Circular No. 01/2014/TT-BYT stipulates the functions, tasks, organization, and operation of Traditional Medicine Departments in state-owned hospitals.

CIRCULAR

Regulations on functions, tasks, organization and operation of the Department of Traditional Medicine, pharmacy in state hospitals

This Circular prescribes procedures for receiving, providing health care for domestic violence victims and statistical reports on domestic violence victims at medical facilities.

At the proposal of the Director of the Traditional Medicine Management Department;

The Minister of Health issues this Circular to regulate the functions, tasks, organization and operation of the Department of Traditional Medicine, pharmacy in state hospitals.

PART I
GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular regulates the functions, tasks, organization, operation, human resources, infrastructure and equipment of the Department of Traditional Medicine, pharmacy in state hospitals.

Article 2. Position and Functions

1. Position: The Department of Traditional Medicine, pharmacy is a specialized technical organization under the hospital and directly reports to the Hospital Director.

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a) Advise the Hospital Director on the development of traditional medicine at the hospital;

b) Diagnose and treat diseases, restore functions using traditional medicine; combine traditional medicine with modern medicine (hereinafter referred to as diagnosing and treating diseases);

c) Implement the traditional medicine activities of the hospital;

d) Conduct scientific research and provide guidance for lower levels.

Article 3. Tasks

1. Diagnosing and treating diseases:

a) Outpatient and inpatient diagnosis and treatment;

b) Advise the Hospital Director to establish regulations to coordinate with relevant departments to implement the combination of traditional medicine with modern medicine in diagnosing and treating diseases;

c) Serve as the focal point for implementing the combination of traditional medicine with modern medicine;

d) Implement professional regulations and technical standards for traditional medicine issued by the Minister of Health;

đ) Use clinical techniques and medical equipment from modern medicine to diagnose and treat diseases and conduct scientific research.

2. Pharmacy work:

a) Develop plans and annual budgets for medicinal herbs, traditional medicines, Chinese herbal medicines, and medicines derived from herbs to ensure sufficient supply of medicines for the diagnosis and treatment activities of the Department of Traditional Medicine, pharmacy; combining traditional medicine with modern medicine within the department and other departments in the hospital, to be submitted to the Hospital Director;

b) Participate in the Hospital's Drug and Treatment Council; the Herbal Medicines, Traditional Medicines, Chinese Herbal Medicines, and Medicines Derived from Herbs Inspection Committee;

c) Implement regulations on hospital pharmacy work;

d) Organize the processing and preparation of medicinal herbs, traditional medicines, decocting medicines;

đ) Organize the preparation of Chinese herbal medicines and medicines derived from herbs when meeting the conditions stipulated by laws on pharmacy;

e) Ensure sufficient quantity and quality of medicines for treatment.

3. Training and scientific research work:

a) Participate in teaching traditional medicine;

b) Serve as a practical training base for traditional medicine;

c) Serve as the focal point of the hospital for researching and applying traditional medicine;

d) Coordinate with agencies and organizations to implement research combining traditional medicine with modern medicine;

đ) Participate in scientific conferences on traditional medicine and traditional and Chinese medicine.

4. Guidance work:

a) The Department of Traditional Medicine, pharmacy of higher-level hospitals coordinates with hospitals of the same level and related agencies and organizations to transfer traditional medicine and pharmacy techniques to lower-level healthcare facilities; combining traditional medicine with modern medicine;

b) Implement the rotation system for practitioners according to the provisions of the law.

5. Communication and health education work:

a) Proactively promote knowledge about traditional medicine in disease prevention, treatment, and health care within the hospital and the community;

b) Coordinate with related units to help healthcare facilities and other units build model herb gardens based on the list of essential medicines issued by the Ministry of Health.

6. International cooperation work:

a) Coordinate with related agencies and organizations to train and enhance professional knowledge of traditional medicine for foreigners; participate in learning and enhancing professional knowledge about traditional medicine and traditional and Chinese medicine abroad;

b) Coordinate with related agencies and organizations to implement programs and projects on traditional medicine and related programs.

