HEALTH M-SCORE 2018-19 Health M-Score is a project dedicated to evaluate patient satisfaction in major public hospitals in Vietnam. The first phase of theproject, which runs from September 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017, has a focus on 29 hospitals nationwide. Vietnam Initiative (VNI) collaborated with the Ministry of Health (MOH) to develop the survey tools and methodology which then has been adopted to survey and rank 29 hospitals all over the country. The call centre is an independent research agency with a strong focus on conducting quality survey (Mekong Development Research Institute). Their staff were trained to conduct the survey via mobile phone. It conducted nearly 9,000 calls to patients who were discharged from surveyed hospitals, asking them about specific areas of healthcare service experience, including perceived quality of care, attitude of healthcare professionals (doctors and nurses), service prices, informal payment, facility infrastructure. A website is designed so that information can be typed directly onto the platform, and data are analysed onthe spot every month/quarter/year as desired.

On March 27, 2018, Vietnam Initiative co-hosted with the Ministry of Health to launch the patient satisfaction index (PSI) calculated from the survey and PSI rating of 29 public hospitals which had over 200 participants from Party, National Assembly, government agencies, civil organizations and public hospitals as well as over 60 journalists. Thelaunching workshop attracted the attention of the public media as well as the executive bodies. The Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucraised the issue mentioned by the report at the cabinet meeting early April, 2018. Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien of the MOH has justorganized a workshop on solutions to improve toilet sanitation in public hospitals, which patients dissatisfied most, according to PSI. The Party Secretary of Ba Ria Vung Tau province recognized the PSI result and rating of the Ba Ria public hospital by sending certificate of appreciation and reward to board of directors and staff of the Ba Ria public hospital, emphasizing the importance of improving health care quality to maintain 1# rank in the following year. The Department of Health in Hanoi issues an official letter to require all public and private hospitals located in Hanoi to conduct patient satisfaction survey every three months.

Given the attention of both the government at all levels and the public to the PSI and rating of public hospitals, it is extremely necessary tocontinue the survey in the 2nd year and expand the number of public hospitals participating in the survey. The survey in 2018 should includes 29 public hospitals participated in 2017 and other hospitals in the Tay Nguyen region as well as national-level public hospitals which not yet surveyed in 2017. Vietnam Initiative expects that donors# funding plays the catalyst role in the initial yearsto help design methodology and conduct the survey to rate public hospitals based on PSI. The PSI results and ratings of public hospitals are publicly released on website and at the launching workshop in March. At the same time, to ensure the sustainability of theproject, Vietnam Initiative also looks for the interest of health insurance companies to or the MOH to take over this initiative.