[The establishment of TVGH's telemedicine office at Hong Ngoc Hospital in Hanoi was marked by a ceremony. Pictured from left to right are: Nguyen Trac Ba, Secretary-General of the Vietnam Government Committee for Taiwan Affairs; Richard Shih, Ambassador of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vietnam; Hung Chih Hua, a member of the Overseas Community Affairs Council; Liu Chun Shu, Director of TVGH's International Medical Center; and Nguyen Ngoc Long, CEO of Hong Ngoc Group, who joined TVGH Vice Superintendent Lee Wei-chiang via video conference.]
Taipei Veterans General Hospital on January 17 officially inaugurated the “Taiwan Telemedicine Office,” the first of its kind operated by a Taiwanese hospital overseas. The office is located at Hong Ngoc - Phuc Truong Minh General Hospital, a leading private hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam. This significant milestone marks a key step in promoting Taiwan's advanced healthcare industry and medical technologies to international markets, especially to the Vietnamese people, while simultaneously strengthening partnerships with Vietnamese medical professionals.
The opening ceremony was graced by the presence of distinguished guests, including Ambassador Richard Shih from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Mr. Nguyen Trac Ba – Secretary-General of the Vietnam Government Committee for Taiwan Affairs, Professor Liu Chin-Su of Taipei Veterans General Hospital, representatives of Hong Ngoc - Phuc Truong Minh General Hospital, and numerous delegates from Taiwan chambers of commerce in Vietnam and Vietnamese business representatives.
Addressing the ceremony, Ambassador Shih expressed his excitement for the opening of the office, highlighting the two hospitals' efforts in strengthening their bilateral cooperation across various fields. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, with its leading role in promoting Taiwan's image to the world, has been supporting the two hospitals in aligning their needs for successful cooperative outcomes.
Also at the event, a live link-up was conducted from the Taiwan Telemedicine Office in Hanoi in connection with Taipei Veterans General Hospital. TVGH Vice Superintendent Lee Wui Chiang stated that the office will not only provide medical consultation opportunities for Vietnamese patients but also promote exchanges and cooperation between medical and IT professionals. Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Long, CEO of Hong Ngoc Group added that the office will be a key platform for enhancing patient care and deepening Taiwan-Vietnam collaboration in the medical field. A real teleconsultation then took place between a TVGH doctor and a patient from Vietnam.
TVGH Hematology Department Director Hsiao Liang Tsai conducted a remote medical consultation with Mr. Toan, a Vietnamese patient who was the first from Vietnam to receive a bone marrow transplant at TVGH after the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Toan has now successfully recovered for three years and expressed his gratitude for the professionalism and meticulous care he received from the TVGH medical team, praising Taiwan's medical technology.
Hong Ngoc - Phuc Truong Minh General Hospital is one of the largest private hospitals in Northern Vietnam and also a key partner of Taipei Veterans General Hospital. The two hospitals signed a Memorandum of Understanding in March 2024, during a Taiwan-Vietnam Medical Conference, the first ever held by Taipei Veterans General Hospital overseas. Since then, there have been several exchanges, including visits from Hong Ngoc to Taipei Veterans General Hospital, hospital expos, and lectures and demonstrations by experts from Taiwan to Vietnam.
As Hong Ngoc - Phuc Truong Minh General Hospital prepares to open a new 450-bed medical building, it looks forward to strengthening partnerships with hospitals and businesses in Taiwan in terms of professional training, hospital IT solutions, software, and hospital management to further enhance healthcare delivery in Vietnam.
Under the New Southbound Policy, Taipei Veterans General Hospital has been a leading name in initiating partnerships with hospitals, universities, and medical institutions in Vietnam. So far, the hospital has been involved in 30 MOUs with Vietnam.
This Taiwan Telemedicine Office initiative underscores Taiwan's commitment to sharing its expertise in healthcare and contributing to the well-being of the Vietnamese people. The establishment of the Taiwan Telemedicine Office aims to:
- Foster medical collaboration: Facilitate knowledge exchange and collaborative research between Taiwanese and Vietnamese medical professionals.
- Strengthen business ties: Cultivate stronger partnerships and mutual understanding between Taiwan and Vietnam businesses in the healthcare sector.
- Enhance healthcare accessibility: Provide Vietnamese patients with access to expert medical opinions and advanced diagnostic services from Taiwanese specialists.
- Promote medical education: Offer training and educational programs for Vietnamese healthcare providers on Taiwanese medical technologies and practices.