Platforms combine needs for health with joy of tourism

The World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies and the China International Collaborating Center of Chinese Medicine have released their online platform for programming traditional Chinese medicine with tourism in the country, while Beijing itself is promoting a package of such services.[Photo/Xinhua]

Patients who have joined the program in China could receive health care and additional services for review or continued rehabilitation after returning home, thanks to its wide network of accredited professionals, he said.

At the fair the federation inked agreements with tourism agencies in France and Beijing for cooperation.

Cui Yongqiang, director of the Beijing Research Center for International TCM Tourism, said TCM has demonstrated comparative advantages over modern medicine in treating a large number of diseases such as cancer, insomnia, infertility, psoriasis, chronic pain, degenerative cardiovascular disease, femur head necrosis, prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc, cervical spondylopathy and lumbago.

The center has released a package of chain services for overseas patients to come to Beijing for both treatment and tourism. The services fit those people who have found the effects of modern treatment in their home country unsatisfactory, he said. The city also has accredited three groups of traditional medical institutions for such programs.

“The beauty of such programs lies not just in the better understanding of TCM, but in people’s expectations for a healthy life while embracing the joy of tourism,” said Luo Zenggang, deputy director of the Beijing Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The center’s main function is to develop and promote service standards of Beijing international TCM tourism, ensure the qualifications of service providers and organize professional training.

All the service providers for international TCM-tourism programs are accredited health care providers, said Li Jiangbin, a division chief in Beijing’s TCM administration.

Li said the package is a systematic grouping of high-end and characteristic services that combine Beijing’s chosen resources in tourism, medical treatment and rehabilitation.

“We hope through such packages, Beijing can offer whole-chain hearty services for overseas people from their first-time consultation by phone, email, fax, or WeChat notice, to the air or train terminal for departure,” Li said.