Chapter II
ORGANIZATION AND ACTIVITIES

Article 4. Organizational Structure

1. Bed capacity

a) Hospitals with an inpatient bed capacity of 120 beds or more must establish a Department of Traditional Medicine, pharmacy, with a minimum of 10 inpatient beds;

b) Hospitals with an inpatient bed capacity below 120 beds must establish a Department of Traditional Medicine, pharmacy or a combined department with a traditional medicine and pharmacy section, with a minimum of 5 inpatient beds;

c) The Hospital Director must allocate the number of inpatient beds for the Department to ensure the diagnosis and treatment activities of traditional medicine and pharmacy and meet the targets set out in Decision 2166/QĐ-TTg dated November 30, 2010 of the Prime Minister on the Action Plan of the Government for the Development of Traditional Medicine in Vietnam until 2020.

2. Structure

The Department of Traditional Medicine, pharmacy has a head and deputy heads, the appointment of the head and deputy heads is made by the competent authority.

a) Outpatient and treatment section:

- Diagnosis area;

- Outpatient treatment area with beds;

b) Inpatient treatment section:

- Inpatient treatment area;

- Area for traditional medicine treatment and functional recovery;

c) Traditional pharmacy section:

- Storage area for medicinal herbs, Chinese herbal medicines, medicines derived from herbs, traditional medicines, and dispensing;

- Processing and preparation area;

- Decoction area;

- Dispensing counter.

Article 5. Number of Staff Members of the Department.

The Director of the hospital shall direct relevant functional departments to cooperate with the Department of Traditional Medicine and Pharmacy to develop a job position plan and the number of staff members, the structure according to occupational titles and civil servants of the Department in accordance with Decree No. 41/2012/NĐ-CP dated May 8, 2012 of the Government on job positions in public service units.

Article 6. Activities of the Department

1. Activities of the outpatient examination and treatment section

a) Organize patient reception according to procedures;

b) Depending on the condition of the patient, practitioners shall conduct examinations, prescribe medications, record medical records; provide outpatient treatment in accordance with the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment; transfer patients to the inpatient treatment section of the department;

c) For outpatients, practitioners shall implement traditional medicine treatment methods using and not using drugs; combine traditional medicine with modern medicine and appropriate clinical techniques based on the condition of the disease;

d) Implement prescription writing, drug receipt, drug distribution, record keeping, summarization, and reporting in accordance with the law.

2. Activities of the inpatient treatment section

a) Organize the implementation of medical examinations, treatments, and the combination of traditional medicine examination and treatment methods with modern medicine during inpatient treatment, monitoring the progression of the disease to make timely adjustments as necessary;

b) Carry out activities as stipulated in Point d Clause 1 of this Article;

c) Organize the receipt of drugs from the pharmacy section and distribute drugs to inpatients;

d) Monitor adverse drug reactions.

3. Activities of the Traditional Medicine Pharmacy Section

a) Develop plans and annual forecasts for traditional medicinal materials, traditional herbal medicines, Chinese medicine, and drugs made from medicinal materials for use in the department, to be submitted to the hospital director for approval;

b) Implement drug storage and ensure drug quality;

c) Regularly monitor and check drug quality;

d) Organize a traditional medicine pharmacy counter to dispense drugs to outpatients and provide outpatient decoction services;

đ) Properly carry out decoction and distribution of drugs to inpatients according to established procedures;

e) Guide patients on safe and rational drug use;

g) Summarize the quantity of traditional medicinal materials, traditional herbal medicines, and finished products used in the department monthly; monitor and report all adverse drug reactions comprehensively;

h) Organize the preliminary processing and preparation of medicinal materials according to the principles of traditional medicine;

i) Perform administrative work, manage medical records, submit specialized reports, and other required reports.

Chapter III
INFRASTRUCTURE AND EQUIPMENT

Article 7. Location and Infrastructure

1. The Department of Traditional Medicine and Pharmacy shall be located at a suitable site, with sections of the department arranged conveniently for its operations, equipped with sufficient administrative facilities and equipment for staff to work;

2. Examination rooms, inpatient and outpatient treatment rooms must ensure safety, cleanliness; rationally arrange interconnected rooms for medical examinations and treatments;

3. The system of traditional medicinal material warehouses and traditional herbal medicine storage areas must be kept clean, meeting standards for lighting; temperature; humidity; ventilation; protection against insects, termites; fire and explosion prevention; and having adequate equipment to control infections;

4. Areas for preliminary processing of medicinal materials, preparation of traditional herbal medicines, decoction, and drug distribution must be arranged appropriately for transportation and drug distribution; fully equipped to serve the preliminary processing of medicinal materials and preparation of traditional herbal medicines;

5. Decoction areas must be equipped with decoction equipment, packaging, and related tools to perform decoctions and distribute drugs to inpatients and outpatients;

6. Establish, maintain, and promote a model traditional herb garden according to the essential drug list issued by the Minister of Health; set up a display of traditional herb models at the Department of Traditional Medicine and Pharmacy to support teaching activities.

