Making Telehealth Safer and More Accessible for Older People in Viet Nam: Appropriate Clinical Use, Supported Participation and Safe Escalation to In-Person Care

Making Telehealth Safer and More Accessible for Older People in Viet Nam: Appropriate Clinical Use, Supported Participation and Safe Escalation to In-Person Care

AGE-FRIENDLY CARE QUALITY | INTEGRATED CARE & CARE TRANSITIONS

Last reviewed: November 3, 2026

An older man joins a video consultation from his home. His daughter has helped him connect, but he struggles to hear the clinician's questions. She begins answering on his behalf, occasionally turning the camera toward him. The appointment finishes on schedule, yet the clinician has heard relatively little from the patient himself.

In another situation, an older woman receives a remote consultation for a new health concern. The connection works well, and the conversation appears reassuring. However, the healthcare professional cannot obtain enough information to assess her condition safely. An in-person examination is needed, but no clear arrangement is made for what should happen next.

Both situations illustrate why telehealth quality cannot be measured simply by whether a virtual appointment takes place.

Remote healthcare can reduce unnecessary travel, support follow-up, and connect older people with healthcare professionals who might otherwise be difficult to reach. These advantages can be particularly valuable for people with mobility limitations, those living far from specialist services, and residents of long-term care facilities who need assistance attending appointments.

However, a successful connection does not necessarily mean that an appropriate clinical assessment has been completed. The older person needs an opportunity to participate, the healthcare professional must have sufficient information to make sound decisions, and the service must recognize when remote care is no longer suitable.

For healthcare and long-term care organizations in Viet Nam, the challenge is to make telehealth a useful part of coordinated care without allowing convenience, technology, or organizational efficiency to take priority over clinical safety and individual needs.

Telehealth Is a Mode of Care, Not a Substitute for Every Clinical Encounter

Telehealth is a broad term covering different technology-enabled health activities, including remote consultations, health education, monitoring, and communication between healthcare professionals. Telemedicine is commonly used more specifically for clinical healthcare delivered when the patient and healthcare professional are in different locations.

Although these terms are sometimes used interchangeably, the distinction matters when determining the nature of a service and the professional and legal requirements that apply.

A remote consultation may be appropriate when a qualified healthcare professional can obtain the information needed for its intended purpose, conduct an adequate assessment, and establish a suitable plan within the applicable legal and professional framework.

Depending on the circumstances, remote care may support selected follow-up consultations, discussions of established treatment plans, monitoring of certain stable chronic conditions, or review of information that can be appropriately evaluated without direct physical examination.

These possibilities do not mean that every condition or consultation is eligible for remote medical examination and treatment under Vietnamese law.

Some situations require physical examination, diagnostic investigations, procedures, or access to equipment that cannot be provided through a video or telephone connection. The suitability of telehealth may also change during an encounter. A consultation initially considered appropriate for remote assessment may reveal symptoms or uncertainties requiring direct evaluation.

Age alone should not determine whether telehealth is suitable. Some older adults are comfortable using digital healthcare independently, while others may experience difficulties related to hearing, vision, cognition, communication, functional limitations, or unfamiliarity with technology.

Similarly, a previous successful video consultation does not establish that every subsequent appointment can safely take place remotely.

The World Health Organization's Consolidated Telemedicine Implementation Guide, published in November 2022, emphasizes that effective telemedicine requires appropriate clinical workflows, organizational arrangements, technology, workforce preparation, and integration with the wider health system.

For older-person care, this means choosing the mode of consultation according to the individual's needs, the clinical purpose, and the circumstances of each encounter rather than simply using a digital platform because it is available.

Accessibility Begins Before the Appointment

A telehealth service can be technically available while remaining difficult for some older people to use.

An appointment may require a smartphone, application installation, account registration, identity verification, security codes, and several steps before the consultation begins. For someone familiar with these processes, joining may be straightforward. For another person, the same requirements can create a substantial barrier.

Accessibility also depends on physical, sensory, cognitive, and communication needs.

