Newly arrived in Vietnam — amid housing, visas and schools, healthcare sits last on the list until someone falls ill. This 10-item checklist gets an expat family’s “medical infrastructure” done in the first 30 days, ready when needed.
First-30-days medical checklist: 10 items
- 1. Register HI: foreign employees on 12+ month contracts join compulsory HI via the company (since 1/7/2025); relatives buy household HI; under-6s file for free cover.
- 2. Pick “your” hospitals: one international hospital (English, near home) for routine care + the nearest top-tier public hospital for serious emergencies.
- 3. Save 115: the whole family saves national emergency 115 + the home address in Vietnamese to read to dispatchers.
- 4. Medical records: translate the summary into English, keep digital + paper; declare drug allergies and conditions to the new hospital.
- 5. Current medications: bring 3 months + prescriptions; source equivalents at hospital pharmacies in week one.
- 6. Vaccination: check schedules (seasonal flu, hepatitis B…), book at VNVC/vaccination centres.
- 7. International insurance: review the policy — Vietnam scope, limits, evacuation clause, 24/7 hotline.
- 8. Arrival check-up: one general examination at the chosen hospital — establish a Vietnam health baseline.
- 9. Dental & vision: line up a dental clinic and optician in advance — don’t wait for pain.
- 10. Family emergency plan: who calls 115, who watches the kids, where insurance papers live — agree while calm.
For families with children & elderly
- Children: pick a paediatrician, vaccination schedules, the hospital’s paediatric emergency line; does the school have a nurse?
- Elderly companions: a hospital with geriatrics near home; 3 months of chronic medication; household HI (no age limit).
FAQs
Doable in 30 days?
Yes, in priority order: HI + 115 + hospitals (week 1); records, meds, vaccines (weeks 2–3); check-up, dental (week 4). Don’t wait for “someday”.
Does this replace medical advice?
No — this is an administrative checklist. All treatment decisions follow doctors’ orders.
Long-timer — still useful?
Yes — use as an annual review: HI still valid? international policy in force? does everyone still remember 115?
Contact us
FLAT Law Firm advises foreign nationals and their families on inheritance, wills, driving licences, health insurance and money transfers in Vietnam. Contact us for advice on your specific case.