DECISION

PROMULGATING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CRITERIA FOR TELEMEDICINE

MINISTER OF HEALTH

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 75/2017/ND-CP dated June 20, 2017 on functions, duties, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Health;

Pursuant to the Circular No. 49/2017/TT-BYT dated December 28, 2017 by the Minister of Health on telemedicine;

Pursuant to Decision No. 2628/QD-BYT dated June 22, 2020 by the Ministry of Health approving scheme for remote medical examination and treatment for 2020 - 2025;

At the request of the Director General of Electronic Health Administration, the Ministry of Health hereby promulgates the information technology criteria for telemedicine.

HEREBY DECIDES:

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Article 2. This Decision takes effect from the date on which it is signed.

Article 3. Head of Office of the Ministry of Health, Director General of Electronic Health Administration, Chief Inspector of the Ministry of Health, heads of affiliates of the Ministry of Health, Directors of Departments of Health, heads of health units of central authorities and heads of relevant units shall implement this Decision./.

THE MINISTER




Nguyen Thanh Long

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CRITERIA FOR TELEMEDICINE

(Promulgated together with Decision No. 28/QD-BYT dated January 05, 2021)

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These criteria provide for information technology criteria for telemedicine.

II. Levels of information technology application in telemedicine

There are 5 levels of information technology application in telemedicine (hereinafter referred to as “telemedicine level”) as follows:

Level 1: provide preventive health consultancy and remote medical examination via a separate phone line. Health facilities establish separate consultancy phone lines connected with doctors or health facilities of a higher level of care.

Level 2: manage telemedicine activities in a centralized manner, ensuring security and regulatory compliance

Health facilities developing telemedicine systems shall comply with basic regulations on security assurance according to Circular No. 54/2017/TT-BYT dated December 29, 2017 by the Ministry of Health on criteria for assessment of information technology application at health facilities (hereinafter referred to as “Circular No. 54/2017/TT-BYT”) and connect with telemedicine systems of health facilities of higher levels of care.

Level 3: use video conference technology to provide consultancy and training

Health facilities having achieved level 2 use video conference technology to provide online remote consultancy and assist with training to improve capacity of officials of lower levels of care.

Level 4: connect and collect data from other medical information technology systems to provide consultancy, medical services and training online.

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Level 5: have full interaction capacity. All data from medical devices, including data from portable patient devices, are transmitted to and analyzed by EHR software.

Health facilities having achieved level 4 and telemedicine systems have 2-way interactions with medical information technology systems, connect with medical devices, including portable patient devices, collect data, make analyses and exchange information with EHR. Data is easily exchanged between health facilities and internal units.

III. Specific criteria for levels of information technology application in telemedicine

1. Specific criteria for level 1

Health facilities establish separate consultancy phone lines to:

- Connect doctors;

- Connect doctors and people;

- Connect health facilities.

2. Specific criteria for levels 2, 3, 4 and 5

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Table of criteria

CRITERION GROUP

SPECIFIC CRITERION

LEVEL

A. Technical infrastructure

A1

Basic criteria

2

3

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5

1

Minimum computer equipment must enable IT application

X

X

X

X

2

Local area network (LAN)

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X

X

X

3

Server

X

X

X

X

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Backup storage system

X

X

X

X

5

Uninterruptible power supply, backup power source

X

X

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X

6

Surveillance camera

X

X

X

X

7

Speaker and microphone connected with computer (with noise filter)

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X

X

X

8

Separate Internet connection without bandwidth sharing and with upload speed of more than 50Mbps and download speed of more than 50Mbps

X

X

X

X

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Wireless LAN

X

X

10

Mobile devices (tablets, smart phones)

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X

11

Electronic medical devices used for medical examination

X

A2

Video conference criteria

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WEB Video Conference or MCU system

X

X

X

13

Single- or multi-screen high quality video conference equipment

X

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X

14

Integrated equipment

X

X

X

A3

Medical consultation meeting room

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Live streaming equipment

X

X

X

16

Control panel and converter

X

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X

17

Echo cancellation and noise reduction equipment

X

X

X

18

Screen (at least 55”)

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X

X

X

19

Control computer

X

X

X

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Digital television connected with operating room (if there is any operating room)

X

X

X

A4

Operating room

21

Live streaming equipment

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X

X

22

Control panel and converter

X

X

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Medical screen

X

X

24

Specialized camera to record surgical site

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X

25

Medical trolley with terminal device

X

X

26

Lapel microphone

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X

X

27

Equipment for transmission of images to meeting room

X

X

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Equipment for compilation of data from medical devices

X

X

29

 Control computer

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X

A5

Anatomic pathology room

30

Live streaming equipment

X

X

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Digital microscope, digital specimen scanner

