Patients have been giving bigger bribes to medical workers at hospitals at higher levels, according to a recent survey.
Bribery common practice at hospitals
The survey, released at a seminar in Hanoi on June 6, showed that doctors have more opportunities to solicit bribes when dealing with serious cases, especially providing treatment for patients with fatal diseases.
The survey was conducted at hospitals and medical institutions in four cities and provinces in Vietnam, including Son La, Ha Noi, Dak Lak and Can Tho, from August 2010 to February 2011.
Thank you envelopes
One of those questioned in the survey said, “When we send a family member to the emergency room, the doctors casually ignored us, doing odd jobs. They only provided care after we gave them some money."
Tran Thi Thu Ha, of the Research and Training Centre for Community Development (RTCCD), said that the survey indicated a rise in bribery in the health sector. Most of the bribes were masked as 'thank you envelopes'.
Such bribes tend to be more popular and bigger at higher-grade hospitals, Ha noted.
“Bribes for doctors at the district level average around VND200,000 (USD9.5), but the figure can reach to VND1 million (USD47.53) for doctors at provincial and central medical institutions. In some cases, bribes reached as high as VND2 million (USD95.07),” Ha said.
Envelops are given not only to doctors and nurses but also to office staff at the hospital. Such unofficial fees average at from VND200,000-VND500,000 (USD9.5-USD23.76) for surgery and obstetrics wards at district level.
The figure was reported to climb to between VND200,000 and VND2 million (USD9.5-USD95.07) at provincial level and from VND500,000-VND5 million (USD23.76-USD237.68) at central level.
In some cases in HCM City, patients’ families were reported to have given 'envelops' worth tens of millions VND to the wards.
Bribes are compulsory?
Half of those surveyed said that giving bribes to doctors is considered compulsory because everyone else does the same, while a third said that doctors are indifferent to patients who do not offer bribes.
Another finding of the survey showed that recent graduates working at medical institutions are more hesitant to accept extra money from patients, while medical professionals who have been working for a year or more seem to take the practice for granted.
Most of medical workers said unofficial payments improve their standard of living and enhance their social status.
“Giving bribes does not change quality service or the professionalism of doctors, but it may improve bedside manor," Ha said.