Small text, poorly labeled controls, unclear audio, and complex navigation can make a platform difficult to use. A person with hearing impairment may struggle to follow the conversation even when the internet connection is stable. Someone with limited hand movement may find it difficult to operate a touchscreen or enter verification codes.

A scoping review published in DIGITAL HEALTH on August 20, 2026, examined 22 qualitative studies involving older adults experiencing frailty or related vulnerabilities.

Åhlund and colleagues identified five interconnected areas of difficulty: digital accessibility, digital skills, health status, digital support, and financial resources.

Only four of the included studies used formal frailty assessments. The findings were drawn from research conducted in different countries and care settings, meaning they cannot establish how common these barriers are among older people in Viet Nam or demonstrate that a particular intervention will improve clinical outcomes.

Nevertheless, the review highlights an important issue: difficulty using telehealth may arise from several interacting circumstances rather than one technological problem.

An older person may own a smartphone but lack confidence navigating an application. Another may understand the technology but have difficulty hearing the clinician. Someone living alone may need assistance joining an appointment, while another person may prefer not to involve relatives in a private healthcare discussion.

The World Health Organization and International Telecommunication Union published the WHO–ITU Global Standard for Accessibility of Telehealth Services in 2022, followed by an implementation toolkit in September 2024.

These resources emphasize accessible communication, readable information, usable interfaces, appropriate audio and visual features, and the involvement of people with different abilities in service design.

For organizations in Viet Nam, they offer useful design principles rather than automatically binding domestic technical requirements.

A more accessible telehealth service should reduce unnecessary complexity, provide appropriate assistance, and preserve alternatives when someone cannot use a particular digital format.

Practical improvements may include clear appointment instructions, opportunities to test the connection, readable screens, suitable audio settings, and an accessible way to request assistance before the consultation begins.

Accessibility should be considered from the moment an appointment is offered, not only after the patient has successfully connected.

Supporting Participation Without Replacing the Older Person's Voice

Family members and care workers can make telehealth more accessible. They may arrange appointments, prepare devices, help with registration, position cameras, or support someone who cannot manage the technology independently.

Such assistance can be valuable, particularly for people with limited mobility, sensory impairment, or unfamiliarity with digital services. However, practical support should not unintentionally prevent the older person from participating in their own healthcare.

A family member who answers every question may filter information, even when acting with the best intentions. A caregiver may accurately describe changes in daily functioning while being unaware of symptoms, worries, or preferences that the older person has not shared.

The clinician also needs to distinguish between information reported directly by the patient and observations provided by someone else.

Where possible, healthcare professionals should address the older person directly, allow sufficient time for responses, and establish whether communication assistance is needed. Questions may need to be repeated or explained differently, while communication aids, visual information, or adjustments to the pace of the conversation may help.

The presence of another person should also be discussed.

An older person may welcome a daughter's assistance with the technology but prefer to discuss certain health concerns privately. Where appropriate and feasible, the service should provide an opportunity for confidential communication.

A diagnosis of dementia or another cognitive condition does not automatically establish that someone lacks legal decision-making capacity or is unable to participate meaningfully in a consultation.

The person's abilities, communication needs, and applicable legal arrangements should be considered in context. Where lawful representation is necessary, the relevant requirements must be followed. Family relationships or responsibility for payment do not automatically confer unrestricted authority to consent to treatment or receive confidential medical information.

The purpose is not to exclude families from healthcare decisions. Their involvement can provide valuable context and support, particularly when an older person has complex needs.

What matters is that assistance strengthens the patient's participation rather than unnecessarily replacing it.

Clinical Assessment Has Limitations That Technology Cannot Eliminate

Remote communication can provide valuable clinical information, but it changes what a healthcare professional can observe and examine.

A video consultation may allow assessment of appearance, movement, communication, or certain visible findings, depending on image quality and clinical circumstances. A telephone consultation has additional limitations because visual information is unavailable.

Even a high-quality video connection cannot reproduce every component of a physical examination or provide all the information necessary for a particular clinical decision.

The healthcare professional must therefore consider whether the available information is sufficient for the intended assessment.

This may involve reviewing medical history, asking relevant questions, evaluating records, considering reported symptoms, and determining whether further examination or investigation is necessary.

