A doctor from Thong Nhat Hospital in HCM City examines a patient in her home (Photo: VNA)HCM City (VNS/VNA) – Many hospitals in HCM City are continuing to
offer and treatment that began during the first
COVID-19 outbreak.
The city Department of Health earlier this year had instructed hospitals to
provide home-based for people over 60 years old.
Many hospitals are continuing the service, even though there has been not
community-transmitted case in the city in the last 54 days.
Many seniors prefer the service since they do not have to travel and can call
and ask for a doctor and nurse to come to their home.
A 90-year-old woman’s grandchild, for example, called District 11 Hospital to
register for the home-based service since the family was still worried about
the pandemic, and the woman, who has diabetes, hypertension and a vestibular
disorder, could not easily travel to the hospital.
At 9am on September 3, Dr Pham Hoang Dung from the hospital’s general internal
medicine department and a nurse visited her house. After an examination, Dung prescribed
medicine and made an appointment with her grandchild to visit the hospital to
buy the medicine.
Le Hoang Anh Vu, the grandchild, said: “After I heard about the service, I
immediately registered. Two days later, the doctor came to my house to examine
her. Her examination and treatment was covered by health insurance.”
In another case, a 70-year-old woman from Thu Duc district who had a bone
fracture could not visit Thu Duc District Hospital for an examination as she
had done previously. She has and hypertension and needs to be examined
every two weeks.
The woman’s grandchild called Thu Duc District Hospital to register for its
home-based service and a doctor and nurse came to her home.
“I didn’t have to wait at the hospital for my turn,” the woman said.
Dr Hoang Van Dung, deputy head of the general planning division at Thu Duc Hospital, said the hospital was following the
Ministry of Health’s instruction to offer home-based services.
Fifty-two health facilities, including 22 district hospitals, in HCM City are
providing the service.
Thong Nhat Hospital, however, has provided the service since 2015. The hospital
has nearly 20 doctors in charge of visiting patients’ homes.
When COVID-19 first broke out, demand for the service increased by 30-40 percent
compared to previous months, according to the hospital.
Ho Thuong Dung, deputy head of Thong Nhat Hospital, said that patients,
especially those aged 60 and over, should limit going to crowded areas like
hospitals.
Besides home-based treatments, telemedicine is being used effectively at
several health facilities such as the Go Vap District Health Centre and
District 2 Hospital.
Tang Chi Thuong, deputy director of the city Department of Health, said these
services have helped to reduce overloading at hospitals and hospital-acquired
infections./.
Source: VietnamPlus
