Potential collaboration with the private sector for the provision of ambulatory care in the Mekong region, Vietnam

Bibliographic Data

ID19530987
AuthorsHa Anh Duc (Ministry of Health, corresponding author), LoraL Sabin (Boston University), Le Quang Cuong, Quang Cuong Le (0000-0002-7363-398X, Health Strategy and Policy Institute), Duong Duc Thien (0000-0003-0594-5313, Ministry of Health), Rich Feeley III, Rich Feeley (Center for Global Health)
LanguageEN
References cited9

BACKGROUND: Over the past two decades, health insurance in Vietnam has expanded nationwide. Concurrently, Vietnam's private health sector has developed rapidly and become an increasingly integral part of the health system. To date, however, little is understood regarding the potential for expanding public-private partnerships to improve health care access and outcomes in Vietnam. OBJECTIVE: To explore possibilities for public-private collaboration in the provision of ambulatory care at the primary level in the Mekong region, Vietnam. DESIGN: We employed a mixed methods research approach. Qualitative methods included focus group discussions with health officials and in-depth interviews with managers of private health facilities. Quantitative methods encompassed facility assessments, and exit surveys of clients at the same private facilities. RESULTS: Discussions with health officials indicated generally favorable attitudes towards partnerships with private providers. Concerns were also voiced, regarding the over- and irrational use of antibiotics, and in terms of limited capacity for regulation, monitoring, and quality assurance. Private facility managers expressed a willingness to collaborate in the provision of ambulatory care, and private providers facilites were relatively well staffed and equipped. The client surveys indicated that 80% of clients first sought treatment at a private facility, even though most lived closer to a public provider. This choice was motivated mainly by perceptions of quality of care. Clients who reported seeking care at both a public and private facility were more satisfied with the latter. CONCLUSIONS: Public-private collaboration in the provision of ambulatory care at the primary level in Vietnam has substantial potential for improving access to quality services. We recommend that such collaboration be explored by Vietnamese policy-makers. If implemented, we strongly urge attention to effectively managing such partnerships, establishing a quality assurance system, and strengthening regulatory mechanisms

Ambulatory care · Business · Economic growth · Environmental health · Focus group · Health care · Health facility · Health services · Political science · Population · Private sector · Public health · Public relations · Qualitative research · Global Maternal and Child Health · Healthcare Systems and Reforms · Medicine · Nursing · Public-Private Partnership Projects · Marketing