When measurements are obtained at home or in a residential care facility, their reliability also matters.

Blood pressure readings, oxygen saturation, body temperature, or other information may be useful in appropriate circumstances. However, the accuracy of a result depends on the device, measurement technique, patient circumstances, and other relevant factors.

A value reported by a relative or care worker should not automatically be treated as equivalent to a measurement obtained through an appropriate clinical process. Nor does access to a monitoring device automatically authorize someone to undertake professional clinical assessment.

Clinical uncertainty may be particularly important for older people with multiple conditions, communication difficulties, or changes in cognition and function.

A person may have difficulty describing symptoms precisely. Important findings may not be visible through a camera, and new symptoms may have several possible explanations.

When essential information cannot be obtained, further clinical assessment may be more appropriate than continuing to rely on an incomplete remote encounter.

The World Health Organization's second edition of Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE): Guidance for Person-Centred Assessment and Pathways in Primary Care, published in September 2025, reinforces the importance of individualized assessment, functional abilities, and coordinated care planning.

Although ICOPE is not a telemedicine regulation, its principles remain relevant.

The purpose of a consultation is to understand and address the person's health needs. The technology used should support that purpose rather than determine which aspects of health receive attention.

Recognizing when remote assessment is insufficient is part of safe clinical practice, not a failure of telehealth.

Safe Escalation to In-Person Care Must Be Planned

One of the most important safeguards in telehealth is having a reliable process for moving from remote consultation to direct assessment when necessary.

A consultation may begin appropriately but reveal information that changes the clinical situation. The person may describe a new symptom, the clinician may identify a concerning finding, or the available information may prove insufficient for a safe decision.

The required response depends on the circumstances. Some patients may need a scheduled in-person appointment, while others may require urgent medical assessment or emergency care.

A qualified healthcare professional should determine the appropriate level and urgency of care within their authorized scope and applicable clinical requirements.

Telehealth must not be used to delay emergency treatment when a person's condition requires immediate attention. In Viet Nam, emergency medical assistance can be requested through 115.

For non-emergency transitions, the healthcare provider should explain the next step clearly. An older person may need to know which service to attend, why direct assessment is necessary, how urgently it should occur, and what to do if the proposed appointment cannot be arranged.

Simply advising someone to visit a healthcare facility may be insufficient when the person cannot travel independently or depends on another person to organize transportation.

Where the healthcare provider has undertaken responsibility for arranging a referral or follow-up, that responsibility should be clearly assigned and fulfilled. Where the patient or family is expected to make the arrangements, the instructions should be understandable and realistic.

Residential and home-care organizations may assist with communication, appointment scheduling, transportation, or other practical arrangements within their lawful functions and agreed responsibilities. However, non-clinical staff should not independently determine that a potentially serious condition can safely remain under remote management.

Technical failure also requires attention.

If a connection is lost during a consultation involving a potentially urgent concern, the healthcare provider should have appropriate arrangements for attempting reconnection, contacting the patient, or initiating another response consistent with the circumstances.

Depending on the clinical service and applicable requirements, it may be useful to establish a reliable contact method and confirm the patient's current location before beginning a remote encounter, particularly when emergency assistance could become necessary.

These are practical safety considerations that should be adapted to the circumstances rather than treated as universal legal procedures.

Safe escalation means more than recognizing that an in-person appointment might be useful. It requires a workable connection between the remote assessment and the next appropriate level of care.

Understanding Viet Nam's Legal Framework for Remote Medical Care

Telehealth in Viet Nam must be distinguished from ordinary digital communication because regulated remote medical examination and treatment are subject to specific legal requirements.

The Law on Medical Examination and Treatment No. 15/2023/QH15 took effect on January 1, 2024, and has subsequently been amended.

Consolidated Document No. 26/VBHN-VPQH, issued on February 26, 2026, provides an official consolidated reference incorporating the amendments reflected at that time.

Article 80 addresses remote medical examination and treatment and remote professional support between healthcare establishments.

The law distinguishes two principal legal relationships.

