China to set up more medical alliances in cities, counties

BEIJING -- China will set up new medical alliances in 100 cities and 500 counties across the country in 2019, an official with the National Health Commission (NHC) said at a press conference Monday.

Measures in 2019 will further improve China's medical services at grassroots level and facilitate the country's tiered diagnosis and treatment model, said Wang Hesheng, deputy head of the NHC.

China had 1,860 city-level and 3,129 county-level medical alliances at the end of 2018, said Wang, adding that the alliances have helped allocate medical resources and facilitate talent exchanges.

In April 2017, the State Council, China's cabinet, issued a guideline on building medical alliances as part of the measures to deepen the country's medical reform.

At the city level, led by top state-run hospitals, community medical institutions, nursing facilities and professional rehabilitation facilities in the alliance would share resources and talents, while county-level hospitals would form alliances with rural hospitals and village clinics, according to the guideline.