Medical System

@paulepancakes

Generally, you walk in and go from there

mAC

    Can I ask for an understanding of how the medical system works in Danang. Is appointment or walk in, etc?
Thanks in advance
   
    -@paulepancakes

Since you'll be traveling with your wife (and I assume she isn't Vietnamese) it's going to be very important to choose a place well equipped to deal with foreigners.

Bare bones medical care for most Vietnamese people is available in clinics & hospitals, but many of them don't provide much if any English language support.

My wife and I take advantage of the lowest cost, no-frills options easily, because she is able to quickly translate for me.

I recommend downloading the "My Vinmec" app (Google Play android link) and choosing English language at startup.

It covers facilities in HCMC, Hà Nội and Đà Nẵng.

After you've created an account you can then schedule an appointment with the specific specialty clinic you need, even a particular specialist.

Otherwise, it's general practice to do one of two things when seeking medical care at a hospital here:

1. If it's not a true emergency, walk into the main lobby and there will be someone at a desk or in a cubicle who will first want to get you registered with the hospital.

You'll pay a nominal fee for your initial registration and consultation, and if you are further referred to a specialty clinic, you'll pay for that visit as well.

You may be asked to pay multiple times as different services are ordered (labs, X-ray, EKG, etc).

2. If it's a true emergency or what we call "urgent care" situation, go directly to the Emergency Room. Some days that's your only option if the main lobby isn't being staffed.

At some hospitals (Quy Nhơn, for example) they have an English language ambassador on staff who will help guide you through the process of getting to see a physician.

Other places (Vĩnh Đức Hospital near Hội An, for example) have established their own separate section for foreigners with a head physician who speaks English well.

In Đà Nẵng, many foreigners go to "Family Hospital" to see "Dr Dan" (Daniel Mitchell, MD).

Family Hospital (and some other hospitals) will work with insurance carriers who are covering the cost of your care.

In some cases they already have contracts to allow direct billing, keeping you from needing to pay for care in advance.

The most common complaints from foreigners about medical care here in Việt Nam are:

1. No English spoken or not spoken well.

All hospitals & clinics are not created equal when it comes to the care of foreigners and some will simply refuse to see you, especially without a Vietnamese escort.

Local police are probably the best source for recommendations.

2. Prices too expensive.

It costs more for hospitals to provide both the level of care demanded and the English-language support needed by foreigners, so it's really quite reasonable that you would pay more to see "Dr Dan" than my wife would pay if she walked in to Đà Nẵng General Hospital.

Hospitals also have more complete pharmacies than the myriad of retail pharmacies available in Việt Nam, so if you are having difficulty finding a particular medication, you'll almost certainly need to go to the hospital and get a prescription written by a staff physician in order to obtain that medication.

Good luck with your travel plans here.

@OceanBeach92107

You are crazy helpful . We really appreciate your insight  We will catch up for coffee in Jan ’25..

Again thanks