Insurance suggested to ease medical disputes

National legislators have said the government should establish an insurance system to mitigate risks to doctors and hospitals and reduce tensions in doctor-patient relationships.

Under the concept, an authority would be established to be responsible for identifying who - the doctor or the hospital - may be responsible for an injury to a patient, and the insurance company will then pay compensation, Zhang Zhaoan, a deputy to the National People's Congress, said during the annual session of NPC, the top legislative body, which concluded last week.

Many medical accidents, including those involving anesthesia, surgery and blood transfusions, are unpredictable, said Zhang, who is also vice-president of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.