THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO HEALTHCARE IN DA NANG FOR EXPATS AND TRAVELERS
MEDICAL OVERVIEW OF DA NANG
THIS POST WILL COVER THE FOLLOWING HEALTHCARE SERVICES:
ROUTINE MEDICAL
EMERGENCY MEDICAL
DENTAL
OPTOMETRY
This article is based on my personal experiences with medical care here in Da Nang and feedback from a random sample of 50 people I approached on the streets.
I hope you find it useful because it took me two weeks to find 50 randos who have seen a doctor in Da Nang, didn’t think I was a weirdo, and would speak to me.
I STAYED IN A HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS ONCE
I’m not claiming to be a healthcare expert, but I do live here in Da Nang, and I am not the worst writer or researcher, so I figured that qualifies me to write a blog post about it. Feel free to take this article with a grain of salt or as helpful advice.
Note: All prices are in USD.
EMERGENCY NUMBERS IN VIETNAM:
LIFESAVING SERVICES: 112
FIRST AID: 115
CHILD PROTECTION: 111
FIRE: 114
POLICE: 113
HOW IS THE QUALITY OF HEALTHCARE IN DA NANG?
One of the biggest concerns for people considering a move to Da Nang is the quality of medical care, especially if they are retiring and up there in age. Many people who have not spent time in the developing world imagine walking into a clinic and being greeted by a doctor with a cigarette hanging out of their mouth, who then wipes their hands off on a filthy lab coat.
AS GOOD AS ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WEST
Da Nang has great private hospitals and clinics that equal or exceed the standards of care you would receive back in the West, especially if you normally go to a doc-in-a-box back home. In addition to the great hospitals here, you can find pharmacies on every block that don’t require prescriptions for non-narcotic medications.
Getting a pair of prescription glasses made is easy—you can just walk in off the street and get an eye exam in most cases. In my opinion, dental care is better in Da Nang than in the U.S. by a mile and shockingly inexpensive.
PUBLIC OR PRIVATE?
Vietnam has a public healthcare system that ranges from acceptable to subpar. For Westerners living in Da Nang, private medical facilities are what I and almost everyone I interviewed recommend over public ones. Generally, private healthcare providers in Vietnam offer a higher standard of care compared to public ones. They have English-speaking staff, direct access to specialists, Western-style patient privacy and comfort, faster admittance and treatment, and advanced technology and diagnostic tools not as commonly available in public hospitals. The financial difference is usually minimal, often amounting to paying $60 instead of $40.
RECOMMENDED INTERNATIONAL HOSPITALS IN DA NANG:
Hoan My Da Nang Hospital
(In Vietamese): Bệnh viện Hoàn Mỹ Đà Nẵng
291 Đ. Nguyễn Văn Linh, Thạc Gián, Thanh Khê, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam
Phone#: 0236 3650 676
Family Medical Practice Danang
96-98 Đ. Nguyễn Văn Linh, Street, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam
Emergency Phone#: *9999
Make sure to have the address of whatever private hospital you choose for emergencies saved in your phone in both English and Vietnamese.
PRIMARY CARE OPTIONS
The most recommended private hospitals in Da Nang were Hoan My Da Nang Hospital and Family Medical Practice Danang. The hospital I use is Hoan My Da Nang Hospital; they have everything from an ER to all the equipment and staff you’d expect in a U.S. hospital. The experience is the same as going to a doctor in the U.S., minus the huge bill.
EMERGENCY ROOMS
For a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment, go to a private hospital—even if a public hospital is closer. The time to rely on Google Translate is not when you’re stroking out; private ERs will have English-speaking staff.
MY DA NANG ER EXPERANCE:
MIDNIGHT CALLER
About four months after I moved here, I was awakened at 2:40 in the morning by someone banging on my door. I looked through the peephole and saw it was the guy who lived across the hall, pleading for help. He was saying he was having a heart attack.
