TTLV: Building a competency framework for administrative and management staff, Transport Hospital

MASTER'S THESIS INFORMATION

1. Student's full name: BUI THANH TAM 2. Gender: Female

3. Date of birth: January 27, 1983

4. Place of birth: Hanoi

5. Student recognition decision No. 5626/QD-XHNV dated December 29, 2023 of the President of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi

6. Changes in training process: No

7. Thesis topic: "Building a competency framework for administrative and management staff, Transport Hospital"

8. Major: Office Administration Topic code: 8340406

9. Instructor: Dr. Tran Thanh Tung - University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

10. Summary of thesis results:

Chapter 1. Theoretical and legal basis for building a capacity framework

In Chapter 1, the author systematically presented the theoretical and legal basis for building a competency framework, focusing on the concept of a competency framework as a system of behavioral standards, knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSA) to measure and develop individual-team performance.

The author emphasizes the importance of a competency framework in public administration office management, helping to reduce subjectivity in performance assessment by up to 35% and supporting administrative reform according to Resolution 18-NQ/TW (2017). The principles of development include scientificity, fairness, suitability to Vietnamese collective culture and flexibility according to job title level. The development process is described in 5 steps: identifying needs, collecting data, analyzing factors, designing the framework and implementing testing.

Regarding the legal basis, the author analyzes state regulations (Law on Civil Servants 58/2010/QH12; Decree 170/2025/ND-CP) and the health sector (Circular 19/2018/TT-BYT amended 2025; Decision 2755/QD-BYT 2025), affirming that the competency framework is a mandatory tool to standardize job positions, meeting the autonomy requirements of public service units according to Decree 60/2021/ND-CP.

Chapter 2. Current status of office staff capacity at Traffic Hospital

In Chapter 2, the author presented an overview of the GTVT Hospital - a grade I general hospital with 500 beds, 34 departments/rooms and 362 employees, operating under the equitization model (state capital accounts for the majority) since 2006, achieving many achievements such as the First Class Labor Medal but facing challenges in digital transformation in the 2019-2023 period (22% reduction in administrative efficiency due to the pandemic).

Quantitative survey results (n=70, 5-level Likert scale, Cronbach's α reliability >0.85) showed that overall competence was at an average level (mean=3.8/5), with strengths in public ethics (mean=4.2) and weaknesses in IT/digital transformation (mean=3.2). EFA analysis identified 3 main factors (explaining 72% of the variance: Factor1 - organization/management eigenvalue=28.48; Factor2 - coordination/team; Factor3 - self-learning/adaptation). OLS regression showed that competence influenced 60.9% of effectiveness (R²=0.609, p<0.001), with the implementation factor (human resource policy β=0.323, p=0.003) having the strongest impact.

Additional in-depth interviews confirmed limitations: lack of assessment criteria leading to inconsistent performance (70% of leaders agreed), and suggested prioritizing digital training to overcome cultural barriers (SD=0.75 in diverse demographics: 55% female, 45% under 35).

Chapter 3. Building a capacity framework and implementation measures at the Traffic Hospital

In Chapter 3, the author has built a competency framework consisting of 11 components classified by job position (basic/advanced/leadership), integrating 4 groups: core (ethics, communication mean>4.0), management (organization, coordination), expertise (IT, service) and supplementary (self-study, adaptation), based on a 5-step process from practical data (EFA and interview). The framework is designed flexibly, suitable for job titles according to Circular 02/2025/TT-BYT, with a 360° assessment scale and KPI (e.g., behavior completion rate ≥80%).

Implementation measures include: (1) Developing a plan (budget of 150 million VND, 12-month roadmap); (2) Organizing implementation through 3 phases (implementation in January-March: training 75% of staff; supervision in September-December: quarterly assessment R²>0.70); (3) Periodic assessment according to Article 19 of the Law on Civil Servants, forecasting a 25% increase in performance after the first year (pre-post test mean from 3.8 to 4.2). The author emphasizes integrating DigComp 2.0 to support digital transformation, ensuring sustainability.

11. Practical application:

The thesis has high applicability in the practice of health administration in Vietnam, especially in autonomous hospitals such as GTVT, where the competency framework can be directly integrated into the civil servant evaluation system (reducing document processing time by 22%, according to survey data). The results can be replicated for public service units (according to Decree 60/2021/ND-CP), supporting recruitment/adjustment of assignments (increasing coordination efficiency by 25%), and digital training (DigLit 1.0 module).

Hospital leaders can use Excel KPI dashboard to monitor, contribute to improving the organization's image and implementing Resolution 76/2021/QH14 on administrative reform. It is recommended that hospitals deploy a pilot in 2-3 departments for verification, with internal reports as a basis for expansion.

12. Further research directions:

Further research directions that can be expanded: (1) Assessing the long-term impact of the competency framework after 2-3 years of implementation at the Traffic Hospital, using a multivariate regression model (SEM) to measure sustainability; (2) Comparing the healthcare administrative competency framework between public and private hospitals, focusing on organizational culture factors (according to Schein, 2010); (3) Integrating AI/blockchain into digital competencies, empirical research at central hospitals (n>200); (4) International survey comparing with the European EQF framework, to propose national policies on healthcare administrative competencies according to the Draft Law on Civil Servants amended in 2025. These directions will contribute to enriching the theory of public personnel management in general and healthcare personnel in particular.

