Marketing plan for launching abbott CMR in vietnam master project in business and marketing management

TRƯỜNG ðẠI HỌC MỞ TP. HCM

UNIVERSITÉ LIBRE DE BRUXELLES

HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY

SOLVAY BRUSSELS SCHOOL

MBMM4

TRẦN KHÁNH PHƯỢNG
MARKETING PLAN FOR LAUNCHING
ABBOTT CMR IN VIETNAM

MASTER PROJECT
MASTER IN BUSINESS & MARKETING MANAGEMENT

Tutor’s Name: PGS.TS Nguyễn ðình Thọ

Ho Chi Minh City
(2010)


Marketing plan for launching Abbott CMR in Vietnam

Final Project

Commitment
This is the first marketing plan I have created based on the knowledge I gained from
interesting marketing subjects in the Master Business & Marketing Management 20092010 course of Solvay Brussels School and HCM city Open University.
I commit that the project is completed with my high honesty. I fully take responsibility for

any mistakes or incorrect information given in this project.

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Acknowledgements
Firstly, I would like to send great thanks to my tutor – the professor Nguyen Dinh Tho who
has helped me a lot in giving orientation, advices and comments on how to build up a
marketing plan.

Secondly, I would like to send many thanks to my professional mentor – Mr. Le Hoang Cu
who has given me the chance to understand more deeply the company’s business and
useful information to set up the marketing plan.

I also want to say thank you very much to all professors for useful marketing knowledge in
the Master Business & Marketing Management 2009-2010 course.

Finally, I would like to send special thanks to my darling husband who has heartily
supported me to complete this project successfully.

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Tutor’s comments

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CONTENT
1.
2.
2.1
2.2
2.3
3.
3.1

3.2

4.
4.1

4.2
4.3
5.
5.1

5.2
5.3
6.
7.
7.1
7.2
7.3

Page
Executive Summary
8
General Introduction
10
Vision and Objectives of the project................................................................. 10
Company ..................................................................................................... 1611
Product ........................................................................................................ 1016
Situation analysis
18
External analysis .............................................................................................. 18

3.1.1 The Vietnamese IVD market overview .................................................. 18
3.1.2 Environment (SLEPT) analysis ............................................................. 19
3.1.3 Competition analysis ............................................................................. 26
3.1.4 Target market analysis........................................................................... 27
Internal analysis ............................................................................................. 829
3.2.1 Profitability ........................................................................................... 29
3.2.2 Product analysis .................................................................................... 30
3.2.3 SWOT analysis ..................................................................................... 32
3.2.4 Key success factors of Abbott CMR ...................................................... 32
Marketing strategy
33
Targeting ......................................................................................................... 33
4.1.1 Segmenting criteria................................................................................ 33
4.1.2 Choosing the target................................................................................ 34
4.1.3 Target customers ................................................................................... 35
Re-Positioning strategy in VN market .............................................................. 37
Objectives of the marketing plan...................................................................... 41
Marketing planning
43
Marketing program ......................................................................................... 43
5.1.1 Product.................................................................................................. 43
5.1.2 Price...................................................................................................... 46
5.1.3 Communication (Branding) ................................................................... 46
5.1.4 Distribution ........................................................................................... 48
5.1.5 Convincing target customers.................................................................. 49
5.1.6 Customer relationship management ....................................................... 50
Budgeting ........................................................................................................ 50
Implementation and control.............................................................................. 51
Biliography
57

Appendixes
58
Market research design .................................................................................... 58
Results ............................................................................................................. 61
Orginal questionaires ....................................................................................... 66

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Abbreviations
ADD

Abbott Diagnostics Division

CMR

Cardiac/Cardiovascular, Metabolic, Renal

IVD

In vitro diagnostic

KOL

Key opinion leader

SWOT

Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats

SLEPT Social, Legal, Economic, Political, Technical

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Figures and Tables
Page
Figure 2.1: Performance graph of Abbott Laboratories in 2004-2009

