Hospital ownership on reform proposals
By Wang Zhenghua (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-06-22 00:19

State ownership of hospitals and the possibility of opening them to market competition is likely to be a key topic of China's hospital reform, a top expert has said.

A hospital in Hefei, East China's An'hui Province, is viewed in this photo taken on June 21, 2005. [newsphoto]

But, according to Sun Dongdong, law professor at Peking University and an expert appointed to the Ministry of Health's committee formed to discuss possible changes, reform has not even reached the draft stage yet, contrary to some news reports.

"The issue is still being discussed within the Chinese Hospital Association," Sun said yesterday.

Leaders of the ministry have admitted that ordinary people are having a difficult time accessing and affording proper medical treatment.

A survey by sohu.com showed more than 60 per cent of the 2,040 polled said they were unhappy with the service provided by State-run hospitals.

Liao Xinbo, a health department official in Guangdong Province, was quoted by Chinese media earlier this week as saying competition in the market would enhance service quality of hospitals, but would raise medical fees, which are already staggeringly high for many families.

Of about 300,000 medical institutions across China, 40 per cent of those at or below the county level have financial problems.

Imbalance in the distribution of medical resources has prevented patients in underdeveloped areas from obtaining proper treatment.

Sun said the government should focus on supporting community and lower-level hospitals to help them enhance their services.

"Hospitals at the high end, such as the Union Medical College Hospital, should enter market competition and provide services for those who can afford them," Sun said.

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