The first involves remote medical examination and treatment between a healthcare practitioner and a patient.

Under Article 80(1), the practitioner must act within their authorized professional scope. Remote treatment must comply with the list of diseases and medical conditions issued by the Minister of Health.

The practitioner remains responsible for their diagnosis, treatment decisions, and prescriptions in accordance with the law.

Ministry of Health Circular No. 30/2023/TT-BYT, issued December 30, 2023, and effective January 1, 2024, establishes the list of diseases and medical conditions permitted for remote medical examination and treatment under the applicable framework.

The existence of this list does not mean that every person with a listed condition can automatically be managed remotely.

Professional judgment, the individual's circumstances, the authorized scope of the healthcare establishment, and applicable requirements still determine whether a particular encounter is suitable.

The second legal relationship concerns remote professional support between healthcare establishments.

Article 80(2) addresses responsibility when a practitioner directly examining or treating a patient at one healthcare establishment receives remote professional support from another establishment.

The practitioner providing direct care at the establishment receiving support remains responsible for the results of their clinical examination and treatment.

These arrangements should not be confused with ordinary assistance provided by a relative or non-clinical care worker who helps a patient connect to a video consultation.

Government Decree No. 96/2023/ND-CP further specifies the conditions and procedures for remote medical examination and treatment.

Article 87 addresses relevant requirements concerning healthcare establishment authorization, professional scope, qualified practitioners, technical infrastructure, information security, and the declaration of eligibility to provide remote services.

It also provides a mechanism for authorized pilot activities involving diseases or medical conditions outside the established list, subject to applicable conditions and approval procedures.

Article 88 separately addresses remote professional support between healthcare establishments, including responsibilities, technical arrangements, and relevant agreements.

These provisions must be read together with subsequent changes concerning administrative authority.

Government Decree No. 148/2025/ND-CP, issued June 12, 2025, and effective July 1, 2025, provides for decentralization and delegation of authority in the health sector.

Articles 17 and 18 address the responsibilities of provincial health authorities concerning declarations of eligibility for remote medical examination and treatment and authorization of specified pilot activities.

Healthcare organizations planning to provide regulated telemedicine should therefore review the currently applicable legislation, professional conditions, service scope, and administrative procedures rather than relying exclusively on the original wording of Decree No. 96/2023/ND-CP.

A residential care facility that assists an older person with a device or appointment does not automatically become a healthcare establishment providing remote medical examination or treatment.

However, describing an activity as technical support does not authorize the facility to conduct regulated clinical activities without meeting the necessary legal conditions.

The applicable classification depends on what the organization actually does, the professionals involved, its legal status, and the arrangements under which the service operates.

Viet Nam's October 2026 Telemedicine Guidance Pilot

A recent development is relevant to how telehealth services may be organized in Viet Nam.

On October 14, 2026, the Ministry of Health issued Official Letter No. 7780/BYT-KCB concerning the pilot implementation of draft guidance on remote medical examination and treatment and remote professional support.

According to information published by the Ministry of Health's Medical Services Administration on October 15, 2026, the pilot involves 11 provinces and cities and five hospitals.

The participating localities are Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, Tuyen Quang, Thai Nguyen, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Tay Ninh, Can Tho, Vinh Long, and Ca Mau.

The five hospitals are Bach Mai Hospital, National Children's Hospital, Hanoi Medical University Hospital, Cho Ray Hospital, and University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City.

The pilot guidance describes two models of direct remote medical care.

In the first model, the healthcare practitioner communicates directly with the patient through an appropriate technology platform.

In the second model, a healthcare worker at the patient's location assists the remote practitioner by helping establish the connection and, within the applicable professional arrangements, obtaining relevant clinical information or measurements.

The guidance also addresses remote professional support between healthcare establishments.

The distinction is particularly relevant to older people who have sensory, functional, cognitive, or digital-access difficulties.

Some individuals may benefit from qualified healthcare workers providing assistance at the patient's location. However, that model should not be confused with a non-clinical caregiver independently performing medical tasks.

The proposed guidance emphasizes selecting the appropriate model according to the patient's condition, ability to use technology, available information, connection quality, and capabilities of the healthcare provider.