STROKING OUT ON A MOTORCYCLE
After getting his motorbike keys, I drove him to a private hospital I’d been to before for a routine exam. Normally, I would not suggest driving someone who is having a heart attack to the hospital on the back of a motorbike, but he didn’t want to wait for an ambulance. I figured if I felt his grip loosen, I’d pull over and bring him their saddlebag style.
IMMEDIATE HELP
After driving in circles for a minute due to the confusing signage, I got him into the ER and told the staff he thought he was having a heart attack. The doctor and nurses sprang into action, immediately hooked him up to an EKG, and…not a heart attack. Turns out it was some sort of panic attack. Just to be on the safe side, they did some bloodwork and other tests, which came back clear. I checked him out a couple of hours later.
HOW MUCH DID THAT SET HIM BACK?
The total cost at this private hospital for him was $60.48.
If anyone is wondering, the private hospital we went to was Hoan My Hospital. They also have general practitioners and internists for non-emergency visits. I highly recommend them for all your primary care needs.
PRESCRIPTIONS
Da Nang is a city of restaurants, bars, hotels, convenience stores, massage and nail salons, and pharmacies. I swear I have never been to a city with more pharmacies in my life. For the local Vietnamese folks, going to the public hospital if they don’t feel well may only cost them $15, but for many locals, that is two days' wages.
NO PRESCRIPTION NECESSARY
Because of that, pharmacists have become unofficial neighborhood clinics, with prescriptions only necessary for medications that would fall into the U.S. classifications for Schedule 1, 2, and 3. For those, you will have to get a prescription from a doctor; from what I have heard, that won't happen.
CHOOSE YOUR PHARMACY WISELY
Be advised not all pharmacies are created equal in Da Nang; some will have limited selections and will be unable or unwilling to order anything they don’t carry in stock. And some commonly prescribed Western medications are not as commonly available at all pharmacies.
CHECK TO SEE HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE TO GET WESTERN MEDICATIONS BEFORE YOU RUN OUT
Certain blood pressure, antidepressants, and anti-anxiety medications will have to be specially ordered; for whatever reason, the physicians here seem to only prescribe beta-blocker heart meds, skipping past other options right off the bat. Several people I interviewed said the same is true for anti-depression meds.
HOW TO ORDER SPECIALITY MEDS
All this means for you is it will take a few days to a week longer to get your prescriptions because they will have to order them. Not all pharmacies cater to people who need medications specially ordered, and you have to specifically say, “Can you order for me?” If they can, they will ask for your WhatsApp so they can keep you updated on your order status, and you will have to pay a deposit of about 1/4th.
CONTROLLED MEDICATIONS
If you are prescribed anything that would be considered controlled stateside you will have to get a Vietnamese physician to write you a prescription. The doctors are quite warry of foreigners who are asking for stuff like this. Bring a letter from your doctor back home explaining the medical reason why they prescribed it to you, and have the letter translated before you go to Vietnam.
RECOMMENDED PHARMASY IN DA NANG
I recommend ABC Pharmacy at the location below; they will work with you to order your prescriptions and give you the real price with no foreigner markup. Not all of the staff there can speak English, but they do great figuring out what you need using Google Translate.
TOP NOTCH CUSTOMER SERVICE
This is the only pharmacy in Da Nang that combines having a knowledgeable and helpful staff, honest pricing, and is willing to work for days if necessary to find a supplier that has your prescriptions. ABC is a chain, so there are a ton of them here in Da Nang, so I can't speak about how good the other locations are—just go to this one.
Don't bother calling; you will have to go there in person the first time; after that, you can send all requests through WhatsApp in English.
Nhà Thuốc ABC-Pharmacy
Address: 267 Hồ Nghinh, Phước Mỹ, Sơn Trà, Đà Nẵng 550000
DENTAL
Da Nang has a bunch of reputable dental clinics; most of the private clinics cater specifically to international patients. So they will have English-speaking staff, modern equipment, and services that more than meet Western standards. Private dental clinics in Da Nang provide a range of treatments, from routine cleanings to dental implants, at a fraction of the cost compared to the States.
