When living and working abroad and have the opportunity to return to Vietnam to travel or visit family, as long as the body has symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, indigestion, or simply scheduled for a routine endoscopy checkup… then everyone’s general mentality will be:
- Want to find a place to go to the doctor quickly so it doesn’t affect the schedule.
- But besides that, I’m extremely afraid of choosing the wrong low-quality facility.
- Afraid of crowded scenes and jostling.
- Afraid of having to wait in line for many hours.
- Fear that the clinic environment is not hygienic and clean.
- I’m afraid that after completing specialized procedures, the doctor won’t explain clearly.
- And the biggest fear is the feeling of being tired and having to run around from place to place to complete the procedure.
I myself am a doctor directly practicing in the US, so I confess that when I go for medical examinations for myself or my family members, I always have the habit of observing and paying attention to medical procedures extremely carefully.
During this trip back to Vietnam, I had the opportunity to directly experience the service at a gastroenterology clinic run by a colleague here. And the first feeling when I stepped into this clinic was: Clean, professional, and extremely caring.
1. First impression: Standard medical space and respected experience
What really impresses me here is not just the modern facilities or machinery and equipment, but the feeling that all operating processes are organized in an extremely scientific and reasonable way.
- The entire clinic space is always kept clean, cool, airy and ensures high medical hygiene standards.
- The receptionist and nursing staff always maintain a friendly, polite attitude, proactively welcoming and gently guiding patients.
- The specialists work with absolute concentration and dedication.
In fact, there are medical facilities where, when we enter, we immediately feel like we are simply “the next case” on their industrial conveyor belt.
But in this medical village, I have a completely different feeling: I am really being cared for and listened to by genuine medical practitioners, people who truly care about the health and experience of patients.
2. Solution for short schedules: Closed process in one morning
For the overseas Vietnamese returning to Vietnam community or those with short travel schedules, time is always an extremely luxurious asset. The biggest and most valuable highlight that I noted at this clinic is an extremely fast, compact operating process that saves maximum time for patients.
In just one morning, patients can complete all the necessary screening and paraclinical testing steps, including:
- Perform painless stomach (stomach) endoscopy and colonoscopy.
- General abdominal ultrasound.
- Intensive CT scan.
- Take samples for all necessary blood and biochemical tests.
All processes take place continuously and smoothly, there is absolutely no day-long dragging, and the patient does not have to move through many different locations causing loss of strength.
Once completed, the diagnosis results are also returned to the patient quite quickly with detailed explanations from the doctor. The electronic prescription system here also operates very smoothly, allowing patients to immediately take the prescription to the pharmacy to buy medicine without having to go through any cumbersome procedures. That’s really a big plus that I really like.
Because when our bodies are struggling with digestive problems in Vietnam, what we really look for and need is not simply a few special pills. What we need most of all is a medical space that gives the feeling: “Yes, this place is really trustworthy. I am being treated and my health problems are handled properly and effectively.”
3. Cost problem: Private clinic and the real value received
What surprised me most after completing the examination was the extremely affordable and reasonable cost, even though this is a high-quality private clinic.
Many people often have the prejudice that every time they step into a private clinic in Vietnam, they will have to face expensive prices. But in reality, if you do a fair comparison and convert those costs to these values:
- Precious time is maximized.
- The examination process is quick and closed.
- So clean, comfortable and private in terms of space.
- The sense of responsibility and absolute dedication of the medical team.
- And the body does not have to endure the fatigue caused by walking around many places.
I confirm that the cost is completely worth the money you spend.
Conclusion
As someone who has lived in the US for a long time and also directly works in the medical industry, I deeply understand the painful feeling of expatriates when they need to find a place to get a digestive examination in Vietnam. Nam is both demanding in terms of professional quality, wants fast speed, and must ensure dignity and kindness.
So if anyone asks me the question: “Where should I go if I’m an overseas Vietnamese returning to Vietnam and have digestive problems?”, then a clinic model like this is the answer that I can completely recommend to everyone.
I chose to introduce this not because this is the facility of a colleague. But because after personally observing, experiencing and evaluating from a professional perspective, I realized that the most core elements that a patient needs are here: clean, modern, dedicated, fast, transparent and reasonable in terms of financial costs.
Sometimes when going to the doctor, the thing that remains deepest in a patient’s mind is not how modern the facility owns million-dollar machines.
The last thing we remember most is always the feeling: We are treated kindly, explained clearly by the doctor in the language of empathy, and completely cared for by caring medical professionals.
And here, I truly felt that beautiful value.
What do you think about your criteria for choosing this clinic? Every time you return to Vietnam from abroad, how is your and your family’s medical access experience? Please leave a comment below to share with me.
If you find this article brings practical and useful information, please share it widely with relatives and friends around you, especially those who are planning to return to Vietnam in the near future!
Dr. Christina Nguyen
The Phoenix Medical Academy