13. Published works related to the thesis: None

MASTER THESIS DETAIL

1. Student's full name:Bui Thanh Tam

2. Gender: female

3. Date of birth: January 27, 1983

4. Birthplace: Hanoi, Vietnam

5. Student recognition decision number: 5626/QD-XHNV dated December 29, 2023 by the Rector of University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi

6. Changes in the training process:

7. Thesis title:“Building a competency framework for staff in the Administrative management Department, Transport Hospital”

8. Major: Office Administration Subject code: 8340406

9. Instructor: Dr. Tran Thanh Tung - University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi

10. Summary of the results of the thesis

Chapter 1. Theoretical and Legal Basis for Building the Competency Framework

In Chapter 1, the author presents the theoretical and legal foundations for building the competency framework, with a focus on the concept of competency framework as a system of behavioral standards, knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSA) to measure and develop individual-organizational performance. The author emphasizes the importance of the competency framework in public office administration, helping to reduce subjectivity in performance evaluation by up to 35% and supporting administrative reform under Resolution 18-NQ/TW (2017). The principles of construction include scientific rigor, fairness, alignment with Vietnam's collective cultural context, and flexibility according to job levels. The construction process is described through 5 steps: identifying needs, collecting data, factor analysis, framework design, and pilot implementation. Regarding the legal basis, the author analyzed state regulations (Law on Public Employees No. 58/2010/QH12; Decree 170/2025/ND-CP) and healthcare sector regulations (Circular 19/2018/TT-BYT amended 2025; Decision 2755/QD-BYT 2025), affirming that the competency framework is a mandatory tool for standardizing job positions, meeting the requirements of autonomy in public service units under Decree 60/2021/ND-CP.

Chapter 2. Current Status of Office Staff Competencies at Transport Hospital (GTVT)

In Chapter 2, the author provided an overview of Transport Hospital (GTVT) – a Grade I general hospital with 500 beds, 34 departments/rooms, and 362 staff members, operating under a joint-stock model (with state capital holding the majority) since 2006, achieving numerous achievements such as the First-Class Labor Medal but facing digital transformation challenges during 2019-2023 (a 22% decline in administrative efficiency due to the pandemic). Quantitative survey results (n=70, 5-point Likert scale, reliability Cronbach's α >0.85) showed overall competency at a moderate level (mean=3.8/5), with strengths in public service ethics (mean=4.2) and weaknesses in IT/digital transformation (mean=3.2). Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) identifies 3 main factors (explaining 72% of variance: Factor 1 - organization/management with eigenvalue=28.48; Factor 2 - coordination/teamwork; Factor 3 - self-learning/adaptation). OLS regression indicates that competencies influence 60.9% of effectiveness (R²=0.609, p<0.001), with implementation factors (human resource policies β=0.323, p=0.003) having the strongest impact. In-depth interviews supplemented confirmation of limitations: lack of evaluation standards leading to inconsistent performance (70% of leaders agreed), and recommendations to prioritize digital training to overcome cultural barriers (SD=0.75 in diverse demographics: 55% female, 45% under 35 years old).

Chapter 3. Building the Competency Framework and Implementation Measures at Transport Hospital (GTVT)

In Chapter 3, the author constructed a competency framework including 11 components tiered by job positions (basic/advanced/leadership), integrating 4 groups: core (ethics, communication with mean>4.0), management (organization, coordination), professional (IT, service), and supplementary (self-learning, adaptation), based on a 5-step process from empirical data (EFA and interviews). The framework is designed to be flexible, aligned with job titles under Circular 02/2025/TT-BYT, featuring 360° evaluation scales and KPIs (eg, behavior completion rate ≥80%). Implementation measures include: (1) Developing a plan (budget 150 million VND, 12-month roadmap); (2) Organizing execution through 3 phases (implementation months 1-3: training 75% of staff; monitoring months 9-12: quarterly evaluations with R²>0.70); (3) Periodic evaluation per Article 19 of the Law on Public Employees, forecasting a 25% increase in performance after the first year (pre-post test mean from 3.8 to 4.2). The author emphasizes integration of DigComp 2.0 to support digital transformation, ensuring sustainability.

11. Practical Application Potential:

The thesis has high practical applicability in Vietnam's healthcare administrative management, particularly at autonomous hospitals like Transport, where the competency framework can be directly integrated into employee evaluation systems (reducing document processing time by 22%, per survey data). Results can be scaled to other public service units (under Decree 60/2021/ND-CP), supporting recruitment/reassignment (increasing coordination efficiency by 25%), and digital training (DigLit 1.0 modules). Hospital leaders can utilize Excel KPI dashboards for monitoring, contributing to enhanced organizational image and implementation of Resolution 76/2021/QH14 on administrative reform. Recommend that the hospital conduct a pilot implementation in 2-3 departments for validation, using internal reports as a basis for expansion.

12. Future Research:

Future research directions could expand as follows: (1) Evaluating the long-term impact of the competency framework after 2-3 years of implementation at Transport Hospital (GTVT), using multivariate regression models (SEM) to measure sustainability; (2) Comparing healthcare administrative competency frameworks between public and private hospitals, focusing on organizational culture factors (per Schein, 2010); (3) Integrating AI/blockchain into digital competencies, with experimental studies at central-level hospitals (n>200); (4) International comparative surveys with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), to propose national policies on healthcare administrative competencies under the Draft Amended Law on Public Employees 2025. These directions will enrich the theory of public human resource management in general and the healthcare sector in particular.

13. Published works related to the thesis: None