FV Hospital has founded and launched its Department of Infectious Diseases, staffed by a team of experienced doctors and specialists in the fields of infectious disease, microbiology and pharmacy, to provide examination and treatment services for infectious diseases. The management of antibiotic use and infection control also fall under this Department, contributing to improving treatment quality and patient safety across all of the Hospital’s disciplines, as well as the wider community.

Treatment for infectious diseases varies from simple protocols to complex methodologies

Over the years, doctors at FV have successfully treated many cases of infectious diseases and complicated infections in immunocompromised patients and patients who are resistant to antibiotics to help them to fight and recover from critical diseases. FV Hospital’s infection rate has been maintained at below 0.5% for many years, which is 20 times lower than that of other hospitals in Vietnam and on parity with U.S. healthcare centres.

Continuing FV’s commitment to treatment of infectious diseases and infection control, the Hospital’s Infectious Diseases Department was officially put into operation in July 2022 with three key responsibilities:

1. Detecting, diagnosing and treating infectious diseases
2. Managing antibiotic use for all patients at FV Hospital
3. Controlling infection risk with the hospital.

FV Hospital confidently established and put its Infectious Diseases Department into operation after the hardest days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Specifically, the Department of Infectious Diseases at FV specialises in examination and treatment for all types of infectious diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites and fungi. This includes complex infectious diseases such as pneumonia, tuberculosis and meningitis; bone infections; endocarditis, viral hepatitis; skin and soft tissue infections; parasitic and fungal infections; sexually transmitted diseases; flu; COVID-19; febrile illnesses of unknown origin; infections caused by resistant organisms; and prophylaxis after exposure to bodily fluids or blood-borne pathogens.

In addition, FV’s Infectious Diseases Department collaborates with other specialties to control infections in patients with complications; immunocompromised or immunosuppressed patients, such as HIV-positive people; patients with malignancy or who have just received an organ transplant. The department also provides international travel health consulting services, health check-ups and immunisation consultations for patients preparing to travel to a territory with a high risk of infectious diseases, and monitors patient who become ill after travelling.

Multi-drug resistant bacteria screening helps to identify causes of disease quickly, saving time and money as it reduces the need for multiple bacteria cultures and antibiotics trials.

Patients with high-risk drug-resistant bacterial infection, along with immunocompromised patients and surgical patients visiting FV for treatment, will be screened for multidrug-resistant bacteria to detect diseases in the early stages. This helps to ensure the patient receives appropriate treatment while isolating and limiting the transmission of multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Doctors within this Department will coordinate with related departments such as Laboratory, Pharmacy and other specialties to manage the effectiveness of antibiotic use for each patient and ensure that antibiotics are used under the right conditions and at a sufficient dosage. FV doctors have been following this mandate since 2018. The establishment of the Infectious Diseases Department further emphasises this process to support accurate and timely treatment, helping to reduce complications due to infection. This Department will also help patients to save costs and shorten hospitalisation time while reducing the risk of widespread antibiotic resistance.

In addition, the Department of Infectious Diseases is responsible for controlling infection issues in the hospital and minimising infection risk, especially for patients receiving post-surgical care.

Gathering leading experts in infectious diseases within modern medical facilities

The Infectious Diseases Department gathers leading doctors in infectious diseases, experts in clinical pharmacy, microbiologists, and quality management experts who are well-trained domestically and abroad, along with other experts and nurses who have decades of combined experience in infection treatment and prevention.

The team at FV’s Infectious Diseases Department is led by Head of Department, Vu Truong Son, MD, MSc, who has 13 years of experience in the field of infection prevention, infectious disease control and antibiotic use management.

Dr Vu Truong Son, Head of the Infectious Diseases Department, FV Hospital

Dr Son has been in charge of developing procedures for infection prevention and control, and managing antibiotic use for all departments of FV Hospital for many years.

FV Hospital is also equipped with a expansive laboratory with FilmArray and Fast track PRC systems, which can identify many pathogens within 1.5 to three hours with almost absolute accuracy—one of the fastest in Ho Chi Minh City today—thereby speeding up diagnosis while reducing unnecessary antibiotic treatment.

State-of-the-art facilities help reduce testing time by up to 84% compared to traditional methods

Furthermore, FV is equipped with a series of single isolation rooms with modern ventilation systems and comprehensive disinfection procedures, ensuring the safe reception of patients with infectious diseases, including COVID-19 cases, without affecting other patients and medical staff of other departments.

Staffed by a team of leading medical doctors and experts in infectious diseases who have the latest equipment and technologies at their fingertips, supported by a strict medical record management system across departments, the Infectious Diseases Department of FV Hospital aims to become the leading centre for infectious diseases in Vietnam, providing the capacity to support effective disease treatment and helping to save medical costs for patients.