Ho Chi Minh City rolls out three‑tier integrated health network

Ho Chi Minh City, home to more than 14 million residents, is reorganising its health system into three interconnected tiers. The new model links primary health stations, family doctors and community centres with secondary hospitals and tertiary referral facilities, allowing patients to receive prevention, early detection, treatment, rehabilitation and long‑term management at the appropriate level.

Director Tang Chi Thuong of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health said the city’s 169 hospitals, over 13 000 medical facilities, 168 health stations and nearly 300 health centres will share electronic medical records, a common database and tele‑consultation platforms. The shift aims to meet the challenges of an ageing population and rising chronic diseases by moving away from isolated, high‑level hospitals toward a unified, continuous care network.

The three‑tier approach is intended to make health services more accessible, improve coordination and ensure that health information follows patients throughout their life‑cycle, from routine check‑ups and vaccinations to specialised treatment and post‑acute rehabilitation.