It also addresses professional accountability, emergency escalation, and confidentiality.

Participating organizations were asked to report implementation difficulties and findings before November 15, 2026, allowing the Ministry of Health to consider revisions before formally issuing the guidance.

As of November 3, 2026, this remains a pilot implementation of draft guidance. It should not be presented as a finalized nationwide technical regulation or as independently expanding the scope of telemedicine authorized under existing law.

Nevertheless, the initiative provides an indication of how Viet Nam is working to clarify practical telemedicine models while addressing professional responsibilities, patient safety, and information protection.

For older-person care, its significance lies in recognizing that some patients can participate independently while others may need appropriately organized assistance to access remote clinical services safely.

Privacy and Confidentiality Are Essential to Remote Care

A remote consultation may take place in a private home, shared living space, or residential care facility that was not originally designed for confidential medical discussions.

This creates privacy considerations that differ from those in a conventional consultation room.

A conversation may be overheard. A family member may use a shared device. A care worker may remain nearby after helping establish the connection. Medical information may appear on a screen visible to others.

There may also be questions about recording, storing, transmitting, and sharing health information through digital platforms.

Viet Nam's Law on Personal Data Protection No. 91/2025/QH15 and Government Decree No. 356/2025/ND-CP both took effect on January 1, 2026.

Their provisions must be considered alongside the patient confidentiality and healthcare record requirements established by the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment and other applicable legislation.

Healthcare organizations and other participating entities need to establish appropriate legal grounds for processing personal information and implement safeguards consistent with their actual responsibilities.

The fact that a consultation takes place remotely does not make recording or sharing its contents automatically permissible.

Recording, disclosure, storage, and further processing must be assessed under the applicable legal framework.

A caregiver's presence during a consultation should also be distinguished from that person's legal authority to receive confidential information or make healthcare decisions.

Digital privacy involves more than choosing a platform described as secure.

Organizations should consider who can access the consultation, how information is transmitted, whether recordings are created, where records are stored, and how access is controlled.

Where appropriate, the older person should be offered a private space and an explanation of who is participating in the encounter.

Care workers assisting with the technology should understand that their involvement does not necessarily entitle them to remain present throughout the clinical discussion.

These safeguards should protect confidentiality without creating unnecessary barriers to healthcare access.

Privacy is part of a respectful and clinically appropriate consultation, not merely a technical feature of the software.

Connecting Telehealth With Continuing Care

A remote appointment may provide useful clinical advice but still leave the older person uncertain about what happens next.

The healthcare professional may recommend further investigations, modify an existing treatment plan, request an in-person appointment, or identify symptoms that require monitoring.

Those recommendations need to be communicated and documented in accordance with applicable clinical and legal requirements.

The patient should receive an understandable explanation of the main findings, any limitations of the remote assessment, and the next steps.

Where the person has hearing, vision, cognitive, or communication difficulties, the explanation may need to be adapted.

Written information or another accessible record may help the patient and those lawfully involved in their care understand the plan.

For older people receiving support from several providers, communication between services may be particularly important.

A remote specialist consultation may need to be considered alongside existing care delivered by another clinician. A person recently discharged from hospital may require further assessment or rehabilitation support. A resident of a long-term care facility may need practical assistance attending a recommended appointment.

The responsibilities of the parties involved should remain clear.

Healthcare professionals retain responsibility for their clinical decisions and activities within the applicable framework.

Residential and home-care providers should carry out the coordination and support tasks that fall within their lawful functions and agreed arrangements.

An external referral should not be considered completed clinical care merely because it has been recommended. Equally, confirming that an appointment was scheduled does not transfer responsibility for clinical interpretation or treatment decisions to non-clinical personnel.

When follow-up cannot be arranged or a recommended assessment is delayed, the appropriate person or organization should be informed so that further action can be considered.

Telehealth should remain connected to appropriate assessment, treatment, and follow-up without creating unnecessary duplication or confusion about accountability.

The Role of Residential and Home-Based Care Organizations

Long-term care organizations can help older people access telehealth, particularly when individuals need assistance with technology, communication, or appointment arrangements.

