China to pilot diversified means in medical service supervision

BEIJING - China's health authority plans to pilot a program to use diversified means to supervise the medical services, Health News reported.

The newspaper said the National Health Commission has issued a circular on the work, and a meeting was held in Zhejiang to launch the program.

According to the report, the pilot program, which involves medical institution self-checks, relevant workers' self-discipline and government and public supervision, will be launched in 16 provincial-level regions including Beijing, Zhejiang and Hubei.

The program requires concrete measures by medical institutions in conducting self-checks and self-management to see that their incentives for proper practices are promoted.

Also, the roles of professional associations in formulating standards and regulations, improving personnel training, carrying out peer evaluation and regulating professional practices should be promoted to ensure better self-discipline of relevant practitioners.

The authorities called for more innovative and smart means by the government in relevant supervision.

In regard to public supervision, authorities said efforts should be made to make it easier for the public to report relevant violations as well as to explore a system of social supervisors of medical services.