Residents in Bac Tan Uyen commune and surrounding areas will gain access to specialized medical techniques locally, eliminating the need for transfers to higher-level facilities. This follows the official transformation of Bac Tan Uyen Regional Medical Center into Branch 2 of Binh Duong General Hospital on 18/7.

Under this new model, the facility will operate under unified management with Binh Duong General Hospital, adopting shared professional procedures, management systems, and quality standards. Hospital doctors and specialists will rotate to provide medical examination and treatment, human resource training, technology transfer, implement electronic medical records, and drive digital transformation.

Branch 2 will gradually evolve into a comprehensive general hospital, featuring departments for internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics, pediatrics, and a paraclinical system. It will introduce techniques such as emergency care, intensive care, stroke treatment, orthopedic trauma, artificial kidney dialysis, and palliative care. The unit will also offer professional support to local health stations.

Tang Chi Thuong, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, stated that reorganizing the medical center is more than a name change or adding a hospital branch. It aims to bring the capabilities of a first-class general hospital closer to residents, enabling patients to access high-tech services locally.

He explained that this model is the first to be implemented since Ho Chi Minh City merged with Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau. Rather than constructing numerous new hospitals, the healthcare sector opted to upgrade existing medical centers. These centers are now under the direct support of stronger hospitals, aiming to bridge the quality gap between grassroots and tertiary healthcare levels.

Among the 13 regional medical centers with inpatient beds, Bac Tan Uyen is the first to be converted into an affiliated branch of a first-class general hospital. The roadmap indicates that Phu My Regional Medical Center will similarly be reorganized as Branch 3 of Nhan Dan Gia Dinh Hospital.

Branch 2 of Binh Duong General Hospital in Bac Tan Uyen commune officially launched on 18/7. *Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health*

On the same day, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health also signed a comprehensive support program between 7 general hospitals and 7 northern regional medical centers. This initiative includes: Thu Duc General Hospital supporting Thuan An Regional Medical Center, Binh Tan General Hospital supporting Di An, Lanh Binh Thang General Hospital supporting Tan Uyen, Cu Chi Regional General Hospital supporting Ben Cat, Trung My Tay General Hospital supporting Dau Tieng, Tan Phu General Hospital supporting Phu Giao, and Nguyen Thi Thap General Hospital supporting Bau Bang.

To date, all 13 regional medical centers within Ho Chi Minh City, following the mergers, have enhanced their capabilities through various models. Two units in Ho Tram and Con Dao receive rotating doctors from tertiary hospitals, while two centers have been converted into branches of first-class general hospitals. The remaining 9 centers receive comprehensive professional and administrative support from partner general hospitals.

According to Mr. Thuong, the model aims to establish an interconnected medical examination and treatment network. This ensures residents in remote areas can access high-quality medical services locally, avoiding transfers to higher-level facilities when local treatment is viable.

Le Phuong