15

Figure 2.2: Sales growth of ADD Vietnam in 2005-2009

16

Figure 3.1: Relative Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Associated with

19

Metabolic Syndrome
Figure 3.2: Diabetes prevalence map

20

Figure 3.3: Vietnam real GDP growth rate and Inflation rate in 2007-2023

21

Figure 3.4: National Medical budget in 2000-2008

23

Figure 3.5: International aid in 2000-2008

23

Figure 3.5: BMI short-term political stability rating – Asia Pacific 2010

24

Figure 3.6: Clinical CMR review of a complex patient

31

Figure 4.1: Volume percentage of main segments in the Vietnamese IVD

33

market in 2008
Figure 4.2: The segmentation criteria based on potential customer’s characteristics

34

Figure 4.3: Value curve of Abbott CMR vs. competitor (Roche)

38

Figure 4.3: Re-positioning strategy

40

Figure 4.4: Objectives of the marketing plan

42

Figure 5.1: Abbott CMR’s major characteristics

43

Table 3.1: The qualitative research’s data interpretation

27

Table 5.1: Budget for the communication campaign

51

Table 5.2: The implementation plan of Abbott CMR

51

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Executive Summary
1. General Introduction
This part provides a brief summary about company overview, product and the
vision & objectives of the project.
- Vision & objectives of the project: The project is setting up a marketing plan to
launch Abbott CMR in Vietnam in 3 years (2011-2013). By launching Abbott
CMR, Abbott Laboratories has ambitions to be recognized as a leader connecting
cardio-metabolic and renal care from prevention and diagnosis to treatment and
monitoring.
- Company: introduce Abbott Corporation’s history, reputation, branding values

and business figures.
- Product: introduce Abbott CMR characteristics and its global business strategy.
2. Situation analysis
This part provides the detailed analysis of the situation including external and
internal analysis.
- External: it is a composition of data collected from the secondary research about
Market (size, growth, trend), Environment (SLEPT: social, legal, economic,
political and technical), Competition. There is a qualitative research to explore
target market’s expectations and decision making influencing factors.
- Internal: it gives some details about the company Profitability, Brand awareness
& identity and Product. Then the SWOT analysis and Key success factors of
Abbott CMR gives very important strategic information as a background for the
marketing plan described in the following part.
3. Marketing strategy
This part provides the targeting approach and the re-positioning strategy in
Vietnam IVD immunological market.
- Targeting: it gives the information on segmenting criteria, why we choose the
target and the list of major target customers in this project.
- Re-positioning: it gives the information on re-positioning strategy of Abbott CMR
with Core differentiation, Sustainable competitive advantages and Characteristics
based on the value curve.

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This part also provides the smart objectives of the marketing plan which are
required to achieve in the first 3years.
4. Marketing planning
This is the key part of the project. It provides all information about the marketing
plan which is created based on the situation analysis and the marketing strategy.
The plan includes 3 steps: Marketing program, Budgeting, Implementation and
Control, in which marketing program will cover 6 parts: Product, Price,
Communication, Distribution, Convincing target customers and Customer
relationship management.

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2.

