Table 1 Contents of DOHA based on the Decision 4026/QD-BYT by the Ministry of Health, Vietnam (2010)

Supporting lower level hospitals to ensure medical services.

・Survey the current situation at lower levels in terms of material facilities, equipment, human resources, professional capacity, training needs, technical exchange and others, supporting demands from lower levels.

・Build up and organize DOHA activity implementation for lower levels.

・Check the implementation process of professional regulations and the technical progress of lower levels.

・Provide feedback from referred patients, plus timely updates on current technical and professional errors, special diagnosis cases, and lessons learnt.

・Technical assistance given to lower level facilities upon request.

・Coordinate with lower levels to build up a referral system across the assigned area.

・Coordinate with higher levels in the implementation of DOHA activities in the field of medical services.

Training and technical skills transfer for lower level hospitals.

・Organize training and technical skills transfer courses for healthcare workers at lower level healthcare facilities.

・Support healthcare professionals from lower levels to practice and improve their professional skills at higher level facilities.

・Receive training and technical skills transfer support from higher levels.

Scientific research

・Implement scientific research on professional knowledge and management of DOHA activities.

・Coordinate with higher levels and instruct lower levels in implementing scientific research activities.

Support for community health service

・Coordinate with higher levels and instruct lower levels to implement community-oriented activities like primary healthcare services, environment protection, prevention of epidemic diseases, and national healthcare programs.

・Be ready to support lower level hospitals in the event of any disaster or social problems.

Regular meeting and review

・Coordinate higher and lower levels to organize meetings, regular activities to draw out professional lessons, preliminary review, and final review for DOHA activities.

Role of Level I hospitals (central hospitals).

・Assist the Ministry of Health in giving direction for professional knowledge, national professional and specialized network system development plan, and also coordinate with hospitals which have DOHA assignments.

・Build up training courses and implement them to help lower levels to develop their professional techniques and specialties to improve quality of emergency aid, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

・Build plans and give direction to healthcare services at lower level facilities to implement national and international programs.

・Check, monitor, and evaluate professional and technical activities of lower level facilities.

・Organize annual review and summary, making regular and ad hoc reports on the results of DOHA activities nationwide to Ministry of Health.