Telemedicine, a technology-based model to support medical treatment and healthcare, is in wide use in many countries. Now a number of clinics and other medical facilities in Vietnam have begun to use telemedicine, paving the way for a more digitalized medical sector.

Med247 – an online system for following up in-person visits to medical clinics – is a good example of successfully combining home computers and medicine.   

Online healthcare services are making it easier for medical facilities to handle a growing population of patients. An online consultation can provide a provisional diagnosis and preliminary advice and arrange an appointment time at which the patient can come to the appropriate clinic to be examined and treated.

According to Nguyen Tuan Anh, CEO of the smart medical ecosystem Ecomedic and head of Medtech Village, smartphone and internet use in Vietnam has grown rapidly in recent years, making mobile healthcare solutions more feasible. This is one way to reduce the overload at central hospitals, he said.

Med247 is a system of clinics that provides both in-person and online healthcare services, helping patients access the targeted services at  any time.

Truong Vu Tuan, a co-founder and CEO of Med 247, emphasised that this particularly beneficial for people who live far from a hospital.

“We focus on treating children, pregnant women, and young people, who tend to be more open to using new technologies and services," Tuan said. "Our first priority is the quality of medical examinations, treatment, and care, which should make patients feel safe and secure and that they are being handled efficiently. Our clinics use a proprietary technology platform that pays close attention to quality management.”

The latest Industry 4.0 technologies are enabling more accurate diagnoses, better record management, shorter wait times to see the right doctor, and reduced costs for patients.

In Vietnam most people still follow the traditional model of going to a hospital whenever they want to see a doctor, but Med 247 wants to make healthcare services more patient-centered, enabling people to understand and take more control of their health issues, and ensuring faster and more efficient healthcare delivery.

Tran Thi Van Huyen, who lives in Hanoi’s Hoang Mai district, said “In my previous doctor visits, the doctors wrote down on paper my medical history, my prescriptions, and their advice. I often lost or forgot to bring these papers. Computer applications have eliminated this problem.” 

Vietnam is now laying the foundation for a smart healthcare industry that includes smart disease prevention, medical examinations and treatment, and health management.

The digital healthcare market in Southeast Asia will likely reach US$100 billion in revenue this year.