General Introduction

2.1

Vision and Objectives of the project

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Abbott Diagnostics is a division of Abbott Laboratories, an American broad-based
healthcare company having 120+ year history and approximately 83,000 employees
around the world, with products that span the continuum of care—from prevention
and diagnosis to treatment and cure, and leadership in technologies and businesses
across the spectrum of health care. Abbott Diagnostics is a global leader in in vitro
diagnostics (IVD) and offers a broad range of innovative instrument systems and
tests. The signature “A Promise for Life” is a commitment that the company wants
to bring to customers who care about their health and life. At Abbott, leading
science and innovation are the key words to develop new products.
Not like the pharmaceutical or nutrition division, the business of Abbott
Diagnostics division is B2B with target customers are hospitals, reference labs,
blood banks, physician offices and clinics. Moreover, as a kind of healthcare
products, the IVD product is regulated by the Ministry of Health in most of
countries in the world. Therefore, the marketing of this product is limited to
scientific activities like symposia, seminars, sponsoring for scientific studies…
The new scientific application and innovative technology is the most important
core differentiation of an IVD product. An IVD product can be “alive” in the
market until a new scientific application/ technology is discovered to improve
health care, and it can be several years to several decades.
And Abbott CMR is a typical example for that, it is developed by Abbott
Diagnostics to bring a new value to the diagnosis of CMR diseases for complex
patients. It is one of key products of Abbott global marketing strategy to strengthen
Abbott’s top position in global IVD immunochemistry market in the coming time.
By launching Abbott CMR, Abbott Laboratories has ambitions to be recognized as
a leader connecting cardio-metabolic and renal care from prevention and diagnosis
to treatment and monitoring. In this project, I will introduce you a marketing plan
to launch Abbott CMR in Vietnam in 2011. The marketing plan for Abbott
Diagnostics’ new IVD products is usually set up for 3-5 years which will cover

whole growth stage of the product life cycle before declining in the market (there

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will be a substitution then). Moreover, the first year – the launching year always
plays a decisive role to the success of the marketing plan.
2.2

Company
Company history

The history of Abbott's Diagnostics Division is an
impressive record of innovation. Abbott Diagnostics' history is filled with examples
of first-of-a-kind products and significant technological advancements. This
tradition of innovation has been sustained through a consistent commitment to
diagnostic research and development.
Abbott Diagnostics is a global leader in in vitro diagnostics (IVD) and offers a
broad range of innovative instrument systems and tests for hospitals, reference labs,
blood banks, physician offices and clinics. With more than 69,000 institutional
customers in more than 100 countries, Abbott's diagnostic products offer customers
automation, convenience, cost effectiveness and flexibility. Abbott has helped

transform the practice of medical diagnosis from an art to a science, helping to
create the modern diagnostics industry through the company's commitment to
improving patient care and lowering overall costs.
The resident representative office in Vietnam of Abbott Laboratories was established
in 1995. Operating for more than 15 years, Abbott Diagnostics Division (ADD) has
still maintained the leading position in The Vietnamese IVD market, especially in
immunological segment and kept growing strongly. The Representative Offices in
Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City cover the IVD market throughout the country from
North to South.

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Company reputation & values
Company branding

Abbott Diagnostics brand is one of 19 business lines of
Abbott Corporation and it follows the Abbott Corporation Branding system. Abbott
Corporation Branding identity has a unique “A” logo with the signature "A Promise
for Life".
•

Brand promise: "A Promise for Life - Turning Science into Caring "
Caring is central to the work we do and defines our responsibility to those we
serve:
-

We advance leading-edge science and technologies that hold the potential
for significant improvements to health and to the practice of health care.

-

We value our diversity – that of our products, technologies, markets and
people – and believe that diverse perspectives combined with shared goals
inspire new ideas and better ways of addressing changing health needs.

-

We focus on exceptional performance – a hallmark of Abbott people
worldwide – demanding of ourselves and each other because our work
impacts people’s lives.

-

We strive to earn the trust of those we serve by committing to the highest
standards of quality, excellence in personal relationships, and behavior
characterized by honesty, fairness and integrity.

-

We sustain success – for our business and the people we serve – by staying
true to key tenets upon which our company was founded over a century ago:

innovative care and a desire to make a meaningful difference in all that we
do.

The promise of our company is in the promise that our work holds for health
and life.
•

Brand values:
“Pioneering” - Leading-edge science and commercialization.
“Achieving” - Customer-focused outcomes and world-class execution
“Caring” - Making a difference in people’s lives
“Enduring” - Commitment and purpose

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Company reputation
Abbott is ranked among the top companies in the world for financial strength and
workplace excellence by leading national publications, including:
Barron’s

Ranked 24th on Barron’s “World’s Most Respected

Companies” list.

Business Week

Named one of the “Best Places to Launch a Career.”

DiversityInc

Named one of the “Top 10 Companies for Diversity.”

