, many patients find themselves exhausted and resort to sitting on the floor, dozing off as they await their names to be called.
Over the past period, hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City have implemented solutions to reduce waiting times for patients such as continuous examination without lunch break, earlier-than-scheduled examinations, appointment-based examinations, increasing the number of examination tables. Many hospitals have deployed online registration, including QR codes to install appointment booking apps in each patient's prescription. However, these solutions have not been very effective as few people are in the habit of choosing online medical examination registration.
According to statistics from Ho Chi Minh City Eye Hospital, the number of patients registering for online examinations only accounts for about 13.7 percent although the hospital has actively encouraged people to do so. Meanwhile, People's Hospital 115 each day receives about 1,000-1,200 patients with health insurance cards, but only about 200-240 register for online examinations accounting for about 20 percent. Most patients come to the hospital and then register for health insurance services.
Many doctors explained that the majority of patients visiting large hospitals are individuals from provinces who have been transferred to Ho Chi Minh City. These patients are often unfamiliar with the updated procedures for medical examination and treatment. Most are middle-aged or elderly, with limited exposure to digital technology, relying primarily on social media platforms for basic communication. Plus, concerns about potential costs and fears of online fraud deter some from registering for medical appointments through digital platforms.
Meanwhile, according to Director Diep Bao Tuan of Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital, the number of patients diagnosed with new cancers is increasing, leading to an increase in the number of patients coming to the hospital for examination and treatment.
Additionally, many patients traveling from other provinces require same-day examinations, prompting them to arrive at the hospital early in the morning.
To ease the burden on these patients, the hospital has implemented several measures, including opening reception and examination services from 5 a.m., increasing the number of early-morning radiotherapy sessions that conclude by noon, and scheduling surgeries outside of standard office hours and on Saturdays. Chemotherapy services are also provided beyond regular weekday hours.
Furthermore, the hospital encourages patients to use its app and website for appointment booking. A smart appointment system has been introduced to manage patient flow efficiently, with priority given to separate examination pathways for elderly patients, those with serious health conditions, and children.
