Einfo – During the days of investigating the network of mental illness medical record trading in Hai Duong, Tiền Phong reporters were informed by the families of “patients” that they had to pay 6-8 million VND to get false medical records made by doctors. In many communes of Hai Duong, the number of people with mental illness records has surged recently.
Getting medical records without hospitalization
Mr. Thanh (58 years old, from Cong Hoa commune, Nam Sach district, Hai Duong) suddenly came home one day with a request: his children had to take him to Hai Duong Neuropsychiatric Hospital to get a mental illness medical record.
“My father is normal, nothing wrong, but seeing that others successfully did it 3-4 times, he asked us to take him. Our whole family opposed, but my father insisted on going to get examined,” one of Mr. Thanh’s children said.
Mr. Vinh, one of his children, took Mr. Thanh to Hai Duong Neuropsychiatric Hospital for examination.
“I took my father to the hospital as per his wish and the initial purpose was to get medicine for him. However, we were suggested that by paying 8 million VND, we could get a complete medical record to apply for State support and avoid long waiting times. Initially, through an acquaintance’s introduction, they quoted a price of 6 million VND, but it didn’t guarantee a ‘genuine’ mental illness result. I had to pay an extra 2 million VND to ensure a mental illness medical record,” Mr. Vinh said.
When working with Tiền Phong reporters, the Head of the Medical Station in Cong Hoa commune initially said the entire commune had only 32 cases of mental illness and epilepsy, while the commune’s management figure was 42.
According to Mr. Thanh’s family, he was examined by a doctor named Thân. Dr. Thân only performed a cursory examination, measured blood pressure, asked a few questions about name and address to record in the medical file, and then sent Mr. Thanh and his son home, scheduling them to return to the hospital in about 10 days to collect the medical record. Mr. Vinh also confirmed that his father did not undergo any treatment at the hospital.
The day we went to investigate Mr. Thanh’s case, this “mental patient” was out playing. We asked his children to call him on his mobile phone to arrange a meeting, but Mr. Thanh did not answer. Mr. Thanh’s wife and children explained that he usually answers, but perhaps he didn’t hear the phone while on the road.
Details of the medical record
As Mr. Thanh’s child confirmed with the reporter, he had not undergone any treatment days at Hai Duong Neuropsychiatric Hospital. Mr. Thanh was only examined briefly by the doctor and then sent home.
The medical record and outpatient treatment decision of Mr. Thanh.
However, Mr. Thanh’s mental illness medical file contains all the necessary procedures, including: Community mental illness medical record; Decision to manage, monitor, and treat the patient as an outpatient; Medication prescription form…
The content of Mr. Thanh’s medical record, created by the doctors at Hai Duong Neuropsychiatric Hospital, states: “The patient has been healthy since childhood, working normally. In 1978, he had a mental illness and was treated at Hai Duong Neuropsychiatric Hospital for nearly a month before being discharged. The illness has relapsed in recent years. The patient’s personality changed unusually, believing that neighbors intended to harm him, hindering his work. Occasionally hears voices in his head. Does incomprehensible things, wanders around.
The illness worsened as described for the past 3 weeks. The patient talks nonsense, fears the neighbors are watching to harm him. Experiences inexplicable outbursts of anger. Breaks and throws things around. Family brought him for treatment from December 11, 2012, to January 2, 2013. Prescribed 25 mg levomepromazine, 4 tablets/day… Mr. Thanh was diagnosed with organic delusional disorder (psychotic disorder).”
The medical record and outpatient treatment decision both have full codes, decision numbers; complete signatures of the doctor, and the signature and seal of the leadership of Hai Duong Neuropsychiatric Hospital.
Accordingly, the doctor who created the medical record is Mr. Pham Van Thân, and the person who signed the outpatient treatment decision is Mr. Nguyen Van Thuoc, Deputy Director of the hospital.
Receiving a 200,000 VND/month allowance
Mr. Thanh’s wife said that after receiving the medical record, she and her children photocopied two sets of documents, one sent to the Medical Station of Cong Hoa commune to apply for medication, and the other to the Commune People’s Committee to apply for support (about 200,000 VND/month).
At the Medical Station of Cong Hoa commune, Head Hoang Duc Van appeared quite cautious when meeting reporters. When we asked about mental illness patients in the commune, he hesitated, saying he did not remember, then turned sideways, away from the reporter.
Mr. Van said he couldn’t remember exactly how many mental illness and epilepsy patients there were in the commune, not even the recent case of Mr. Thanh (who had just submitted a medical record to request medication).
After a while of calculating, Mr. Van stated that the commune had only 22 cases of schizophrenia, 10 cases of epilepsy. He also added that in the commune, mental illness patients receiving the highest State support were 270,000 VND/month, and the lowest was 180,000 VND/month. Each person received free medication twice a month.
“The entire commune has 42 cases of mental illness and epilepsy medical records! In 2011 and 2012, the number of people submitting mental illness medical records in the commune increased sharply, with 10 new cases,” a female official of the Medical Station in Cong Hoa commune showed us the patient list of the commune.
This female official also noted that Mr. Thanh’s medical record had been sent to the Medical Station more than ten days ago to receive medication for treatment.
The case of over 500 mental illness patients in the district
An Binh commune, Nam Sach district is also a place with many mental illness and epilepsy records. The commune has 44 medical records, with an unusual increase in 2012 (7 records).
When Tiền Phong reporters worked with the Medical Station of the commune, initially, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Hoa, the Head, avoided providing information and demanded an introduction letter from the Nam Sach District Medical Center.
In some communes of Thanh Mien district, Hai Duong, the number of mental illness and epilepsy patients is even higher.
According to the consolidated figures from Thanh Mien District Medical Center, in Tu Cuong commune, there are up to 50 cases, and in Le Hong commune, 48 cases… In total, the district has over 500 mental illness cases out of a population of 130,000.
According to Dr. Nguyen Huu Tinh, Head of the Disease Control Department (Thanh Mien District Medical Center), since the implementation of the “Community Mental Health Management” program from 2006, the number of mental illness and epilepsy patients has increased sharply and has surged in recent years.
Dr. Tinh also mentioned that the main role of the district Medical Center is to manage and provide treatment medication for these patients.
“Determining whether a person has a mental illness or not is done at the provincial level, specifically at Hai Duong Neuropsychiatric Hospital. A mental illness patient must be hospitalized for at least a month to get a medical record,” Dr. Tinh said.
In an exchange with Tiền Phong reporters, Mr. Truong Mau Nghien, Deputy Director of Thanh Mien District Medical Center, acknowledged that the number of over 500 cases in the district was relatively high.
This is a peaceful agricultural region, where people mainly engage in farming, so having so many mental illness cases is very puzzling.
Tiền Phong will continue working with Hai Duong authorities to clarify the irregularities occurring at the provincial Neuropsychiatric Hospital.