Their contribution should be based on the services they are authorized and equipped to provide.

A residential care worker may help prepare a quiet space, position a camera, establish a connection, or support communication according to the person's preferences and organizational arrangements.

A home-care worker may assist with a scheduled appointment or inform the appropriate healthcare provider when an agreed consultation could not be completed.

Care personnel may also share relevant observations through an appropriately authorized process, distinguishing what they directly observed from information reported by others.

These activities support access but do not automatically authorize clinical assessment.

A non-clinical worker should not independently interpret diagnostic findings, make treatment decisions, modify prescriptions, or perform regulated procedures outside their competence and legal authority.

Where clinical measurements or professional assistance are required at the patient's location, the healthcare provider must determine which qualified personnel and legal arrangements are appropriate.

An organization that operates a separately licensed healthcare service must also ensure that its clinical activities comply with the requirements applicable to that service.

Residential and home-care providers should establish practical arrangements with external healthcare organizations concerning appointments, information sharing, unsuccessful connections, and access to in-person assessment when required.

They should also understand their limitations.

A small home-care organization offering occasional support may not be able to provide continuous clinical monitoring, immediate technical assistance, or emergency response capabilities equivalent to those of a licensed healthcare establishment.

Telehealth arrangements should reflect those limitations rather than assume that the presence of a caregiver resolves every practical or clinical difficulty.

Good coordination helps older people receive appropriate care while keeping responsibilities aligned with the competence and authority of those involved.

Measuring Accessibility and Safety Beyond Appointment Numbers

Counting completed virtual appointments is straightforward, but it provides only a limited picture of telehealth quality.

A high number of consultations does not necessarily mean that older people were able to participate meaningfully or that remote assessment was clinically appropriate.

Similarly, a service reporting few technical failures may still exclude people who cannot register, afford suitable devices, hear the clinician, or navigate the platform.

A more meaningful evaluation considers accessibility, clinical suitability, participation, and the reliability of follow-up.

Healthcare organizations may examine unsuccessful appointment attempts, communication difficulties, encounters that could not be completed safely, and cases requiring additional in-person assessment.

They may also review whether necessary referrals or follow-up arrangements were completed within the applicable responsibilities of the service.

Older people's experiences are especially important.

Someone may appreciate avoiding a difficult journey but still report that the consultation was rushed, difficult to hear, or inadequate for discussing important concerns.

Family and caregiver feedback may provide additional insight, but it should not automatically replace the older person's own account.

Where appropriate and lawful, organizations may examine whether access differs among people with different sensory, functional, cognitive, communication, or support needs.

Such differences may identify barriers that are hidden by overall service statistics.

Performance measures also require careful interpretation.

A higher rate of referral to in-person care is not necessarily evidence of poor telehealth performance. It may indicate appropriate recognition that remote assessment was insufficient.

Conversely, a low rate of conversion to in-person care does not establish safety if clinically necessary assessments are being delayed.

The objective should not be to reward services for keeping more appointments online. It should be to understand who can access the service, who may be excluded, whether the consultation supports appropriate clinical decisions, and what happens when remote care is insufficient.

Building an Age-Friendly Telehealth Approach in Viet Nam

Telehealth services in Viet Nam operate in settings with different infrastructure, workforce capabilities, organizational resources, and patterns of access.

Large hospitals may have established digital platforms, specialist teams, and dedicated technical support. Smaller healthcare providers may operate more limited systems within their authorized scope.

Residential care facilities and home-care organizations may depend on external healthcare establishments for clinical consultations.

Older people also differ in their circumstances.

Some prefer remote appointments and can participate independently. Others need assistance with devices or communication. Some may prefer face-to-face care even when a virtual consultation is available.

A proportionate approach recognizes these differences without lowering essential standards of patient safety, professional accountability, or confidentiality.

For healthcare providers, the starting point is determining which services can appropriately and lawfully be delivered remotely.

Service design should then address the clinical purpose, accessible communication, technical reliability, qualified personnel, information protection, and arrangements for further assessment when necessary.

