"The salary and benefits are reasonable, which motivates us to contribute because we feel the hospital's care for both our material and mental well-being," said Dr. V.T, who works at Vinmec International General Hospital.
Higher Income
"My staff submitted their resignation, and when I asked for the reason, they said, 'I've been working here for 10 years, but my salary is only 12 million VND per month. Meanwhile, if I move to Hospital I (a private hospital in the province), they'll pay me 35 million VND per month, so I have to leave,'" shared the Director of Thong Nhat General Hospital (Dong Nai) when discussing the issue of healthcare workers quitting and leaving public hospitals.
Similarly, there are stories of doctors unable to support their families with a monthly salary of 8 million VND after 10 years of practice, leading them to resign from public hospitals and join private ones. Or, doctors who have studied for at least 6 years, but their salary after graduation is less than 3 million VND, which is lower than the salary of a factory worker, causing many to express their frustration: "The salary of public hospital doctors is too low."
Dr. V.T, working at Vinmec International General Hospital, said that the current income and benefits provided at the hospital for doctors and medical staff are quite stable and much better than those in public hospitals, enough to support a middle-class family.
As a result, doctors and nurses work more steadily, can focus on their specialties, and have fewer non-specialty duties. Additionally, the good income allows them to be less concerned about extra sources of income to support their lives.
"I have witnessed many doctors and nurses leaving public hospitals for private ones. The majority of them resign from public hospitals due to financial reasons. The state's policies and benefits are too low, so they leave.
A doctor with around 5 years of experience earns about 7-8 million VND/month, and a nurse with similar experience earns about 5 million VND/month. This income is only enough for personal expenses, and when they have families, they need additional income outside their salary. However, these extra sources of income and bonuses are not fixed, and not every institution offers them," Dr. V.T shared.
Better Benefits
Dr. V.T also noted that the benefits in private hospitals are good, leading to high staff satisfaction. Specifically, at Vinmec International General Hospital, medical staff are provided with life insurance, annual health checkups, and various welfare benefits such as birthday gifts, holiday bonuses, and a 13th-month salary.
"The reasonable salary and benefits give us the motivation to contribute because we feel the hospital cares about our material and mental well-being," Dr. T expressed.
In an interview with Lao Dong, nurse T.H, who works at Tam Anh General Hospital (Hanoi), shared that public hospitals have more pressure than private ones. Specifically, they require staff to take on many non-specialty tasks, as well as handle cumbersome paperwork and reporting.
Moreover, Vietnam is a tropical country, and there are many epidemics every year, making epidemic control very challenging, especially for preventive healthcare workers, where the benefits are minimal. As a result, many graduates plan to apply for jobs at private hospitals.
"Recently, there has been public attention on the case of four doctors working across provinces. Personally, I believe working extra hours during regular working time violates regulations, but it also serves as a small warning about the low wages and benefits in public hospitals, which cause healthcare workers to gradually leave.
Ultimately, the best professionals should not have to worry about daily expenses, allowing them to focus entirely on their specialties. If not, it will affect service quality and could lead to negative outcomes," nurse H shared.
