Community health centers to ease pressure on large hospitals

Figures from the city's health authorities showed that more than 2,200 family doctors are now providing medical services for more than 3.7 million residents in the city.

Health officials also admit that many residents still prefer going to big-scale hospitals rather than going to family doctors.

"People have been used to going to large, prominent hospitals for everything, from just a light cold to a serious illness. It takes a longer time to change patients' habits," says Xu Jianguang, director of Shanghai Health and Family Planning Commission, adding that about 75 percent of patients who go to top hospitals have minor ailments that could be treated at community hospitals.

"We will continue to improve the service at community-level hospitals," Xu says.

Earlier this year, Shanghai's health authorities announced a new round of incentive plans to encourage more patients to visit community-level hospitals, further diverting the crowded patients flow in large hospitals.

Under this plan, family doctors are entitled to give their patients referrals, allowing them to see prominent specialists from top hospitals without having to line up.

Besides that, family doctors will be allowed to prescribe drugs that previously only doctors at large hospitals were allowed to prescribe.

"In the long run, the burden on top hospitals will be eased. More resources in large hospitals will be used to deal with complicated diseases, which will help improve the efficiency of medical resources," Xu says.