Primary health providers to treat more chronic conditions

China has released a guideline aimed at strengthening the capacity of primary healthcare providers to manage chronic diseases, as part of broader efforts to improve disease prevention and treatment services at the grassroots level.

The document, issued in late October by six departments including the National Health Commission, said that most primary care institutions should be able to provide systematic and continuous management of chronic diseases by 2030.

Township hospitals in rural areas and community healthcare service centers in urban areas should play a "pivotal role", the document said.

They can set up grassroots chronic disease management centers to provide services to prevent, diagnose and treat chronic diseases, and conduct health management for local chronic disease patients, it said.

They are also responsible for collecting, analyzing and transferring the health information of their chronic disease patients, and encouraging those in need to seek services from family doctors.

Village clinics and health service stations in urban areas — the most basic tier of China's healthcare system — are asked to play a "fundamental role" by providing services to manage chronic diseases. The services include health education, health assessment and follow-up interventions.

The document called on village clinics and health service stations to equip themselves with self-check tools such as electronic blood pressure monitors, weighing scales, portable glucose meters and waist-measuring devices.

Regions across China are working to provide higher-quality and more convenient medical services by establishing and operating "tightly knit medical consortia".

Aiming to better utilize all medical resources within the region, these consortia usually comprise large hospitals and grassroots medical institutions, such as township hospitals and community health service centers.

Hospitals at the top tier of the consortium should strengthen the management of terminal cases and the serious complications of chronic diseases, the document said.

These hospitals should support grassroots chronic disease management centers in the training of professionals, quality control and performance evaluation, it said.

Public health institutions were also asked to provide technical guidance for chronic disease management at the grassroots level.

The document called for greater efforts to detect people at high risk for chronic diseases as early as possible at the grassroots level.

These people need to be introduced to grassroots chronic disease management centers, which should rate their health conditions and offer them health management recommendations and family doctor services, it said.

Medical service providers should also take advantage of traditional Chinese medicine to assist chronic disease management, it said.

In September, the State Council approved a plan to boost public health and medical services at the grassroots level, which was submitted by the National Health Commission and the National Development and Reform Commission.

The plan said China will provide more systematic and continuous services for people with high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and enhance follow-up management of serious mental illnesses and pulmonary tuberculosis patients.