Reduce monthly hospital visits
In early July, many patients who went to the K Hospital received the "good news" that they will no longer have to come to the hospital every month to get medicine, but will have to come back 3 months later.
Having stage 2 endocrine breast cancer, which has been treated stably since 2024, patient LTT (in Hai Phong ) has to spend a whole day traveling from her hometown to K Hospital to get medicine every month, even though her follow-up appointment is every 3 months.
Ms. T. shared: “Since the end of 2024, my treatment has been stable and I only have regular check-ups. According to the schedule, I have to return to the hospital for a check-up every 3 months. However, the medicine covered by health insurance is provided monthly. Every month, I have to take a day off to get the medicine. There are many patients, it is very difficult and tiring to wait in line, but the regulations are like that, so I still have to come on the right day to get the medicine.”
However, according to Ms. T., when she went for a check-up in early July, the doctor informed her that she would be given medicine every 3 months according to the new regulations, and she was very excited.
"We patients are very happy with the new policy of the Ministry of Health . This is a great support for patients, because most of us live far from the hospital, just going back and forth to get medicine is already very tiring; not to mention the expensive travel and food costs. From now on, I no longer have to worry about going to get medicine every month," Ms. Shared.
Also excited and happy to know that her illness will be provided with long-term medication, Ms. NTM (in Tuyen Quang) said: "When I received the information that the hospital will provide medication for patients for up to 3 months, I was very surprised and very happy. This has also been the wish and desire of our patients for a long time; especially those in remote provinces who do not have much time or conditions to travel to see a doctor. We patients strongly support this new policy to reduce the pressure of travel and costs for patients each time they have to travel to get medicine."
The Ministry of Health has just issued Circular No. 26 regulating prescriptions and the prescription of pharmaceutical and biological drugs in outpatient treatment at medical examination and treatment facilities, effective from July 1, 2025. It includes regulations on diseases that are allowed to be prescribed for up to 90 days.
At K Hospital, from July 1, the Hospital immediately implemented this new Circular.
However, not all diseases or patients can apply long-term prescriptions. A representative of the Oncology Department of a central hospital said that long-term prescriptions according to Circular 26 have not been applied here because the department has many patients with cancer and some other associated diseases. Currently, many cancer patients are only given medicine for 1-2 weeks to 1 month because they have to monitor the patient's condition. The time for doctors to prescribe medicine must be based on the patient's condition, the patient's response to the medicine, etc.
A representative of K Hospital said: Circular 26 is a positive change, contributing to reducing pressure not only for patients but also for staff, doctors and nurses. Patients can reduce travel time to get medicine, save a lot of money. At the same time, staff, medical staff and doctors will also reduce pressure on patient overload, improve productivity, efficiency and quality of medical examination and treatment.
According to the representative of K Hospital, Circular 26 is assessed to have created a stricter legal corridor, contributing to standardizing the prescription process, enhancing the responsibility of medical practitioners and protecting the rights of patients. The new regulation helps improve the quality of treatment by helping patients access accurate treatment regimens, minimizing drug abuse and incorrect use of drugs; making medical examination and treatment transparent helps to more closely manage the prescription process, creating favorable conditions for inspection and supervision; especially protecting the rights of patients when they are fully consulted about drugs and treatment...
In particular, applying prescriptions for patients according to new regulations not only improves the effectiveness of patient care, creates favorable conditions for doctors and medical staff, but also reduces the pressure on patients when coming to see a doctor, receive medicine for treatment, especially for patients living in provinces far from Hanoi.
Not applicable to all diseases
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Health also allowed the provision of 3-month medication when patients could not go to the hospital regularly. The results show that this brought many advantages such as reducing the burden on medical facilities, reducing travel time and costs for patients, especially in remote areas, while still ensuring treatment effectiveness.
Mr. Vuong Anh Duong, Deputy Director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management (Ministry of Health), said: In order to consider building a list of chronic diseases that can be prescribed for a long time and how long the prescription period lasts; In addition to the convenience for patients, reducing travel costs, and reducing the burden on hospitals, the Ministry of Health must prioritize patient safety. Extending the prescription period is an issue that must be very careful, because the highest goal is to ensure the health and safety of patients. Therefore, not every disease in the list is prescribed for 90 days by default. Doctors will have to base on the specific condition of each patient to decide how many days to prescribe.
The new circular also clearly stipulates: The prescriber shall base on the diagnosis and condition of the patient to decide the quantity of medicine prescribed, the number of days of use of each medicine in the prescription, and shall be responsible for his/her decision. The number of days of medication will depend on each case, and can range from 30-90 days.
In case the patient has not finished taking the medicine, or the disease has abnormal developments between doses, or cannot come for a follow-up visit on time, the patient needs to go to the medical facility for a re-examination and treatment adjustment.
"People should not misunderstand that if a disease is on the list, it is automatically prescribed long-term medication, but it also depends on the patient's condition. Each doctor must also be responsible for each prescription and must anticipate risks that may occur during the time the patient is treated at home," said Mr. Vuong Anh Duong.
formation, the extension of the prescription period only applies to stable chronic diseases, with clear treatment regimens, safe drugs, few serious side effects, and no need for continuous testing or monitoring. To ensure patient safety, doctors still need to ensure the principles of safe treatment, avoid drug abuse or let patients have complications that are not detected in time. People also need to be advised by doctors to self-monitor and detect early side effects of drugs (if any) and monitor their health, take medication as directed... so that the disease does not become severe.
Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/doi-song/ke-don-thuoc-keo-dai-toi-3-thang-nguoi-benh-duoc-loi/20250707085720583
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