DENTAL TOURISM
Many people come here specifically to get dental procedures done that back home are not covered by insurance. Normally expensive procedures like tooth implants can cost as little as 800 bucks a pop and around a grand for braces.
EMERGENCY DENTAL CARE
If you need a dentist at 3 AM, then just go to one of the private hospital ERs we recommended above.
I don’t have any recommended dentists, so you will have to check out the reviews on Google and find one that fits you. If anyone here reading this has a recommendation, please post it in the comments along with what procedure you had done.
VISION
Da Nang has a ton of optometrist clinics that cater well to foreigners and are very affordable. Most of the optometrist clinics in areas with a bunch of foreigners will have English-speaking staff and are equipped with modern diagnostic tools for glasses or contact lenses. The cost of contacts or getting a pair of prescription glasses shocked me here, with 8 months of 30-day contacts costing me only $35, and a pair of custom reading glasses with an exam was $40.
I RECOMMEND THIS OPTOMETRIST CLINIC:
Khánh Hưng Optical
70 Nguyễn Thái Học, Hải Châu 1, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 50000, Vietnam
PAYING FOR MEDICAL CARE IN DA NANG
DO KNOW HARM
Be advised you will have to pay on the spot or agree to pay before you get discharged to get treatment, even at the emergency room. So always keep a credit card that works in Vietnam on you at all times. Most of the time, they will show you how much your treatment will cost, and all you have to say is “OK” with a thumbs up.
ALWAYS CARRY TWO CREDIT CARDS
If something serious happens like a heart attack and you have to go to an ER, get treated and stabilized, receive specialist care (cardiologist), and stay for a week, it will cost you $2,000 to $4,400 at a private hospital. The same thing will be a minimum of $50,000 back stateside—it's a steal, especially considering that is pretty much the most expensive emergency you can have here.
LONG TERM CARE
Other potentially expensive procedures will give you forewarning far enough in advance for you to return home and use your home country's health insurance or Medicaid/Medicare.
EXPAT HEALTH INSURANCE
FOR THE OLDS:
International expat health insurance plans for 55+ are pretty pricey; you are looking at somewhere in the ballpark of 160 USD per month.
FOR THE WHIPPERSNAPPERS:
If you are in your 20s, it is less than 50 bucks; 30s, it will be in the 100 range, and so on (monthly cost).
HOW TO FIND AN INTERNATIONAL HEALTHCARE POLICY
For anyone under 50, you can go online and get quotes pretty easily, and they should be reasonable. In the end, it's up to you if you want to get expat health insurance or just pay cash for minor medical needs and emergencies and fly back home for any big operations.
EXAMPLES OF PRICES FOR MEDICAL CARE IN DA NANG, VIETNAM
*All Prices are for Private Clinics.
PRIMARY CARE:
GENERAL PRACTITIONER CONSULTATION: 900,000 to 1.6 million VND (approximately $33 to $59).
SPECIALIST CONSULTATION: 1 to 1.7 million VND (about $37 to $63); in international clinics, up to 2.9 million VND (around $108).
24-HOUR HOSPITAL STAY: Approximately 20 to 24 million VND (around 800 euros).
HEALTH SCREENING PACKAGES: Prices vary; some clinics offer packages starting from $13.
VACCINATIONS: Starting from $8.
MEDICAL EXAMINATION: Prices vary; some clinics offer services starting from $17.
DOCTOR CONSULTATION: Starting from $6.
FEMALE HEALTH CHECKUP: Starting from $4.
MALE HEALTH CHECKUP: Starting from $6.
HEALTH SCREENING: Starting from $13.