Forbes

Ranked 118th on the Forbes Global 2000 list (ranked by
2008 sales, profits, assets and market value).

Fortune

Ranked 1st among the “Most Admired Companies” in the
pharmaceutical sector.
Ranked 80th on the Fortune 500 list of the largest U.S.based corporations (ranked by 2008 revenue).

The Scientist

Named one of the “Best Places to Work in Industry.”

Working

Named one of the “Top 10 Best Employers Mother for
Working Mothers.”

Source: Abbott Fact Book 2010 – www.abbott.com.

Company Mission
Abbott Diagnostics’ mission is to be the leading in vitro diagnostic company as
measured by customer satisfaction and economic profit. We must behave with our
customers in a manner that supports their needs. For our customers – directors of
clinical laboratories, administrators of hospitals, physicians ordering tests,
technicians at the bench – our brand and message will portray Abbott Diagnostics
as their dedicated laboratory partner who offers innovative science, diagnostic
solutions and services. For laboratory professionals and clinicians, they will see
that ADD provides the tools necessary for them to excel as scientists in their field.
Our offerings ultimately help our customers provide better patient management.

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Business figures
Product portfolio
Our broad range of diagnostic instruments and tests are used
worldwide in hospitals, reference labs, small size laboratories
and clinics to aid in the diagnosis of a range of serious health
issues such as infectious diseases, cancer, and diabetes, as well

as monitor other important indicators of health.
Source: Abbott Laboratories – www.abbott.com

Automation: ACCELERATOR Automatic Processing System (APS)
Software: Instrument Manager, Informatics Services
Transfusion: ABBOTT PRISM, Commander, Quantum II
Hematology: CELL-DYN Family instruments have provided efficient, flexible and
dependable hematology products and solutions to laboratorians world wide for over
25 years.
Immunochemistry: The ARCHITECT family of analyzers magnifies the impact of
sophisticated technologies by delivering the first truly integrated portfolio of
immunoassay and chemistry instruments. Featuring unique technologies like the
Robotic Sample Handler, FlexRate and CHEMIFLEX, ARCHITECT systems
make it easier to get to the science that really matters. Ask your Abbott
representative about our growing portfolio.
Abbott Diagnostics offers comprehensive assay menus:
Cancer

Retrovirus

Cardiac

Metabolic

Drugs of Abuse/Toxicology

Renal

Fertility/Pregnancy

Special Chemistry

General Chemistry

Specific Proteins

Infectious Disease

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring

Congenitals

Thyroid

Hepatitis

Transplant

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Sales figures

Performance Graph
The following graph compares the change in Abbott’s cumulative total shareholder
return on its common shares with the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index and the
Standard & Poor’s 500 Health Care Index.
Source: Abbott Financial Report 2009 – www.abbott.com

Figure 2.1: Performance graph of Abbott Laboratories in 2004-2009

Assuming $100 invested on 12/31/04 with dividends reinvested.

Abbott’s revenues are derived primarily from the sale of a broad line of health care
products under short-term receivable arrangements. Sales in international markets
are approximately 50 percent of consolidated net sales.
ADD Vietnam sales figures
Being a leader in Vietnam IVD immunological market for over 10 years, since the
market was immature, ADD Vietnam has been being kept growing strongly along
with the market growth. During the past 5 years, ADD Vietnam’s sales growth has
been achieved double digits of percentage per year.
Source: ADD Vietnam Sales Report 2005-2009

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Figure 2.2: Sales growth of ADD Vietnam in 2005-2009
Sales ($M in USD) 14

12
10
8
ADD Vietnam
6
4
2
0
2005

2.3

2006

2007

2008

2009

Year

Product
Abbott CMR:
A combination assays of Cardiac, Metabolic, Renal markers used in sub-clinical
laboratories for diagnosis of a complex patient.

