Interview day 1: Prof.

Huy

- What is the mission of HUMP and how it relates to HCH?

HCH and HUMP are both healthcare center in central region of Vietnam. In 1978-1988
period, they used to reunify as Hue Institute of Medicine, and then separated again into 2
independent healthcare facilities.
Nowadays they provide healthcare services for people in Thua Thien Hue Province as well
as people from other provinces in central regions but their main missions are a little bit
different. The main mission of HUMP is to provide training, research and some parts of
healthcare; while the main mission of HCH is to provide healthcare, beside short-term
training courses and continuous education.
Both hospitals have good cooperation in terms of training and healthcare. HCH is the
practical training site for HUMP. Some staffs of HUMP work in clinical training in HCH, and
instruct the students coming from HUMP. Also, HCH doctors give lectures to HUMP students
of HUMP.

- What is personal opinion of Dr Huy about sending students to HCH2 for practical
training?
In order to sent students to medical facilities for clinical training, all the chosen medical
facilities have to meet the academic requirements of HUMP. Every year they will carry
assessments for the medical facilities before sending students there. Before, HCH2 didnt
come up to expectation of HUMP, so HUMP couldnt send student. However, after the
handover, and with the support from project of KOICA, the quality of HCH2 has improved
significantly and prompt to be potential practical training site for HUMP. As the review for
HCH2 hasnt been carried out until now, HCH2 still have time to reorganize their function
and develop the quality. Dr Huy hopes that after all these changes, and with support from
Yonsei in KOICA project, HCH2 can meet their requirements and soon become the practical
training site for HUMP.

- Orientation of HUMP in the future?

Dr Huy shares that therere 12 medical universities in Vietnam but HUMP was the first
university to be accredited by government for its quality ina medical training. With a 700-
bed-hospital functioning as practical training site for students and providing healthcare for
people, HUMP intend to develop with more specialized healthcare centers. Regarding
medical tourism, they have had campaigns and submitted action plan to PPC. They also have
Biomedical center, Family Medicine Center, and support Local Health authorities in carrying
research, gaining data, set up national healthcare system for government.

- Strategic location for medical industry?

Dr Huy agrees that Thua Thien Hue Province has potential to build isolation centers and
Strategic Stockpiling Warehouse for Asean area. The hospitals need to cooperate with
government and get permission from them to implement this plan.
In Thua Thien Hue Province, therere needs of technical repair and maintenance for
medical equipment. For a long time, hospitals in Hue have used end-used devices and the
capacity of maintaining them is limited. So an medical equipment center is really necessary
in this province.
Traditional medicine, doing research and producing herbal medicine are also good trend
in the near future for healthcare in Thua Thien Hue. We can develop medical and
pharmacist products in bio industry to serve patients.

- What do you think about creation of HCH 2 ?

To Dr Huy, HCH, as well as HUMP, receives patients not only from Thua Thien Hue but
also from other provinces in central region, so people in Thua Thien Hue Province need a
specialized hospital which focus on providing medical treatment and examination only for
them (Thua Thien Hue is the only province which doesnt have their provincial hospital). The
creation of HCH 2 is important and right decision for this province and can answer the need
of healthcare for many people in Thua Thien Hue Province. Once HCH2 meets HUMPs
requirement, it can become their training site, in addition to HCH and other facilities
Hes not sure about development direction of HCH 2 by the director of HCH; however, he
thinks that the director might want to upgrade the hospital to the same level or near same
level of HCH. Its good for students of medical university.

- How do you think about the future of HCH2?

 The future of HCH2 should be good, but it depends how the measures will be set by
director and implemented in order to reach their goals. From academic view, he thinks that
if the hospital is managed well by the director, HUMP can benefit from that development.
Therere still many obstacles and challenges to deal with. For examples regarding the
transportation of staffs in HCH2, most of the medical staffs dont live in Phong Dien District
so they have to travel on daily basis between 2 facilities. Besides, he thinks that the current
number of patient is not a problem, because when the quality of staffs is improved, in
addition to good condition of current facilities in HCH2, the hospital will attract a lot of
patients. However, in the long future, HCH2 needs to maintain the quality of healthcare
staffs to maintain the number of patients. From his aspect, if the HCH2 develop well and be
upgraded to fully functional, students of HUMP and people in Thua Thien Hue Province can
benefit a lots from this.
If the quality of HCH2 is as good as HCH, people within that area and from Quang Tri will
come there they can share number of patients in HCH, which is clearly overcrowded now.
HCH2 need time, effort, and supports to get upgrade quality to the same level as HCH2,
especially the technical and management supports.