A health-department inspection team arrives — every facility worries. But health inspections follow strict legal procedure: proper preparation removes fear, and wrong conclusions can be appealed.
Preparing for a health inspection
Specialized health inspections follow the Inspection Law 2022 (11/2022/QH15): the team must announce the inspection decision stating scope, timeline and contents. Facilities should prepare: operation licences, staff practice licences; medical records and logs; medical-waste disposal contracts, fire-safety files; relevant invoices and documents. The golden rule: provide only within the stated scope — inspectors may not freelance beyond the decision.
Penalties for health administrative violations
Decree 117/2020/ND-CP penalizes administrative violations in healthcare, scaled by act: unlicensed practice, false medical advertising, service-price violations, patient-safety breaches. Beyond fines come supplementary sanctions: time-limited licence revocation, partial suspension — the real pain for medical facilities.
Appealing inspection conclusions
Under the Complaint Law 2011 (02/2011/QH13), facilities may file a first complaint with the decision-maker within 90 days; if unsatisfied, a second complaint or an administrative lawsuit. Effective appeals pinpoint each wrong conclusion (citing legal articles, attaching evidence) — not blanket disagreement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can inspectors arrive unannounced?
Surprise inspections require signs of violation or directives; planned inspections must announce the decision. Facilities may demand to see the inspection decision and inspectors' cards.
What if I disagree with the violation minutes?
Record your disagreement in the minutes and sign to acknowledge their making (not to admit the violation). Then exercise your rights to explain and complain per legal procedure.
What is the complaint deadline for inspection conclusions?
First complaints must be filed within 90 days of receiving or learning of the administrative decision, per the 2011 Complaint Law.
This article has been quality-reviewed by the FLAW AI Legal Council