With Abbott CMR product, Abbott Diagnostics wants to bring a new value to
target customers in using assays in CMR diagnostic algorithm: Now physicians of
Cardiac, Metabolic or Renal department can appoint testing for a complex patient
with Abbott CMR assays – the simple solutions for diagnosis of Cardiac,
Metabolic, Renal diseases.
Each assay will be offered to the customers as a whole reagent set, including
Reagent kit, Calibrator and Control. The Reagent kit
will have 2-3 packaging sizes based on the demand
of target customers: 100 tests/kit, 500 tests/kit and
2000 tests/kit.

Source: Abbott Laboratories – www.abbott.com

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A complete menu of Quality Biomarkers of Abbott CMR:
CARDIAC

METABOLIC

RENAL

Apo-A1

Anti-CCP

B2 Microglobulin

Apo-B

B12

Creatinine

BNP

Cortisol

Cystatin C

Cholesterol

C-Peptide

uNGAL

CKMB

Ferritin

Upro/Microalbumin

HDL

Folate

Urine/CSF Protein

Homocysteine

Glucose

hsCRP

HbA1c

LDL

Holo-transcobalamin

MPO

Insulin

Myoglobin

iPTH

Triglyceride

Rheumatoid Factor

Troponin I

Vitamin D*

These assays are offered to run on Innovative and Quality Abbott integrated systems

IA

CC

Integration

High

/ / /
Med

Low

*

*

Source: Abbott Laboratories – www.abbott.com

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3.

Situation analysis

3.1

External analysis

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3.1.1 The Vietnamese IVD market overview
Market size & growth
In 2010, the Vietnamese market for medical equipment and supplies is estimated at
US$515 million, or US$6 per capita. It is expected that the device market will
continue to expand strongly at 15.3% per annum. This will take the Vietnamese
market to over US$1 billion in 2015, although the per capita rate will remain low.
An estimated 86.5% of the medical device market is supplied by imports, and the
sector is growing rapidly. Singapore, China and Japan are the leading suppliers,
accounting for 43.1% of imports in 2008

The Vietnamese IVD market is small

in Asia, but fast-growing with double digit growth. (Source: Espicom Business
Intelligence (www.espicom.com) - The Medical Device Market: Vietnam - July 30th 2010)

According to statistics data provided by the department of Diagnosis and Treatment
Administration - Vietnam Ministry of Health, in 2009 we have totally 1063
governmental hospitals, 94 private hospitals, and all hospitals have set up the
medical testing laboratories; and thousands of medical testing clinics & centers in
Vietnam’s diagnosis and treatment system. The number of Immunochemistry tests
in 2007 were 80,391,595 of total 195,881,878 in-vitro tests and in 2008 were
100,160,568 of total 234,958,644 in-vitro tests. According to the data, 2008/2007
Immunochemistry tests’ growth is 124.6%. (Source: The Department of Diagnosis and
Treatment Administration – www.kcb.vn)

Market trend
Improving healthcare system is the government focus in the coming years, so there
would be a lot of demand for equipments used in medical imaging, intensive care,
patient-monitoring,

operating

theaters,

cardiac

treatment,

laboratory

and

diagnostics and consumables. Improved living standards and income will lead to
improved healthcare expenditure, especially increasing the number of Vietnamese
people taking regular health-checking courses.

(Source: Vietnam Business news - www.vietnambusiness.asia)

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3.1.2 Environment (SLEPT) analysis
Social environment
Population
Vietnam is still a very young nation with the population of about 88 million people.
Vietnam adds 1.2 million people to its population every year. However, the country
is evolving. It is becoming more wealthy and its healthcare system is helping to
increase life-expectancy. At the same time, families are shrinking in terms of
number of children. It was very common to see families with 10-12 children ten
years ago. These days, it is more common to have 3-4 children in a family. The
current birth-rate close to 1.9 children per woman, is below the 2.1 required for
replacement of generations. At the moment, 10% of Vietnam’s 86 million people
are aged 60 years and above. By 2050, it is estimated that 26% of Vietnam’s
population would be aged 60 years and above. These factors obviously will have
tremendous impact on the nation’s healthcare requirements, the kinds of prevalent
diseases in Vietnam, and pension schemes in the years to come.
(Source: www.asiabiotech.com - Vietnam Healthcare - The Next Growth Frontier?by V.K. Sanjeed Volume 13 > Number 10 > 2009)

