A look inside Việt Nam’s digital hospital

AI, digital technology and robot-assisted surgery are transforming healthcare at Hà Nội Medical University Hospital, helping doctors work more efficiently while giving patients faster, more convenient and increasingly advanced care.

Digital transformation is taking place across a variety of sectors nationwide, including healthcare, and its benefits are already evident at Hà Nội Medical University Hospital.

Patient records and workflows have been digitised, reducing waiting times and improving efficiency.

Patients can book appointments online, choose their preferred doctors and receive appointment information through the hospital’s app.

“Previously, when online services were not yet widely available, I had to arrive very early. I would come at 5am to queue up and get a number. Now that online services are widely available, I find the process much faster and more convenient,” patient Dương Thị Kim Nhung told Việt Nam News.

She said the app allows patients to choose their doctor and appointment date. After booking, they receive a text message with their queue number, as well as the date and time of the appointment.

Patient Lê Hoàng Lan Anh said online booking is particularly convenient because patients no longer have to wait as long.

“It also makes the whole experience more pleasant, especially when you’re already feeling unwell,” she said. “Having to wait a long time when you’re sick can be very tiring.”

From digital records to digital workflows

The Radiology Centre was among the hospital’s early adopters of digital transformation.

Professor Lê Tuấn Linh, deputy director of the hospital and head of the Radiology Centre, said the centre has digitised virtually all professional and administrative workflows and is now almost completely paperless.

However, some documents, including patient consent forms required for legal procedures, still need to be signed manually.

“The first approach is to digitise all our workflows, rather than simply digitising medical records or patient data. Even the way doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers think and work has to change to adapt to these digital workflows,” Linh said.

The transformation has significantly improved efficiency. A doctor can review medical images from three or four different facilities, or even more, through a remote image transmission network, he said.

The centre is also applying AI to support patient coordination and diagnosis.

AI as a second opinion

The centre's Dr Nguyễn Thanh Vân Anh said AI has become part of the radiology team’s daily work.

“We use AI for almost all of our daily work. It significantly reduces the time needed to interpret medical images, especially CT scans of the pulmonary arteries and coronary arteries. It is very important to our work,” she said.

AI is expected to make further advances in the coming years, she added. While it cannot replace humans, it can help healthcare professionals work faster and more efficiently.

“By using AI, we can save a great deal of time and significantly improve our productivity. If we do not adopt AI, we risk falling behind as the digital age continues to advance,” she said.

Robots assist in complex surgery

The digital transformation is also extending into the operating theatre.

Two robotic surgical systems, Cori and Da Vinci, have recently been put into use at the hospital to support complex procedures.

Urology department head Professor Hoàng Long said surgical techniques have evolved from open surgery to minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery and, over the past decade, to robot-assisted surgery.

The fourth-generation Da Vinci system is among the most advanced technologies available, providing precise assistance for complex procedures.

Its robotic arms mimic the movement of the human hand and can rotate 360 degrees. Unlike conventional laparoscopic instruments, which have limited movement, the robotic arms can reproduce movements similar to those of the human wrist.

Combined with a 3D imaging system, this flexibility gives surgeons a clearer view of the operating field and enables them to reach areas that are difficult to access, particularly inside the abdominal cavity.

The system also provides stable and precise movements, helping surgeons perform complex procedures such as suturing while preserving as much healthy tissue and organ function as possible.

 However, the robot does not make surgical decisions independently.

“The doctor remains responsible for performing the surgery, programming the system, making decisions during the procedure and assuming professional responsibility,” Long said.

He said future robotic systems might become more advanced, but human control would remain essential. Current systems also have safety mechanisms that allow surgeons to stop robotic activity immediately when necessary.