For residential and home-care organizations, the priority is often to help older people access properly authorized healthcare while maintaining clear boundaries around clinical responsibilities.

International guidance can support these efforts.

WHO's telemedicine implementation guide provides a framework for planning, establishing, and maintaining remote healthcare services.

The WHO–ITU accessibility standard and implementation toolkit offer practical approaches to reducing barriers for people with disabilities and different communication needs.

WHO's 2025 ICOPE guidance emphasizes individualized assessment and coordinated care pathways that reflect older people's functional abilities and personal circumstances.

ISO 25557:2026, Ageing Societies — Care Quality for Older Persons at Home and in Care Facilities, provides a broader reference for person-centered care, participation, safety, equity, and organizational responsibility.

These resources can inform quality improvement but do not replace Vietnamese legislation, professional licensing conditions, clinical practice requirements, or healthcare establishment obligations.

An age-friendly telehealth service should also preserve reasonable alternatives when remote care is unsuitable, inaccessible, or inconsistent with the person's preferences and clinical needs.

Digital healthcare should expand meaningful choices rather than become a new barrier to receiving appropriate care.

Telehealth Should Expand Choice Without Compromising Care

Telehealth can create valuable opportunities for older people who find travel difficult, require ongoing follow-up, or need access to healthcare professionals beyond their immediate location.

Its effectiveness, however, depends on more than the availability of a digital platform.

A well-organized service helps the older person participate, recognizes the limitations of remote assessment, protects confidentiality, and provides a dependable route to direct clinical care when necessary.

Family members and caregivers may provide valuable assistance, but their involvement should strengthen rather than replace the older person's voice.

Healthcare professionals must remain accountable for clinical decisions within their authorized scope, while participating organizations need clear arrangements for communication, follow-up, and escalation.

Viet Nam's evolving telemedicine framework, including the October 2026 guidance pilot, creates opportunities to strengthen these arrangements while maintaining appropriate safeguards.

For organizations supporting older people, the challenge is not to maximize the proportion of appointments conducted remotely.

It is to ensure that remote care is used when appropriate, remains accessible to those who may benefit, and does not delay direct assessment when the person's needs require it.

A telehealth consultation should not be considered successful solely because the connection worked, the appointment was completed, or the clinician and patient exchanged information.

Its value lies in whether it helps the older person receive appropriate care, participate meaningfully in decisions, understand the next steps, and access further assessment when necessary.

That is how telehealth can become a safer, more inclusive, and genuinely person-centered part of healthcare for older people in Viet Nam.

Key References and Regulatory Context

National Assembly of Viet Nam. (2023). Law on Medical Examination and Treatment No. 15/2023/QH15, as amended. Effective January 1, 2024. Particularly Article 80 concerning remote medical examination and treatment and remote professional support between healthcare establishments.

Office of the National Assembly of Viet Nam. (2026). Consolidated Document No. 26/VBHN-VPQH — Law on Medical Examination and Treatment. Issued February 26, 2026.

Government of Viet Nam. (2023). Decree No. 96/2023/ND-CP Detailing Certain Articles of the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment, as amended and applicable. Effective January 1, 2024. Particularly Articles 87 and 88 concerning remote medical examination and treatment and remote professional support.

Government of Viet Nam. (2025). Decree No. 148/2025/ND-CP on Decentralization and Delegation of Authority in the Health Sector. Issued June 12, 2025; effective July 1, 2025. Particularly Articles 17 and 18 concerning administrative authority for telemedicine eligibility declarations and specified pilot activities.

Ministry of Health of Viet Nam. (2023). Circular No. 30/2023/TT-BYT on the List of Diseases and Medical Conditions Eligible for Remote Medical Examination and Treatment. Issued December 30, 2023; effective January 1, 2024.

Ministry of Health of Viet Nam. (2026). Official Letter No. 7780/BYT-KCB on the Pilot Implementation of Guidance for Remote Medical Examination and Treatment and Remote Professional Support. Issued October 14, 2026. Pilot implementation involving 11 provinces and cities and five hospitals, with reports requested before November 15, 2026.

