More and more health agencies are offering health testing services during which they conduct inaccurate tests, influencing the treatment process, actual health and, most questionably, reaching deep into patient’s pockets.
80% of test labs produce inaccurate tests
Tests not only help in screening diseases, but also confirming a doctor’s diagnosis. For cardiovascular, diabetic, kidney and liver patients who need periodical tests, testing results are very important.
According to the Ministry of Health (MoH), Vietnam has over 1,000 State-owned hospitals which have testing systems, plus 62 private hospitals and over 1,000 private clinics. To ensure accurate testing results, these labs must be verified periodically.
A recent survey conducted by an agency under the Health Ministry shocked many people. Of nearly 50 labs in HCM City surveyed, 82% reported inaccurate testing results.
Many hospitals are using outdated testing equipment, manufactured in the 1970s or 1980s. The price of the latest testing machines is around $300,000-400,000/unit (some big hospitals have imported these machines), and it is only $20,000 for secondhand machines, so most labs prefer previously used equipment.
No regulations have been yet set on medical testing, so no agency or department forces health units to inspect the quality of testing. According to the Hanoi Department of Health’s inspection in 2003-2004 of private clinics, most didn’t inspect the quality of testing.
The Health Ministry doesn’t have an agency in charge of medical testing quality. Officials pledged to address medical testing quality several years ago, but no progress has been made so far.
The Hanoi-based Bach Mai hospital owns the largest and most modern lab in the country, which has been managed by the same doctor since 1990.
Explanation
Dang Van Quy from the HCM City Department of Health said the health sector doesn’t standardize medical tests. Photographic diagnoses are less prone to errors, but tests that need chemicals, techniques and human involvement are more susceptible to mistakes.
The health sector plans to build a modern lab which will act as a standard that can compare test results. This lab will also cooperate with foreign labs to set standards for all types of medical tests.
Quy said there are many reasons leading to the difference in medical testing results and errors. Subjective reasons include the quality of chemicals, the skill of technicians, the quality of testing machines and equipment and the capability of doctors who interpret the testing results.
Most hospitals and medical testing labs forget to tell patients to follow certain rules when they collect samples (blood, urine, etc.) for testing.
It’s time for the Health Ministry to facilitate the improvement of medical labs to prevent wasting time and money and to protect the health of Vietnam’s populace.
80% of test labs produce inaccurate tests
Tests not only help in screening diseases, but also confirming a doctor’s diagnosis. For cardiovascular, diabetic, kidney and liver patients who need periodical tests, testing results are very important.
According to the Ministry of Health (MoH), Vietnam has over 1,000 State-owned hospitals which have testing systems, plus 62 private hospitals and over 1,000 private clinics. To ensure accurate testing results, these labs must be verified periodically.
A recent survey conducted by an agency under the Health Ministry shocked many people. Of nearly 50 labs in HCM City surveyed, 82% reported inaccurate testing results.
Many hospitals are using outdated testing equipment, manufactured in the 1970s or 1980s. The price of the latest testing machines is around $300,000-400,000/unit (some big hospitals have imported these machines), and it is only $20,000 for secondhand machines, so most labs prefer previously used equipment.
No regulations have been yet set on medical testing, so no agency or department forces health units to inspect the quality of testing. According to the Hanoi Department of Health’s inspection in 2003-2004 of private clinics, most didn’t inspect the quality of testing.
The Health Ministry doesn’t have an agency in charge of medical testing quality. Officials pledged to address medical testing quality several years ago, but no progress has been made so far.
The Hanoi-based Bach Mai hospital owns the largest and most modern lab in the country, which has been managed by the same doctor since 1990.
Explanation
Dang Van Quy from the HCM City Department of Health said the health sector doesn’t standardize medical tests. Photographic diagnoses are less prone to errors, but tests that need chemicals, techniques and human involvement are more susceptible to mistakes.
The health sector plans to build a modern lab which will act as a standard that can compare test results. This lab will also cooperate with foreign labs to set standards for all types of medical tests.
Quy said there are many reasons leading to the difference in medical testing results and errors. Subjective reasons include the quality of chemicals, the skill of technicians, the quality of testing machines and equipment and the capability of doctors who interpret the testing results.
Most hospitals and medical testing labs forget to tell patients to follow certain rules when they collect samples (blood, urine, etc.) for testing.
It’s time for the Health Ministry to facilitate the improvement of medical labs to prevent wasting time and money and to protect the health of Vietnam’s populace.
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