In a city as crowded as Ho Chi Minh City, taking an elderly or unwell relative to hospital can take half a day: the traffic, the queue, the wait for results, then the journey home again. For many situations a home visit solves the problem with far less strain. But a home visit does not replace everything — this article helps you tell clearly when to call and when you have to go in.
First: when NOT to wait for a home visit
Call 115 (the emergency number in Vietnam) or take the person to the nearest hospital NOW if there is: severe chest pain, serious difficulty breathing, a drooping mouth, weakness on one side of the body, difficulty speaking (the signs of a stroke); drowsiness or not rousing when called, a seizure, bleeding that will not stop, vomiting blood or passing black stools, a high fever with a stiff neck. A home doctor visit does NOT replace emergency care.
Where a home visit works best
- Older people who find travelling hard and need regular review and adjustment of their medicines
- Stable chronic conditions that need monitoring: high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic lung disease, heart failure
- The period after discharge: checking a surgical wound, changing dressings, recovery
- A spell of acute but not critical illness: fever, flu, an upset stomach, dehydration needing fluids
- Patients who have been in bed a long time and need assessment of nutrition, pressure sores or tubes
- A family that wants a professional opinion before deciding whether to go into hospital
What happens during a home visit
- The call: you describe the symptoms, the history and the current medicines. This is the screening step — if there is a danger sign, you will be directed to hospital straight away rather than given an appointment.
- The time slot and the address are confirmed, and the cost is quoted before the doctor sets out.
- The visit itself: history, physical examination, vital signs (pulse, blood pressure, temperature, SpO₂, and blood glucose if needed).
- The conclusion and the plan: a prescription, any procedure that is needed, or advice to transfer to hospital if the case is beyond what can be done at home.
- The handover: the prescription, notes on what to watch, the signs that mean calling back immediately, and a follow-up appointment if there is to be one.
Home visit or hospital — how to choose
| Criterion | Home visit | Hospital visit |
|---|---|---|
| Best suited to | Monitoring a chronic condition, after discharge, mild to moderate illness | Emergencies, cases needing imaging or specialised tests |
| Travelling | None needed | The patient has to get there |
| Time with the doctor | The whole of the visit at home | Depends on how many patients there are |
| Investigations | Basic tests, samples taken at home | The full range (CT, MRI, endoscopy…) |
| Cost | Quoted beforehand | According to each hospital's own fee schedule |
What the cost of a home visit covers
The cost has two separate parts: the doctor's fee for the visit, and any procedures that arise. Y Te Xanh (GreenCare) quotes the full amount before anything is done, and any change is agreed with the family before we go further.
A note on prescriptions: a doctor only prescribes after examining the patient in person. Be wary of anywhere that offers to prescribe antibiotics or prescription-only medicines over the phone without an examination.
How to prepare so the visit is worth it
- Gather every medicine currently being taken, supplements included, so the doctor can check for interactions
- The discharge letter, old prescriptions, and the most recent test results
- Write the symptoms down: when they started, when they got worse, what has already been taken
- Any readings measured at home: blood pressure, blood glucose, weight
- Set aside somewhere well lit and quiet for the examination
How Y Te Xanh serves Ho Chi Minh City
Y Te Xanh (GreenCare) has a clinic in Ho Chi Minh City together with an in-house team of doctors and nurses working in the city itself, serving District 1, District 3, District 7, Binh Thanh, Phu Nhuan and Thu Duc City. You choose whichever suits you: we come to where you are, or you come to the clinic. The city is large and the rush hour often gridlocked, so it is still worth calling ahead so we can confirm a time slot.
In Ho Chi Minh City and need a doctor or nurse at your address? Call 094 368 81 15 — calling to ask a question or to book costs nothing. GreenCare has doctors who come to examine, nurses who carry out doctor's orders (injections, infusions, dressing changes), remote consultation by video call, and a review of the medicines you are taking; an in-depth remote consultation, or any one after the first, is a paid service. For children we take examination and acute care only — not long-term care at home, and not newborns or expectant mothers. GreenCare will confirm a time slot with staff available in your district and quote the price clearly before we begin.
Book services in Ho Chi Minh City
Y Tế Xanh has its own in-house team working in Ho Chi Minh City. See the services available there and book: Y Tế Xanh in Ho Chi Minh City.
