CCTV9英语新闻：China encourages physicians multi-site practice

The proposal to have physicians practicing at multiple sites in China was conceived in 2009. It's regarded as a progressive move to meet the growing demand for medical treatment in rural areas. But while the idea might be sound in theory, it's expected to encounter many practical problems. 

 

Dr. Pei Bin has worked in a public hospital for nearly twenty years. He once saw to 176 patients in one day, a personal record for him. Two years ago, he left the public system and joined a private clinic.

 

"I can still remember the day that I received that record number of patients. When I look back, I had concern I might misdiagnose or miss something important among those patients. I simply cannot be thorough with that sheer number of patients. The major difference now is that I can calmly spend time with my patients, to know more about their medical history and make future treatment plans for them," Dr. Pei said.

 

Unlike Dr. Pei, most of his peers are still working in public hospitals, despite regulations which have been there for more than seven years. But they have their own concerns.

 

According to a recent survey, doctors in public hospitals are skeptical about this multi-site reform proposal for three specific reasons: medical disputes, personal development, and getting permission from their place of work.

 

The majority of experienced and talented physicians in China are employed by large-scale public hospitals.

 

The current physician practice registration policy requires physicians to practise only through the registered employer stated in their practice certificate.

 

As a result, it is not easy for some medical institutions to hire high-quality physicians.

 

Fan said that there's still a huge lack of medical workers in Shanghai’s Pudong New area, and it's not practical to train what's there to meet the demand. He said the multi-site practice has potential, but it needs more research.

 

According to official figures, there are around 45-thousand doctors registered for the multi-site policy across the country. The number is very small proportion with its two million licensed doctors.

 

It's hoped that, with time, all stakeholders will find a way to work around the legal hurdles which are currently holding the proposal up.