HOSPITAL ER EMERGENCY VISIT:
GENERAL ER VISIT (INITIAL CONSULTATION): 500,000 to 1,500,000 VND ($20 to $60)
WOUND CLEANING AND MINOR STITCHES: 1,000,000 to 2,500,000 VND ($40 to $100)
X-RAYS FOR FRACTURES OR INJURIES: 300,000 to 800,000 VND ($12 to $32)
ULTRASOUND FOR ABDOMINAL PAIN: 500,000 to 1,000,000 VND ($20 to $40)
IV FLUIDS FOR DEHYDRATION OR MINOR ILLNESSES: 300,000 to 800,000 VND ($12 to $32)
TREATMENT FOR FOOD POISONING (IV FLUIDS AND MEDICATIONS): 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 VND ($40 to $80)
TREATMENT FOR HIGH FEVER OR INFECTION: 700,000 to 1,500,000 VND ($28 to $60)
BASIC LABORATORY TESTS (E.G., BLOOD WORK, URINE ANALYSIS): 500,000 to 1,000,000 VND ($20 to $40)
EMERGENCY ASTHMA OR BREATHING TREATMENT (E.G., NEBULIZER, OXYGEN): 800,000 to 1,500,000 VND ($32 to $60)
INITIAL CARDIAC EVALUATION (ECG AND BASIC CARE): 1,000,000 to 2,500,000 VND ($40 to $100)
DENTAL:
DENTAL CHECKUP AND CLEANING: 300,000 to 800,000 VND ($12 to $32)
TOOTH FILLING (COMPOSITE): 500,000 to 1,500,000 VND ($20 to $60)
TOOTH EXTRACTION (SIMPLE): 300,000 to 1,000,000 VND ($12 to $40)
TOOTH EXTRACTION (SURGICAL OR WISDOM TOOTH): 1,000,000 to 3,000,000 VND ($40 to $120)
TEETH WHITENING: 1,500,000 to 5,000,000 VND ($60 to $200)
DENTAL CROWN (PORCELAIN OR CERAMIC): 2,000,000 to 7,000,000 VND ($80 to $280)
ROOT CANAL TREATMENT: 1,500,000 to 4,000,000 VND ($60 to $160)
DENTAL IMPLANT (INCLUDING CROWN): 20,000,000 to 35,000,000 VND ($800 to $1,400)
ORTHODONTIC CONSULTATION (BRACES): 500,000 to 1,000,000 VND ($20 to $40)
FULL SET OF BRACES (METAL): 25,000,000 to 45,000,000 VND ($1,000 to $1,800)
OPTICIAN:
EYE EXAMINATION (BASIC VISION TEST): 200,000 to 500,000 VND ($8 to $20)
COMPREHENSIVE EYE EXAMINATION (INCLUDING RETINA SCAN): 500,000 to 1,000,000 VND ($20 to $40)
PRESCRIPTION GLASSES (STANDARD LENSES WITH FRAMES): 500,000 to 2,500,000 VND ($20 to $100)
PRESCRIPTION GLASSES (HIGH-QUALITY OR BRANDED FRAMES): 3,000,000 to 10,000,000 VND ($120 to $400)
CONTACT LENS FITTING AND CONSULTATION: 500,000 to 1,500,000 VND ($20 to $60)
SOFT CONTACT LENSES (MONTHLY OR DAILY LENSES): 300,000 to 1,000,000 VND ($12 to $40)
HARD CONTACT LENSES OR SPECIALIZED LENSES (E.G., ASTIGMATISM): 1,500,000 to 4,000,000 VND ($60 to $160)
LASER EYE SURGERY CONSULTATION: 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 VND ($40 to $80)
LASIK OR PRK LASER EYE SURGERY (PER EYE): 15,000,000 to 25,000,000 VND ($600 to $1,000)
EYE DROPS FOR DRY EYE OR ALLERGIES (PRESCRIPTION): 100,000 to 300,000 VND ($4 to $12)
