Opening a traditional medicine clinic: Conditions and procedures

Opening a traditional medicine clinic is a potential business field, meeting people’s increasing health care needs. However, for the clinic to operate legally and effectively, compliance with conditions and procedures is necessary. This article will provide detailed information about the above issues, helping customers have an overview and best prepare for the process of opening a traditional medicine clinic.

Conditions for granting operating licenses to traditional medicine clinics

To be granted a license to operate a traditional medicine clinic, in addition to meeting the general conditions in Article 40 of Decree 96/2023/ND-CP, it must also meet the specific conditions in Article 46 of Decree 96/2023/ND-CP. Specifically as follows:

Facilities

1. The clinic must have a place to welcome patients, and the examination room must have a minimum area of ​​10 m2.
2. Depending on the scope of registered professional activities, traditional medicine clinics must meet the following additional conditions:

• In case techniques and procedures are performed, in addition to the medical examination room, there must be an additional room to perform techniques and procedures with a minimum area of ​​10 m2; If occupational therapy techniques are performed, the room to perform the techniques and procedures must have a minimum area of ​​20 m2;
• In case of medicinal sauna, there must be a sauna room with a minimum area of ​​02 m2 and must be closed but well lit;
• In the case of processing and preparing traditional medicine, it must meet the processing and preparation standards as prescribed by the Minister of Health.

Equipment for medical examination and treatment

1. If performing medical examination, prescribing, dispensing medicine:

• There is a medicine cabinet, the medicines are stored in drawers or in glass or white plastic bottles with lids and the name of the medicine clearly written on the outside;
• There is a medicine scale and division of medicines according to scales and medicine wrappers.

2. In case of performing acupuncture, massage, or acupressure, you must have at least the following equipment:

• There are beds for acupuncture, massage, and acupressure;
• There are enough tools for acupuncture, massage, and acupressure;
• There are enough tools and instructions for handling needles.

3. In case of medicinal steam bath: there must be a medicinal steam generating system, a control valve, a steam bath instruction board and an alarm system in case of emergency.
4. There is an anaphylactic emergency box and enough specialized emergency drugs suitable for specialties within the clinic’s scope of professional activities.

Human resources

The person responsible for technical expertise of a traditional medicine clinic must be a practitioner with one of the following professional titles:

• Doctors with the scope of practicing traditional medicine;
• Doctor with a scope of practice specializing in traditional medicine.

Application for opening a traditional medicine clinic

Dossier to request a license to operate a traditional medicine clinic is specified in Clause 1, Article 60 of Decree 96/2023/ND-CP including:

• Application according to Form 02, Appendix II issued with this Decree;
• Valid copy of establishment decision or business registration certificate or investment certificate for foreign-invested clinics;
• A valid copy of the practice license and confirmation of practice history of the person responsible for the clinic’s technical expertise;
• A valid copy of the practice license and confirmation of practice history of the person in charge of the clinic’s specialized department;
• A declaration of facilities, list of medical equipment, list of personnel meeting the conditions for granting an operating license and documents proving and confirming those declarations;
• A list clearly stating the full name and practice license number of each practitioner registered to practice at that facility;
• The list of technical expertise of the clinic is proposed on the basis of the list of technical expertise issued by the Minister of Health;

Procedures for opening a traditional medicine clinic

Procedures for applying for an operating license for a traditional medicine clinic are carried out according to the steps specified in Article 61 of Decree 96/2023/ND-CP as follows:

Step 1: Submit application and fees

Traditional medicine clinics send 01 set of documents and fees to apply for an operating license to the Ministry of Health or Department of Health. According to Circular 59/2023/TT-BTC, the appraisal fee for granting an operating license for traditional medicine clinics is 3,100,000 VND.

The Ministry of Health or Department of Health receives and sends the application receipt form to the applicant.

Step 2: Review and appraise documents and issue licenses

1. In case there is no request to amend or supplement the application:

• The operating licensing agency shall organize the appraisal of operating conditions and the technical list implemented at the requesting facility and prepare an appraisal record within 60 days from the date recorded on the application receipt note;
• In case there is no request for amendment or supplementation, a new operating license must be issued and a decision to approve the technical list implemented at the facility must be issued within 10 working days from the date of issuance of the appraisal record;
• In case there is a request for amendment or supplementation, it must be clearly stated in the content of the appraisal record.

2. In case of request to amend or supplement documents:

• The licensing authority must send a written request to the requesting facility, specifying the documents and contents that need to be revised or supplemented within 10 days from the date recorded on the application receipt.
• After amending and supplementing the dossier, the facility requests to send a written notice and documents proving that the amendment and supplement has been completed.
• After receiving the amended and supplemented dossier, the operating licensing agency is responsible for carrying out the activities in section 1.

Step 3: Publish clinic information

Within 05 working days from the date of issuance of the operating license, the operating licensing agency shall publish it on its electronic portal and on the Information System on management of medical examination and treatment activities.

Consulting services and professional support for opening a traditional medicine clinic with reputation and expertise in Long Phan

Long Phan provides comprehensive consulting and support services for customers during the process of opening a traditional medicine clinic, including:

• Consulting on conditions for opening a traditional medicine clinic;
• Consulting and supporting the preparation of the application documents for opening a traditional medicine clinic;
• Consulting with competent authorities to grant operating licenses to open clinics;
• Guiding the procedures and steps to apply for opening a traditional medicine clinic;
• Representing a customer to open a fast and reputable traditional medicine clinic;
• Consulting, explanation guidance or additional documents (if any);
• Offering consultation and answering other related questions for opening a traditional medicine clinic.

Opening a traditional medicine clinic is a process that requires careful preparation and full compliance with legal regulations. Hopefully this article has provided customers with useful information about the conditions and procedures for opening a traditional medicine clinic. If you have any questions, please contact the hotline: 0906735386 for the best advice and support.