Patients encouraged to register with hospital referral system
The Jiading branch of Renji Hospital. Patients who register with the hospital referral system of Jiading can get their regular medicines — usually prescribed by a city-level hospital — near their homes.
Patients who register with the hospital referral system of Jiading can get their regular medicines — usually prescribed by a city-level hospital — near their homes.
More than 520 medicines, previously available at top and second tier hospitals only, have been delivered to community health centers around the district for patients who sign up with their services.
People who suffer chronic diseases no longer have to visit doctors at Grade A or district hospitals for prescribed medicines.
They can get their medicines at neighborhood health centers through the prescriptions made by doctors at hospitals of higher level. Before that, they are referred to the hospitals of higher level by general practitioners at community health centers.
Local residents are encouraged to sign a package agreement for medical services which involves a neighborhood health center, a district-level hospital and a Grade A hospital.
People who sign the contract will visit GPs first when they have non-emergency medical problems. They receive basic health services and preventative care at community health centers. The centers also function as inputs for the city’s health database.
The GPs are supposed to act as gatekeepers, of sorts, to treat more minor maladies and do simple diagnostic tests in neighborhoods, and to channel more serious cases to cooperating hospitals for specialist care.
Patients who suffer chronic diseases may acquire drugs or treatments covering a period of four or even eight weeks from their GPs but prescriptions from hospital doctors cover two weeks only.
For serious cases, GPs enable a much quicker referral and more effective access to beds and excellent doctors at comprehensive hospitals, compared with common patients who seek services from the prestigious hospitals themselves.
GPs are quite familiar with the conditions of their clients and clients’ family members. They are also health care advisers to their clients and help them better manage their health.
