Residents to get 24-hour

poiloi's picture
Submitted by poiloi on Thu, 06/17/2010 - 3:26pm

Residents to get 24-hour service from pilot clinics

English.news.cn 2010-06-14 10:22:27 FeedbackPrintRSS

The doctor will then make a preliminary diagnosis over the phone and depending on the severity of the case, either recommend simple treatment or treatment at a public hospital.

"During working hours, all departments, including the laboratory, at the clinics will be available for patients," said Han Xiaofang, director of the Beijing medical reform office.

"We believe that people will get medical help more quickly in the future."

Han also said about 20 public hospitals in the city, of out about 330, are now providing services during weekends and holidays. This number will be gradually increased.

Despite the new working hours in residential clinics, the government will give special support to TCM. More than 100 level 2 and level 3 hospitals in Beijing will build TCM clinics and dispensaries by the end of this year.

"Traditional Chinese medicine and treatment are welcomed by most local residents," said Fang Laiying, director of Beijing health bureau.

One of the city's more famous Chinese traditional hospitals, Guang'anmen Hospital, is used by more than 7,000 patients everyday. Some of the hospital's top doctors are so popular their appointment books are filled beyond the end of this year.

Fang said physicians from some TCM hospitals are now working with scientists from China Academy of Chinese Medical Science to develop more herbal medicated plasters.

Shang Lei, 36, a Beijing resident, said he used to use quite a few herbal medicated plasters when he was a child.

"They were cheap but really effective. I remembered that there were various plasters for different diseases sold 20 years ago, but we are now seeing less of them.

"It's good news that plasters will be back. I think my parents who used plasters for most of their lives will be excited."

Statistics from the Beijing bureau of human resources and social security show that more than 6 million people in the city have medical insurance cards.

These cards can be used in more than 1,300 hospitals and medical treatment organizations in the city.