Demand for testing and treating CMR diseases
While global aging represents medical, social and economic triumph over disease,
it also contributes to the increasing prevalence of complex patients with obesity,
metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and renal insufficiency.
Figure 3.1:
Relative Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Associated with Metabolic Syndrome

Findings from a Meta-analysis by Galassi et.al, Am J med 2006; 119: 812-9

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In Vietnam, Economic development and globalization has caused significant
changes in lifestyle that have raised the number of complex cardiac disease cases in
the country. According to research from the Center for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), around 31% of non-accidental deaths are cardiovascular-related,
while an estimated 16.3% of the northern population have been diagnosed with
heart disease.
Moreover, Vietnam is the sixth ranking of Prevalence of diabetes in the WHO
Western Pacific Region with estimated number of 2,343,000 patients in 2030.
Vietnam is also one of top countries in the world having high percentage of
Prevalence of diabetes (3-4%), especially in Hochiminh city the percentage can be

11% with the age of patients is younger and younger.
(Source: />
Figure 3.2: Diabetes prevalence map

Worldmapper_map239, 2006 - SASI Group (University of Sheffield) and
Mark Newman (University of Michigan)

Legal environment
The governmental management units of the Ministry of Health are currently
including the department of Diagnosis and Treatment Administration, Medical
Preventive department, the department of Medical Environment Administration,
the department of Food Safety and Hygiene, HIV/AIDS preventive department.
These departments manage the medical testing laboratories based on professional
vertical axis, there has not been any department of the Ministry of Health to be in

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charge of the management of medical testing laboratories as well as no quality
control center, reference laboratories, legal system and documents, standardized
testing procedures…
The improvement of medical testing services as well as other healthcare services

have not been got the equal & proper care. Moreover, there has not been any
integration between medical testing professional majors about management and
differentiation in their services at different levels.
(Source: National Action Plan to improve managerial competence for medical testing laboratories
from now until 2020 – Chapter 3)

Economic environment
GDP growth
Vietnam has been one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia in recent years,
with GDP growth averaging 7.6% annually between 2000 and 2009. The economic
boom has lifted many Vietnamese out of poverty, with the official poverty rate in
the country falling from 58% in 1993 to 20% in 2004. GDP per capita is estimated
1060 USD in 2010. (Source: Business Monitor International Ltd (www.businessmonitor.com) –
Vietnam Vietnam Business Forecast Report Q3-2010 - Chapter 2: Economic Outlook).

In the coming years, Vietnam can keep this GDP growth rate. The Economist
estimates that GDP growth rate will stably increase until 2023 as shown in the
figure below:
Figure 3.3: Vietnam real GDP growth rate and Inflation rate in 2007-2023

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Personal income
The savings ratio has remained relatively constant in recent years. It amounted to
5.8% of disposable income in 2009. Disposable income per capita has increased by
more than one third in real terms since 2004 as the economy has grown. In 2009, it
was VND13,364,055 (US$783). Income varies widely across different regions of
the country. Per capita consumer expenditure has risen in line with disposable
income. The indicator was estimated to be VND12,772,047 (US$748) in 2009.
(Source: Euromonitor International (www.euromonitor.com ) – Vietnam Country profile – August
2010).

