The Ministry of Health has officially approved the Satellite Hospital Project for the 2026-2030 period, with the participation of 54 “nucleus” hospitals and approximately 200 satellite hospitals nationwide. This project is a crucial step toward building a fair, effective, efficient, and sustainable healthcare system, with a special focus on comprehensively improving the capacity of grassroots healthcare facilities.

Strategic Objectives of the Satellite Hospital Network

The core objective of the project is to develop the satellite hospital network into a vital component of the national medical examination and treatment system. The project’s implementation helps comprehensively improve the professional and managerial capacity and service quality of local healthcare facilities. Consequently, local residents can access safe, high-quality, timely, and convenient healthcare services close to their residences. The project also aims to narrow the gap in healthcare quality between regions and technical levels, rationally organize patient transfers to sustainably reduce overloading at upper-level hospitals, and promote technology transfer and telehealth.

Selection Criteria and Participation of Healthcare Facilities

The system of 54 leading hospitals designated as “nuclei” includes facilities such as Bach Mai Hospital, Viet Duc Friendship Hospital, K Hospital, Hue Central Hospital, Cho Ray Hospital, National Children’s Hospital, and Tu Du Hospital. These units will be in charge of transferring techniques in 19 key specialties, including oncology, orthopedic trauma, anesthesiology and resuscitation, cardiology, emergency medicine, intensive care and poison control, stroke, respiratory medicine, obstetrics, and pediatrics.

Meanwhile, satellite hospitals are prioritized over healthcare facilities and medical centers in disadvantaged, remote, and isolated areas with large geographical distances. These units must have a practical need to improve professional and managerial capacity and a high rate of transferring patients to higher levels. Participating satellite facilities must ensure adequate infrastructure and human resources or commit to an investment roadmap to receive technical transfers. Notably, the project expands the private hospital system’s participation, creating a healthy competitive environment to improve overall service quality for patients.

Breakthroughs with the “Guided Return Transfer” Mechanism and Digital Technology Application

One of the most important highlights of the project is the application of the “guided return transfer” mechanism. According to this process, the nucleus hospital will transfer patients whose conditions have stabilized back to the satellite hospital for continued monitoring, accompanied by detailed treatment regimens and guidelines. Treatment at the lower-level facility will be carried out under the supervision and remote consultation of the upper-level hospital via digital platforms.

Information technology is identified as the “backbone” connecting the entire system. The Telehealth network will be deployed synchronously, supporting online training and inter-level consultations. All medical staff at satellite hospitals will be systematically trained to master the transferred technical packages, ensuring these techniques are maintained routinely and safely. This allows provincial patients to access the opinions of central-level experts quickly and accurately without having to travel far. Additionally, the project closely links technical transfer with the health insurance payment mechanism, ensuring financial coverage when performing new techniques to completely resolve financial barriers.

Key Implementation Roadmap for the 2026-2028 Period

The project is divided into two distinct phases. The 2026-2028 phase will prioritize developing the satellite network for specialties with high transfer rates, a heavy burden of disease, or urgent local needs. Key activities include training, transferring critical medical techniques, promoting the application of information technology, developing the Telehealth system, and enhancing hospital management capacity and digital transformation.

Center for Support & Continuing Education – According to the Vietnam Ministry of Health