NHFPC issues Village Clinic Management Method (trial)

(en.nhfpc.gov.cn)

Updated: 2014-07-19

The National Health and Family Planning Commission, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Finance and the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine jointly issued the Village Clinic Management Method (trial). The following are interpretations of the method.

Why was the method issued?

The village clinic is the foundation of the rural third-level health service network and is tasked with offering essential medical and public health service to rural residents. It plays an important role in disease prevention and treatment in rural areas. In 2013, there were 648,600 village clinics, which received 2.01 billion patients, accounting for 27.51 percent of all patients nationwide. In the meantime, village clinics have undertaken 40 percent of essential public health services in China.

The method was issued to strengthen village clinic management; clarify functions and services; and ensure safe, fair and accessible health services for rural residents.

What’s the content of the method?

The method has 52 articles divided into eight chapters, which standardize village clinic functions and tasks, structure and accreditation, personnel allocation and management, business and financial management, and support measures.

1. The method stipulated that village clinics should undertake corresponding public health and essential medical services as well as work assigned by superior health and family planning administrations.

2. The method stipulated that the village clinic room should be no smaller than 60 square meters and can be scaled up if it can no longer house increasing patients. It also clarified rural clinic construction principles and requirements.

3. The method stressed that personnel in prevention, healthcare and medical services should be certified, calling for an improved rural doctor training and continued education system.

4. The method asked all parties to strengthen village clinic operation management and required village clinics to use proper technology, equipment and essential drugs to treat rural residents.

5. The method urged all personnel to improve village clinic finance management and come up with general diagnosis and treatment costs, new rural cooperative medical system payment standards, and relevant management methods.

6. The method asked all regions to build or improve the village clinic compensation mechanism and support village clinic building. It urged all regions to ensure fair income and pension treatment to village clinic personnel.