Healthcare expenditure & investment
According to WHO Statistics Full report on Health Expenditure in 2007, Vietnam
has a high Total expenditure on health as a percentage of gross domestic product of
7.1% (58 USD per capita) in the world; in which the General government
expenditure on health as a percentage of total expenditure on health is 39.3%. This
low rate means that total expenditure on health is largely based on private source
(60.7%). (Source: a/attracting-investment-in-the-healthcare-sector/)
Vietnam has received a large amount of international aid in the form of loans and
donated medical equipment. A number of small projects are currently taking place
in Vietnam, including those funded by the World Bank and the EU.
The government has pledged 45.2 trillion (US$2.5 billion) to build or upgrade
specialty hospitals and some provincial-level general hospitals in mountainous and
other disadvantaged areas in the 2009-2013 period.
The private healthcare sector in Vietnam has expanded since the lifting of the ban
on private practice in 1989. People often choose to use private facilities, if they can
afford to do so, as the quality of state healthcare provision is very poor. According
to latest data, an estimated 67.6% of healthcare expenditure is private.
Therefore, they said Vietnam’s healthcare sector has great potential to develop.
(Source: Espicom Business Intelligence (www.espicom.com) - The Medical Device Market: Vietnam

- July 30th 2010)

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Figure 3.4: National Medical budget in 2000-2008

Figure 3.5: International aid in 2000-2008

(Source: The Department of Health of HCM city www.medinet.hochiminhcity.gov.vn)

Political environment
The one-party system is generally conducive to short-term political stability (BMI
rating of 78.1 reflects), kept in place largely by the ruling Communist Party of
Vietnam’s monopoly on power.

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Figure 3.5: BMI short-term political stability rating – Asia Pacific 2010

(Source: Business Monitor International Ltd (www.businessmonitor.com) – Vietnam Vietnam
Business Forecast Report Q3-2010 - Chapter 1: Political Outlook)

Corruption among government officials poses a major threat to the legitimacy of
the ruling Communist Party. There is increasing (albeit still limited) public
dissatisfaction with the leadership’s tight control over political dissent.
Vietnam has allowed legislators to become more vocal in criticizing government
policies.
The ministry of Health of Vietnam issued the Directive No. 06/2007/CT-BYT on
7th December 2007 about “Improve the quality of diagnosis and treatment for
Vietnamese people”. The content of this Directive includes “Reduce the overload
of hospitals; Improve competence for local medical system; Force socialization of
the diagnosis and treatment; Strengthen medical ethics at medical facilities; Change
and modify some legal documents related to diagnosis and treatment activities”.
Recently, the ministry of Health of Vietnam issued the Decision No. 3701/QDBYT on 5th October 2010 about “Approval of National Action Plan to improve
managerial competence for medical testing laboratories from now until 2020”.
It shows that the improvement of medical systems is the government focus in the
coming time and the managerial competence for medical testing laboratories is also
an important part of this plan.

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Technical environment
Current status of medical testing laboratories in Vietnam
In Vietnam, medical testing laboratories at district level often meet the demand on
routine diagnostic assays; medical testing laboratories at province level can carry
out most of specific diagnostic assays; medical testing laboratories at national level
can carry out all routine & specific diagnostic assays but overloaded.
Almost medical testing laboratories are poor quality of management of testing
quality and lack of resources to meet the demands on the required quality of a
diagnostic testing laboratory.
Currently, the issues on management of laboratories operation and testing quality
are the Ministry of Health’s concern and it is put on the first priority to improve.
The Ministry of Health has been building the National Action Plan to improve
managerial competence for medical testing laboratories by Establishing
governmental management units of management of laboratories operation, quality
control center, reference laboratories, legal system and documents, technical
specifications and national standards, standardized testing procedures.
(Source: National Action Plan to improve managerial competence for medical testing laboratories
from now until 2020 – Chapter 3)

As a result of this National program, the equipment status at medical testing
laboratories in medium and big hospitals has been being improved, especially with
the increased installation of automatic testing systems and the high installation rate

of Abbott automatic in vitro immunochemistry systems which are considered as the
top quality brandname in the market.
At the same time, with the global non-stop scientific development in in vitro
diagnostics, the assay menu range has been broadened with new and unique
markers to support new diagnosis & clinical treatment algorithm.
More and more international in vitro diagnostic companies entering the market like
Abbott has provided the professional training and services along with their modern
instruments to laboratory technicians that can meet the requirements on quality
testing of the National program.

Tran Khanh Phuong

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