China aims to improve family doctor services

BEIJING -- China will increase services provided by contracted family doctors, allowing them to issue long-term prescriptions to the elderly and people with disabilities, according to the National Health Commission (NHC).

Primary-level medical organizations and family doctors should play their roles in preventing myopia among children, said the NHC at a recent conference on the development of health work at the grassroots level.

The commission has also vowed to help improve the ability of family doctors to diagnose and treat common and frequent illnesses, and their capability to identify and deal with infectious diseases.

Primary-level medical workers will receive strengthened training on preventing and controlling chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, the NHC added.

China set up nearly 430,000 teams of family doctors last year who are responsible for offering medical services including disease prevention, treating common diseases and offering rehabilitation therapy.