NHFPC General Office issues basic standard for medical and nursing institutes for the elderly

(en.nhfpc.gov.cn)

Updated: 2016-01-08

With the accelerating progress of population aging in China, pension service demand is rapidly on the rise. However, pension institutions mainly offer living and care services for the elderly, and can’t fully satisfy the increasing medical care demand from the elderly. In field surveys, the elderly and pension institutions have both put forward suggestions in formulating basic standards for medical institutes inside pension facilities. On one hand, the elderly hope to get professional medical services at pension institutes. Most old people need not only daily care but also professional diagnosis, treatment and care services because of various diseases. Old people who have chronic disease particularly hope that pension institutes are capable of monitoring disease, dealing with emergencies and conducting first aid.

On the other hand, pension facilities hope their medical institutes can have sustainable development. At the moment, there is no specific and pertinent standard for establishing an inbuilt medical institute. Although the Basic Standard of Medical Institution in 1994 specified a basic standard for medical and nursing institutes, the standard doesn’t fit in with current elderly health needs. Pension facilities hope there will be relevant and pertinent basic standards for medical institutes for the elderly.

In July 2014, the NHFPC launched the drafting of the Basic Standard. On the basis of relevant laws, regulations and previous rules, the NHFPC combined research results and field study. It spoke with officials from the Ministry of Civil Affairs and pension institutes, as well as experts in the fields of medicine and daycare for the elderly and medical administration management, and sought opinions nationwide. Finally, it developed the Basic Standard for Medical Institutes for the Elderly (trial) and the Basic Standard for Nursing Institute for the Elderly (trial).

The Basic Standard has the following characteristics:

First, the standard specifies functions. It proposes that medical institutes in pension facilities should offer residents elderly care, diagnosis, treatment, and care for general and frequently-occurring diseases, and emergency rescue. The nursing institute in pension facilities should offer residents care for common, frequently-occurring and chronic diseases; rehabilitation guidance; and psychological nursing. It should give them treatment; disinfection and isolation guidance; as well as health education based on doctor’s advice.

Second, the standard highlights elderly demand. It gives full consideration to the elderly’s health conditions and medical care needs, stipulates that overall design should meet barrier-free design requirements, ensures basic configuration of medical practitioners, and appropriately increases registered nurses and nursing assistants. Emergency rescue and transfer treatment should be in place, while establishing drugs registration and distribution, as well as health education regulations to ensure the elderly can get timely medical treatment or can bee transferred to superior medical institutes for treatment when their conditions worsen.

Third, the standard differentiates configuration. As compared with the standard in 1994, the new version makes more specific and differentiated rules on personnel, houses, equipment and mechanisms for easier local operations. For example, it differentiates staffing index and increases equipment category and directory.