CẦN THƠ — Family Medical Practice (FMP) is conducting a four-week pre-hospital emergency care training programme for a delegation from Cần Thơ Hospital, combining hands-on clinical training with specialised instruction in emergency dispatch.

Under the direction of the Ministry of Health, the programme aims to strengthen the skills and coordination needed to provide emergency care before patients reach hospital.

The collaboration comes amid national pre-hospital emergency care system development.

This newly approved government project for 2026–2030 sets out plans to improve the receipt and handling of emergency calls, strengthen dispatch coordination and standardise training for emergency personnel.

The project also places emphasis on developing emergency networks suited to local needs and improving cooperation between the organisations involved in emergency response.

For Cần Thơ Hospital and FMP, the training provides a practical opportunity to support this wider direction through the exchange of clinical and operational experience. It brings together the hospital’s medical teams and FMP’s emergency care specialists, with a focus on the connection between the initial call for help and the medical response that follows.

Dr Bùi Nghĩa Thịnh leads the clinical component of the programme, providing hands-on training in emergency response protocols and advanced pre-hospital care techniques. This component focuses on the clinical skills needed to deliver care outside the hospital environment, where medical teams must respond to patients’ needs before they reach a receiving facility.

Alongside the clinical training, the Cần Thơ Hospital team also receives training in emergency dispatch protocols developed by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED). This introduces participants to structured procedures for handling emergency calls and coordinating medical assistance through FMP’s *9999 emergency dispatch system.  

The inclusion of dispatch training reflects the importance of the first point of contact in an emergency. Information gathered during a call helps guide the response, while clear communication supports coordination between callers, dispatch personnel and medical teams. Bringing dispatch and clinical training into the same programme helps participants examine how these responsibilities connect across the emergency care process.

At the welcome assembly, FMP Founder and CEO Dr Raphael Kot and Cần Thơ Hospital Director Lý Hồng Khiêm emphasised a shared vision of building a coordinated and effective pre-hospital emergency care system. Their remarks highlighted the purpose of the collaboration: strengthening the capacity to provide timely medical assistance when patients need it most.

The four-week format allows the delegation to spend sustained time learning from FMP’s emergency leaders and engaging with both the clinical and operational aspects of pre-hospital care. Rather than treating dispatch and patient care as separate activities, the programme places them within a connected response, helping participants understand the role each plays in supporting the other.

The partnership also demonstrates a practical form of cooperation between public and private healthcare providers. By sharing emergency care experience and training resources, Cần Thơ Hospital and FMP are working toward a common objective of strengthening local capacity to respond to medical emergencies.

As the programme continues, its focus remains on developing the knowledge, practical skills and coordination that underpin effective pre-hospital care. For FMP and Cần Thơ Hospital, the collaboration is a step toward supporting Việt Nam's wider efforts to build an emergency care system that can respond more consistently to the needs of the communities it serves. — Family Medical Practice