Major General, Associate Professor, PhD Vu Nhat Dinh, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Military Medical University (VMMU), requested the Military Clinical Embryology Institute to continue improving regulations and rules in a more complete and detailed manner, upgrading and adding equipment and software to better serve the official implementation of electronic medical records, moving towards the realization of a “paperless hospital.”

Major General, Associate Professor, PhD Vu Nhat Dinh, Deputy Director of the VMMU, Chairman of the Appraisal Council, presided over the appraisal session.

On August 29 in Hanoi, the Military Clinical Embryology Institute (VMMU) conducted an appraisal and assessment of the conditions for using and storing electronic medical records in place of paper medical records, storing and transmitting medical images instead of printing films, and storing laboratory test information instead of paper printouts at the hospital.

The Appraisal Council consisted of 9 members, including: Major General, Associate Professor, PhD Vu Nhat Dinh, Deputy Director of the VMMU, Chairman of the Council; Members: Colonel, Associate Professor, PhD Nguyen Trung Kien, Head of the Treatment Department, Military Medical Department; Colonel, Associate Professor, PhD Nguyen Minh Phuong, Head of the Military Science Department (VMMU); Master Tran Van Tuyen, Specialist, Department of Science, Technology and Training (Ministry of Health); Lieutenant Colonel, Master Hoang Anh Tuan, Head of the Information Technology Division, Office of the VMMU; Lieutenant Colonel, Specialist Doctor Level II Pham Xuan Quang, Deputy Head of the General Planning Department, Military Hospital 103 (VMMU), along with other Council members of the hospital.

Reporting on the results of developing electronic medical records, Colonel, Associate Professor, PhD Trinh The Son, Director of the Military Clinical Embryology Institute, stated that in recent times, the Institute has built infrastructure, upgraded information technology equipment, and developed HIS (Hospital Information System), LIS (Laboratory Information System), and PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) software to ensure quality, efficiency, reliability, and information security. The electronic medical records have reached Level 6 and are being further upgraded in accordance with regulations.

The Institute has completed the integration of information between HIS, LIS, and PACS, fully digitizing the entire medical examination and treatment process from patient reception, paraclinical test orders, and prescription issuance to storage, sharing, and protection of patient information. It has also integrated professional procedures and reimbursement processes, established reporting and alert systems, fully meeting the criteria set by the Ministry of Health. The implementation has recorded positive practical results, initially receiving favorable feedback from medical staff, patients, and their families thanks to reduced waiting times and increased transparency.

The Appraisal Council directly inspected the areas where electronic medical records are implemented, such as the reception desk and registration kiosks, consultation rooms, ultrasound rooms, laboratories, post-procedure/post-surgery monitoring rooms, the in-vitro fertilization laboratory, and the server room. Through this, the Council evaluated the process of implementing electronic medical records at the Military Clinical Embryology Institute in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Health.

By directly inspecting the information technology infrastructure, professional capacity, and reviewing records, the Appraisal Council highly appreciated the strong investment in technical systems and equipment, the proactive development of operational procedures, the organization of personnel training, and the synchronized operation of HIS, LIS, and PACS systems at the Military Clinical Embryology Institute. In addition, the Council recognized the thorough and comprehensive preparation in terms of legal framework, management processes, and technical professional procedures, with all dedicated medical staff being provided with digital signatures, and so on.

The appraisal team inspected the operation of the laboratory in entering results into the electronic medical records.

Speaking at the working session, Major General, Associate Professor, PhD Vu Nhat Dinh, Deputy Director of the VMMU and Chairman of the Appraisal Council, affirmed: Electronic medical records are a crucial factor in implementing paperless hospitals and moving towards building smart hospitals, with the aim of improving the quality of medical examination and treatment, controlling medical costs, and enhancing the quality of healthcare services. They serve as the foundation of the digital transformation process, gradually modernizing services for protecting, caring for, and improving the health of soldiers and the people, while enabling patients to easily access and use high-quality medical services.

The Deputy Director of the VMMU requested the Military Clinical Embryology Institute to continue improving regulations and rules in a more complete and detailed manner, upgrading and supplementing equipment and software to better serve the official implementation of electronic medical records, moving towards the realization of a “paperless hospital.”

Based on the assessment, the Appraisal Council conducted a vote and unanimously agreed that the Military Clinical Embryology Institute meets the requirements for implementing electronic medical records.

Hà Minh

Translated by Nguyen Thu Trang