FV Hospital has once again achieved Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation, marking its fourth consecutive success following the latest assessment in April 2025, with an impressive compliance score of over 98%. Dr Jean-Marcel Guillon, CEO of FV Hospital (pictured), noted that JCI experts recognised FV as one of the safest and highest-quality hospitals in Southeast Asia.

This achievement also reaffirms FV’s long-standing commitment to fulfilling its founding vision of becoming one of Asia’s leading hospitals.

What are the major differences in FV’s fourth JCI accreditation compared to the previous three?

JCI updates its standards every three years, introducing significant changes with each edition. The most recent version was released in January 2024, giving FV Hospital just 15 months to prepare before the accreditation assessment in April 2025.

This time, there were numerous changes related to data protection and digital communication. For example, hospitals must ensure the confidentiality and security of patient data. While marketing communications are permitted, no confidential patient information may be disclosed. In addition, a new chapter on sustainability was introduced, including requirements related to energy usage. Record management and procedural requirements also became more stringent, covering areas such as hospital governance and the supply chain.

Preparing for JCI always involves adapting to change – but FV remains committed to innovation. In fact, we achieved an outstanding result: over 98% compliance with JCI standards. JCI experts made a few recommendations for improvement, such as ensuring surgical scissors are fully opened when placed in the sterilisation machine to guarantee complete sterilisation. This level of detail reflects the rigour of their assessment, and we are fully prepared to implement their suggestions.

In your opinion, what was the biggest challenge in meeting the new JCI requirements during this accreditation cycle?

JCI standards are centred on patient safety, which has long been embedded in our daily routines. Having achieved JCI accreditation three times already, we were already familiar with the framework. When new standards are introduced, our approach is to study them, retrain our staff, and integrate the updates into daily practice.

However, one challenge is complacency. When you’re confident in your systems, it can be easy to become overly self-assured. That’s why maintaining a mindset of continuous improvement is essential.

What does this fourth JCI Gold Seal mean for FV in today’s competitive private healthcare landscape in Vietnam?

Achieving JCI accreditation is incredibly challenging – not just in Vietnam, but also in many other developing countries. Globally, only around 1,000 major hospitals have earned the JCI Gold Seal. FV remains the only hospital in southern Vietnam to have earned this distinction four consecutive times.

During its fourth accreditation, JCI experts recognised FV as one of the best and safest hospitals not only in Southeast Asia but across the wider region. They also acknowledged FV’s long-term vision of becoming one of the world’s leading hospitals. The quality of care at FV is comparable to that of major international hospitals such as Bumrungrad in Bangkok and Mount Elizabeth in Singapore – yet treatment costs at FV are approximately half those of regional international hospitals, and just one-third of the costs in Singapore.

Twenty-two years ago, before FV Hospital was founded, we set a clear vision to become one of the best hospitals in Asia. This vision has guided our mission to earn the trust of our patients. Achieving JCI accreditation four times in a row is a strong testament to that ambition – and a reflection of our ongoing commitment to grow stronger, always placing the patient at the centre of everything we do.

Thank you Doctor!