Dak Lak's healthcare sector is steadily transforming its operational model, positioning technology as a key driver in enhancing the quality of healthcare services for the public.

At Phu Yen General Hospital, the Hospital Information System (HIS), Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), alongside the Laboratory Information System (LIS), have been deployed to optimise medical examination and treatment processes, shorten waiting times while enhancing overall patient experience.

Dr. Bui Anh Hoa, Specialist Level I and Deputy Director of Phu Yen General Hospital, said inpatient admissions have consistently reached nearly twice the hospital's designed capacity in recent years, placing considerable pressure on infrastructure, medical equipment as well as professional operations. Against this backdrop, digitalisation across every stage, from patient admission, electronic medical records and diagnostic imaging to laboratory services has significantly reduced administrative workloads for healthcare professionals, enabling them to dedicate more time to patient care and treatment.

Electronic medical application recording enables doctors at Phu Yen General Hospital to access clinical information promptly, supporting more effective surgical procedures and patient treatment.

For Dak Lak, a province characterised by vast geography and uneven population distribution, digital transformation plays an even more vital role in narrowing disparities in healthcare access across regions. It is bringing high-quality medical services closer to local communities, particularly residents in remote and mountainous areas.

Advancing towards smart healthcare

To date, the province has achieved notable progress in its D roadmap. Specifically, the Telehealth system has successfully connected 100% of provincial-level hospitals with central-level hospitals. Concurrently, 46 out of 48 healthcare facilities have officially announced successful implementation of electronic medical records (EMRs) on the Ministry of Health's Information Portal. Several facilities have fully transitioned to a paperless hospital model, helping optimise document storage while enhancing transparency in medical treatment. Moreover, all health insurance-contracted healthcare facilities province-wide have adopted citizen identification (ID) cards for information retrieval, with more than 11.5 million verification transactions completed.

According to Action Programme No. 05-CTr/TU, issued on December 10, 2025 by the Standing Board of the Dak Lak Provincial Party Committee, the province has identified development of a modern, integrated, people-centred healthcare system as a strategic priority, placing particular emphasis on applying science, technology (S&T) alongside DX to improve governance efficiency while enhancing healthcare service quality.

Comrade Luong Nguyen Minh Triet, Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Dak Lak Provincial Party Committee and Head of the provincial National Assembly Deputies' Delegation, said the healthcare sector should closely follow Action Programme No. 05 by building a comprehensive digital healthcare ecosystem spanning primary healthcare facilities through specialised hospitals; accelerating completion of electronic health records together with electronic medical records; promoting interoperability across healthcare data; and developing digital platforms supporting healthcare administration, medical examination as well as treatment. Simultaneously, the entire sector must resolutely pursue administrative reform by reducing at least 50% of both processing time and compliance costs for administrative procedures involving citizens and businesses, in line with directives from central authorities.

With a clear strategic direction coupled with strong internal commitment, DX will continue serving as a solid foundation for Dak Lak to build a smart healthcare system, ensuring every resident benefits from advances in modern S&T.

Translated by HAI LOAN