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Vietnam
How Vietnam's four-tier care structure, mandatory health insurance, and blend of Eastern and Western medicine shape the way patients access and experience healthcare.
01
Healthcare system (coverage & access)
- Care is organized into four tiers: commune level (basic care, vaccinations, treatment of minor illnesses, maternity assistance), district level (basic surgery and urgent care), provincial level (larger regional hospitals handling complex treatments beyond basic clinics), and central level (complex surgery and cancer treatment in major cities).
- Both public and private healthcare exist: public care is more affordable but has very long wait times, while private clinics are newer and more accessible but more expensive and mostly located in urban areas.
- Vietnam has mandatory health insurance for all citizens; the government pays for insurance for all children under 6, the elderly, and poorly employed citizens.
- Insured patients typically pay 20% of medical costs.
- The country is beginning to expand digital care as it works to replace outdated technology.
02
Approaches to medication
- Healthcare blends Eastern and Western medicine.
- Pharmacies are widely used throughout the country.
- Traditional Vietnamese medicine, such as herbal tonics, is used for preventative treatment — for example, cancer care may combine chemotherapy to treat the tumor with traditional tonics to manage side effects.
03
How patients view providers
- Patients expect doctors to examine them quickly; if a doctor stalls or asks too many questions, patients may perceive the physician as incompetent.
- Public hospitals often have very long wait times, so patients sometimes present doctors with envelopes of money in exchange for more immediate care.
04
Helpful to know
- Patients generally prefer a polite distance from doctors rather than a companionable relationship.
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