Article 8. Medical Equipment

The medical equipment serving for the examination and treatment activities of the Department of Traditional Medicine and Pharmacy shall be implemented according to Decision No. 1509/QD-BYT dated May 7, 2012 of the Minister of Health on the Essential Medical Equipment List for Provincial Traditional Medicine Hospitals suitable for the scale and operation of the Department.

Chapter IV
RELATIONSHIPS IN WORK

Article 9. Relationships with other Departments and Divisions within the hospital

1. Coordinate with the Pharmacy Department to plan, budget, and implement the supply of traditional medicine materials, herbal medicines, and finished traditional medicine products.

2. Coordinate with clinical departments:

a) Organize training and guidance on traditional medicine knowledge;

b) Examine and treat patients using traditional medicine methods; combine traditional medicine with modern medicine in treatment and scientific research.

3. Coordinate with diagnostic departments to implement modern methods and techniques to serve examination and treatment activities; conduct scientific research.

4. Coordinate with functional divisions to perform tasks assigned by the Hospital Director.

Article 10. Relationships with Traditional Medicine Hospitals (Traditional Medicine Hospitals)

1. The Department of Traditional Medicine and Pharmacy is subject to technical and professional guidance from Traditional Medicine Hospitals at the same level:

a) The Department of Traditional Medicine and Pharmacy in central hospitals is subject to technical and professional guidance from Central Traditional Medicine Hospitals;

b) The Department of Traditional Medicine and Pharmacy at provincial level is subject to technical and professional guidance from Provincial Traditional Medicine Hospitals.

In cases where there is no Provincial Traditional Medicine Hospital, the Department of Traditional Medicine and Pharmacy in provincial general hospitals will be responsible for implementing the development of traditional medicine and pharmacy in the province.

For central hospitals located in provinces, the Ministry of Health will provide detailed guidance on professional relationships depending on specific circumstances.

2. Coordinate with Traditional Medicine Hospitals at the same level to develop plans for the development of traditional medicine and pharmacy in the locality, submit them for approval by competent authorities; transfer traditional medicine technology procedures and combine traditional medicine with modern medicine to lower levels.

3. Receive the transfer of traditional medicine technology and the combination of traditional medicine with modern medicine from higher-level Traditional Medicine Hospitals and Traditional Medicine Hospitals at the same level.

Article 11. Relationships with Other Units in the Area

Coordinate with the Association of Traditional Medicine, Acupuncture Association, Herbal Medicine Association, Medical Association, political-social organizations, and related units to implement the development of traditional medicine and pharmacy.

Chapter V
IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 12. Cross-referencing Provisions

1. In case the referenced documents in this Circular are replaced or amended, they shall be applied according to the replaced or amended documents.

2. Private hospitals with a Department of Traditional Medicine and Pharmacy may follow the guidelines set out in this Circular.

Article 13. Effective Date

1. This Circular takes effect from March 15, 2014.

2. Circular No. 02/BYT-TT dated February 28, 1997 of the Minister of Health "Guidelines on Functions, Tasks, and Organization of the Department of Traditional Medicine and Pharmacy in Institutes and Modern Medicine Hospitals" and the Regulation on the Work of the Department of Traditional Medicine at Decision No. 1895/1997/QD-BYT dated September 19, 1997 of the Ministry of Health on the Issuance of Hospital Regulations cease to be effective from the date this Circular takes effect.

1. The Minister, Heads of Ministries equivalent to ministries, Heads of government agencies, Chairmen of provincial People's Committees under the central government, and related agencies, units, and individuals are responsible for implementing this Circular.

Gentlemen, Madam: Heads of the Office of the Ministry of Health, Directors of the Traditional Medicine and Pharmacy Management Bureau; Director of the Examination and Treatment Management Bureau; Head of the Ministry's Inspectorate; General Director; Directors of Bureaus; Heads of Departments under the Ministry of Health; Directors of hospitals directly under the Ministry of Health; Directors of Provincial Health Services under the Central Government and Heads of health units under Ministries and Sectors are responsible for organizing the implementation of this Circular.

During the implementation process, if there are difficulties or obstacles, please promptly report to the Ministry of Health (Traditional Medicine and Pharmacy Management Bureau) for guidance, review, and resolution./.