FACTORS AFFECTING FINANCIAL AUTONOMY IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS UNDER THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH IN VIETNAM

Abstract

Implementing the financial autonomy mechanism has created opportunities for public hospitals in Vietnam in general and public hospitals under the Ministry of Health in particular to be proactive in managing finances and assets, using the state budget allocated economically and efficiently, and increasing extra-budgetary revenue through diversifying the medical examination and treatment activities of their units. However, the requirement of financial autonomy in public hospitals has raised numerous issues, ranging from management mechanisms and policy systems to the creation and effective use of financial resources. The authors collected survey data from 42 public hospitals under the Ministry of Health, with 84 survey questionnaires distributed and 75 collected, and used SPSS 22 software to assess the level of influence of factors on the current status of financial autonomy in public hospitals under the Ministry of Health. The results indicate that the state's financial policy mechanism, the qualifications of medical staff, employees, and facilities positively influence the level of financial autonomy. Based on these findings, the group of authors proposes several solutions to enhance the financial autonomy mechanism for public hospitals under the Ministry of Health in the future.