CaliToday (26/12/2025): For decades, the scene at Vietnam’s major public hospitals was synonymous with one thing: overcrowding. Patients queuing from 4:00 AM, exhausted doctors juggling stacks of paperwork, and diagnostic processes that could take days. However, as 2025 draws to a close, a quiet digital revolution is transforming these medical hubs.
By integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) virtual assistants into imaging diagnostics and Electronic Medical Record (EMR) management, top-tier hospitals in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have reported a 30% reduction in average patient waiting times, marking a significant leap toward the "Smart Hospital" model.
1. The "Second Pair of Eyes": AI in Imaging Diagnostics
The most critical application has been in the radiology departments. Hospitals such as Cho Ray (HCMC) and K Hospital (Hanoi) have deployed AI algorithms capable of analyzing X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs in seconds.How it works: instead of a radiologist manually scanning hundreds of images for anomalies, the AI pre-screens the data. It highlights potential fractures, tumors, or lesions with a "heat map," allowing doctors to focus immediately on the problem areas.
The Impact: This "triage" capability allows doctors to diagnose complex cases faster and with higher accuracy, significantly reducing the bottleneck in result returns.
2. The End of Paperwork: AI-Powered EMR Management
The administrative burden has long been the silent killer of hospital efficiency. The new AI systems address this by automating the flow of patient data.Voice-to-Text Technology: Doctors at the University Medical Center HCMC are now using AI-powered voice recognition software specialized for Vietnamese medical terminology. This allows them to update patient charts verbally in real-time during consultations, rather than spending 15 minutes typing after every visit.
Intelligent Scheduling: AI chatbots, integrated with national apps like VNeID, now handle appointment bookings and patient filtering. The system predicts peak hours and suggests appointment slots that spread the patient load evenly throughout the day, preventing the morning "rush hour" crushes.
3. A Strategic Shift for 2026
"The goal isn't to replace doctors, but to give them back the time to actually be doctors," shared Dr. Nguyen Van A, a department head at a leading Hanoi hospital.The success of these pilot programs in 2025 has paved the way for broader adoption. The Ministry of Health has outlined a roadmap for 2026 to connect these local AI systems into a national healthcare database, allowing patient history to be accessed instantly by AI assistants anywhere in the country—further slashing administrative delays.
While challenges regarding data privacy and infrastructure costs remain, the numbers speak for themselves. For the millions of patients relying on the public health system, AI isn't just a buzzword; it's the difference between waiting hours and waiting minutes.
CaliToday.Net