Ministry of Health of Viet Nam, Medical Services Administration. (2026). Pilot Guidance on Remote Medical Examination and Treatment. Published October 15, 2026.

National Assembly of Viet Nam. (2025). Law on Personal Data Protection No. 91/2025/QH15. Effective January 1, 2026.

Government of Viet Nam. (2025). Decree No. 356/2025/ND-CP Detailing Certain Articles and Measures for Implementation of the Law on Personal Data Protection. Effective January 1, 2026.

World Health Organization. (2022). Consolidated Telemedicine Implementation Guide. Geneva: WHO. Published November 9, 2022.

World Health Organization and International Telecommunication Union. (2022). WHO–ITU Global Standard for Accessibility of Telehealth Services.

World Health Organization and International Telecommunication Union. (2024). Implementation Toolkit for Accessible Telehealth Services. Published September 9, 2024.

World Health Organization. (2025). Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE): Guidance for Person-Centred Assessment and Pathways in Primary Care. Second edition. Published September 22, 2025.

Åhlund, K., Svensson, A., Perestelo-Perez, L., Acebes, Á., Hobbelen, J., & Karlsson, M. (2026). Frail Older Adults' Challenges in Using Telehealth Services: A Scoping Review. DIGITAL HEALTH, 12, 20552076261479799. Published August 20, 2026. DOI: 10.1177/20552076261479799.

International Organization for Standardization. (2026). ISO 25557:2026 — Ageing Societies — Care Quality for Older Persons at Home and in Care Facilities. Published March 2026.

About Healthy Longevity Vietnam

Healthy Longevity Vietnam (HLVN) is an independent initiative focused on advancing quality, safety, and implementation in age-friendly, integrated, and long-term care for older people in Viet Nam. Through evidence-informed approaches, quality improvement, measurement, and collaboration, HLVN supports healthcare and care organizations in developing safer, more coordinated, and person-centered care across settings.

Disclaimer

This article is intended for general educational, quality improvement, digital healthcare accessibility awareness, and organizational development purposes. It does not constitute individualized medical advice, a clinical assessment or treatment protocol, authorization to provide remote medical examination or treatment, professional licensing advice, legal advice, an official regulatory interpretation, or a mandatory national standard for telehealth services in Viet Nam.

The suitability of remote medical examination and treatment depends on the patient's circumstances, clinical needs, available information, the professional scope of the healthcare practitioner, the authorized activities of the healthcare establishment, and applicable Vietnamese laws and regulations.

Remote consultations must not be used to delay emergency assessment, necessary physical examination, diagnostic investigations, or other healthcare services when these are clinically required. Decisions concerning clinical assessment, treatment, prescriptions, and escalation must remain with appropriately authorized healthcare professionals.

The Law on Medical Examination and Treatment No. 15/2023/QH15, as amended, Decree No. 96/2023/ND-CP, and the applicable provisions on decentralization and professional scope must be considered when organizing regulated telemedicine activities.

The Ministry of Health's October 2026 pilot guidance initiative should not be interpreted as a finalized nationwide regulation or as independently authorizing activities outside the scope permitted by existing law.

Residential and home-based care organizations must distinguish assistance with technology, communication, scheduling, and other lawful support services from regulated clinical functions. The presence of a family member, caregiver, or other support person does not automatically establish authority to consent to treatment, perform clinical activities, or access confidential health information.

Age, frailty, disability, cognitive impairment, or a diagnosis of dementia does not automatically establish that a person lacks legal decision-making capacity.

Remote healthcare platforms and associated information processing must comply with applicable Vietnamese requirements concerning patient confidentiality, personal data protection, information security, and healthcare records.

International standards, guidance, and research discussed in this article are provided as references for learning and quality improvement. They do not replace Vietnamese legislation, professional licensing requirements, healthcare establishment conditions, or applicable clinical standards.

Organizations should develop locally appropriate telehealth arrangements with input from qualified healthcare, digital health, information security, accessibility, quality management, and legal professionals as relevant, and seek clarification from competent authorities where necessary.

Information and regulatory context reviewed as of November 3, 2026.