NGUYEN DUONG THIEN THANH

Binh Duong Urban Clinic is a Japanese medical clinic located in SORA gardens II, which opened in February 2019 as the first medical institution in Binh Duong New City. When it was first established, we had people from China, Korea, Taiwan, etc.

All the doctors are Vietnamese, and the main language used in the clinic is English. We also have interpreters supporting us in Japanese and Chinese. In addition to internal medicine, we are planning to gradually develop new projects such as vaccinations and healthcare consultancy.

Since I live in Dong Nai Province, I work at the "Dong Nai General Hospital" on weekdays. One day, I found out that my department was receiving assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Since they provide financial support for rehabilitation after injuries and illnesses, I became interested in providing care for Japanese patients. 

 However, there are no international clinics specializing in Japanese in Dong Nai Province, only in Binh Duong Province or Ho Chi Minh City. Therefore, I chose this clinic because it was relatively close to my home and easy to commute. 

It's very comfortable. It takes about 40 minutes from my house to the clinic by car. Commuting for work is not a hardship. I think the actual distance from my home in Dong Nai Province to the center of Ho Chi Minh City is almost the same as the distance to the New City.

In fact, my husband works for an organization that plans transportation networks, and he always says that the roads in the New City are very good (laughs), that they are planned for 10, 20, 30 years from now, and that they are being maintained to match the development of the city.

The medical system in the new city is still developing. There are no hospitals that can handle serious illnesses such as strokes and myocardial infarctions that require treatment within a short period of time after the onset of the illness, so emergency patients are mainly treated in Ho Chi Minh City.

However, I think the level of medical care for other common ailments is safe. In the new city, there are mainly clinics, but in the province, there are large hospitals such as BECAMEX International Hospital, Columbia Asia Hospital, and in obstetrics and gynecology, Hanh Phuc International Hospital. When I gave birth, I actually chose the Hanh Phuc International Hospital (laughs).

In Binh Duong Province, there are hospitals with excellent facilities where you can enjoy a comfortable medical life, and the environment is clearly better than in Dong Nai Province. We can also refer you to other hospitals if your condition cannot be treated at our hospital. Except for emergency treatment, about 95% of diseases can be treated at hospitals in Binh Duong Province.

The important thing is to "focus on the patient". As I treated Japanese patients, I realized that there were some major differences between Japan and Vietnam. For example, after examining the patient, it is not enough to just give them the medicine, but they need to explain what they are taking, where the disease is and why they are taking it. The role of a doctor in this city where many foreigners live is not only to be a doctor, but also to be a companion and advisor to the patient.

Also, many of them work in factories, and some of them have abnormal blood pressure or stress due to poor diet. Therefore, we are providing a medical service using Zoom in our clinic. We can monitor your health condition, perform regular checkups, and if there are any abnormalities, we can guide you to the medical institution of your choice or prepare your medicine in our clinic.

I have a very good impression of the New City, the atmosphere of the city, the rhythm and quality of life, all of it. Most of them are of working age and have a high standard of living and a wealth of knowledge. Most of them have stable incomes, so I expect a high level of medical care as well as quality of service.

I don't know much about it because I don't usually leave the hospital much, but my favorites are the clinic and the surrounding area. All the restaurants are especially good. I may have visited almost all the restaurants in the neighborhood.

I studied in Perth, Australia before, and it was not a commercial metropolis, but a city with a bustling life. The new city has the same kind of atmosphere. There is a high level of work, comfortable housing with playgrounds for children, and places to relax. It's a moderately developed city, and you don't have to worry about unnecessary stress caused by smog, traffic congestion, or population density. It's a city that combines modernity, slow living, and a high quality of life.

The New City has a clear urban plan and adequate investment in infrastructure. The city's plans and benefits are being properly utilized, so we may not be able to ask for more (laughs). However, even if the city were to develop more, the biggest attraction is the quality of life, so I would be happy if they could keep the same atmosphere as now.