EMR Software That Meets Vietnam Ministry of Health Standards
The 31 December 2026 deadline is close for every licensed clinic. This guide helps aesthetic and dermatology clinics understand what the Ministry of Health requires and choose software that gets them there in time.
Every medical facility in Vietnam must complete its electronic medical records (EMR) rollout by 31 December 2026, and from 1 January 2027 hospitals stop using paper records altogether. For aesthetic and dermatology clinics that still keep customer information in notebooks, Excel files or on staff phones, the question is no longer whether to switch, but how to do it in time and by the rules. This guide covers the problems of paper records, what the Ministry of Health requires, and the features software needs for a smooth switch.
What problems do paper medical records cause for clinics?
Many clinics still manage records on paper out of habit, before the risks show. As customer numbers grow and new branches open, these problems become clear:
Errors: handwriting is hard to read, and the same details are copied between the appointment book, consultation form and medical record. Allergies or current medication are easily missed.
Slow lookups: returning customers wait while staff search the filing cabinet, and before-and-after photos sit on individual phones.
Staff time: someone has to write, file, store and retrieve every record, and each new branch needs its own filing system.
Loss and damage: paper gets damp, torn or lost, yet records of cosmetic surgery treatment must be kept for 20 years under Circular 33/2025/TT-BYT.
Weak evidence in disputes: a handwritten correction does not show who changed what, or when.
The lasting fix is to move to electronic records. The next section explains what they are and why clinics should start now.
What are electronic medical records (EMR), and why should clinics switch early?
An electronic medical record is created, updated, signed, stored and used electronically from the start, instead of being written on paper and filed. Under the 2023 Law on Medical Examination and Treatment (Article 69), paper and electronic records have the same legal value. In practice, the clinic creates and keeps records in medical records management software, where doctors, nurses and front desk staff work from the same data.
Paper records and electronic records compared
Paper records | Electronic records | |
|---|---|---|
Writing | By hand, copied several times | Entered once, reused at every step |
Lookup | Searching the cabinet, several minutes | Search by name or phone number in seconds |
Signing | Signed by hand on each page | Electronic signature or another electronic confirmation |
Changes | Hard to tell who changed what | Records who changed it, when, and the previous content |
Storage | Needs a storeroom, easily damaged | Kept on servers with backup copies |
Several branches | One set of files per site | One shared record, access set by branch |
The legal milestones clinics cannot wait for
Circular 13/2025/TT-BYT, in force since 21 July 2025: hospitals had to finish by 30 September 2025; other medical facilities, including licensed aesthetic and dermatology clinics, must finish by 31 December 2026.
Decision 586/QĐ-BYT of 9 March 2026 approved the 2026 rollout plan: 100% of medical facilities finish by 31 December 2026, and hospitals stop using paper records from 1 January 2027.
Decision 965/QĐ-BYT of 10 April 2026 approved the 2026–2030 plan, aiming for every medical facility to use electronic records and no paper records.
Switching is not just installing software. Clinics also need time to move old data, issue internal rules and train staff, so the earlier they start, the less they have to fix problems while running the clinic close to the deadline.
What does EMR need to meet Ministry of Health standards?
Under Circular 13/2025/TT-BYT, records managed electronically must meet these requirements:
Legal value: records are created and kept electronically from the start. A scan of a paper record is only a copy and does not count.
Valid signatures: medical staff and patients sign or confirm with one of three methods: a lawful electronic signature, biometrics, or another form of electronic confirmation under the Law on Electronic Transactions (Government News).
Complete information: content follows the forms in Circular 32/2023/TT-BYT, such as outpatient form 15/BV1, and is linked to the patient's personal identification number.
IT infrastructure: at least workstations, a network, a server, storage with backup and a security solution. Data must be recoverable and retrievable.
Internal rules: the facility issues its own rules for creating, updating, storing, using and securing electronic records.
Retention: outpatient records are kept for 10 years, cosmetic surgery treatment records for 20 years.
What features should good medical records storage software have?
Good medical records storage software does more than help the clinic meet the deadline: it makes electronic medical records a daily working tool for doctors and staff.
All records in one place, by visit
Each visit keeps its diagnosis, orders, before-and-after photos, consent forms and prescription together. When a customer returns, the doctor sees the whole treatment history on one screen.
Security and access control
Health information is sensitive personal data. The software should set access by role: the front desk sees appointments, only doctors edit medical content, and every view or change is logged.
Easy to use on any device
Doctors take notes on a tablet in the treatment room, the front desk works on a computer, managers check reports on their phone. The simpler the screens, the faster staff get used to them.
Connected to the CRM, appointments and payments
Medical records should live in the same system as customer records, appointments, treatment packages and payments, so information is entered once instead of being copied between programs.
Help moving old data
Every clinic has data on paper, in Excel or in old software. The provider should help bring over customers in active treatment first, and let the clinic export all of its data when needed.
Coming soon from Qub-X: electronic medical records for aesthetic and dermatology clinics
Qub-X is management software for spas, aesthetic and dermatology clinics. It brings customer records, appointments, treatment packages, payments and multichannel messaging into one system. Qub-X electronic medical records are built to the requirements of Circular 13/2025/TT-BYT, so the clinic's medical records management software is part of its daily work. Planned features include:
E-prescriptions: prescribing in the system, connected to the National Prescription System.
Outpatient record 15/BV1: records on the official form, with ICD-10 diagnoses.
Electronic confirmation and digital signatures: doctors and customers confirm in the system.
Orders and test results: kept with the visit, not somewhere else.
Access control and logs: only authorised people view or edit, and every action is recorded.
Because records sit with the customer profile and appointments, doctors do not need to open several programs to follow a customer's treatment.
Summary
The 31 December 2026 deadline applies to every licensed aesthetic and dermatology clinic. Moving to EMR early reduces errors, speeds up lookups, protects customer information and keeps the clinic ready for inspections. What matters is software that meets Ministry of Health standards and fits how the clinic works every day. Qub-X is completing its electronic records solution for aesthetic and dermatology clinics. Book a demo, try it free for 14 days, or leave your details for advice on your switch.
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