X

X

32

Screen (at least 55”)

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X

A6

Emergency room

33

Live streaming equipment

X

X

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Screen (at least 32”)

X

X

35

Medical trolley with terminal devices

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X

36

Lapel microphone

X

X

37

 Control computer

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X

X

38

Equipment for compilation of data from medical devices

X

X

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Training and healthcare activity direction room

39

Live streaming equipment

X

X

40

Connector adapter

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X

X

41

Screen (at least 55”)

X

X

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 Control computer

X

X

B. Application software

43

Patient information management

X

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X

X

44

Consultant information management (administrative information, workplace, practitioner certificate number, scope of service)

X

X

X

X

45

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X

X

X

X

46

System user management

X

X

X

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47

System user authorization

X

X

X

X

48

Reports and statistics

X

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X

X

49

Management of information, images and sounds of consultancy cases

X

X

X

X

50

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X

X

X

51

Setting up warnings for abnormal medical parameters

X

X

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52

Connection with HIS (HL7)

X

X

53

Connection with LIS (HL7)

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X

X

54

Connection with PACS (DICOM)

X

X

55

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X

X

56

Connecting and reading data from medical devices

X

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57

Management of lists of medical advising and consultation cases

X

X

58

Search

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X

X

59

Queue management

X

X

60

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X

X

61

Medical consultation records (with digital signature)

X

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62

Result printing/exporting

X

X

63

Connection with EMR (HL7)

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X

64

Connection with EHR (HL7)

X

65

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X

66

Connection with electronic medical devices used for medical examination

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67

Connection with portable electronic devices (if any)

X

68

Setting reminders for medical consultation and advising schedules on mobile devices

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X

69

Management of information on and lists of devices connected to the system

X

C. Information security

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Reach basic level of information confidentiality and security criteria according to Circular No. 54/2017/TT-BYT dated 29/12/2017

X

X

X

X

71

Reach advanced level of information confidentiality and security criteria according to Circular No. 54/2017/TT-BYT dated 29/12/2017

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X

D. Number of connection points

72

Minimum number of connection points: 5

X

X

X

X

73

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X

X

X

74

Minimum number of connection points: 10

X

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75

Minimum number of connection points: 20

X

*Note: specialized units not requiring the use of PACS are exempt from PACS criteria.

IV. Implementation

1. Affiliates of the Ministry of Health:

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b) Department of Planning and Finance shall take charge and cooperate with relevant units in determining prices of remote medical examination and treatment services.

c) Office, Inspectorate and affiliates of the Ministry of Health shall cooperate with Electronic Health Administration in state management of telemedicine intra vires.

2. Departments of Health and health units of other ministries and central authorities shall provide direction and guidance for and inspect the implementation of this Decision of units under their management; and submit consolidated reports on telemedicine activities of these units to Electronic Health Administration - Ministry of Health in December every year.

3. Health facilities shall determine and report their telemedicine levels to the supervisory body and Electronic Health Administration in writing to have their levels announced on the website.

V.  Terms of reference

In case the documents cited in this Decision are amended or superseded, the newest documents shall apply.

Any difficulty arising from the implementation of this Decision should be promptly reported to the Ministry of Health (Electronic Health Administration) for consideration and resolution./.

APPENDIX

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(Enclosed with Decision No.   /TT-BYT dated .../… /2021 by Ministry of Health)

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.……^[2]..........
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SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM

Independence - Freedom - Happiness

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No.  /…^[3]…

[Location and date]

REPORT

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To:………………[1]………………….

Name of facility: [2] ……………………………………………………………...

Address of facility: ………………………………………………………………

Number of operating license: …………………………………………………….........

Head of facility: ..................................................................................

Phone number: .................................... Email: ……………………...............

Available telemedicine services (listed):

No.

Telemedicine service

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Remote preventive health consultation

2

Remote medical examination and treatment consultation

3

Remote imaging consultation

4

Remote anatomic pathology consultation

5

Remote surgery consultation

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Training in transfer of remote medical examination and treatment techniques

7

Other types:...................................................................

Pursuant to regulations of Decision No. …/QD-BYT dated …/…/2021 by the Ministry of Health promulgating information technology criteria for telemedicine;

…[2]….. has reached level……[6]……of telemedicine.

…[2]… hereby reports to …[1]… for consolidation, monitoring, inspection and announcement according to regulations./.

 
Recipients:
- As abovementioned;
- Electronic Health Administration (for reporting);
- For archiving: records, information technology.

Head of facility
 
 
 

(Signature and stamp)

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¹Name of supervisory body of health facility

² Name of health facility

³Document code

⁴Name of province/ central-affiliated city

⁵Specific address of health facility

⁶Telemedicine level