High marks for Shanghai's area medical clusters
Medical clusters consisting of leading facilities and grassroots hospitals have shown very positive effects on resource and expert sharing, patient transfer, talent training and overall capabilities, according to experts from Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital, which celebrates the 20th anniversary of its medical cluster today.
Led by the hospital, the cluster currently has seven members in the districts of Xuhui, Putuo, Jinshan, Fengxian and Changning, as well as the Pudong New Area, serving over 13 million people.
Due to quality management and improved capabilities, three district-level members have been upgraded to city-level facilities and four are part of the first group of regional medical centers.
Through the medical cluster, patients, especially those in rural areas, receive high-quality service and expert resources near their homes instead of having to travel to downtown hospitals.
Since joining the cluster, a member in rural Jinshan District has increased its patient load several hundred percent.
The overall capabilities of grassroots hospitals quickly improved after experts from leading hospitals began training grassroots employees, according to Yin Shankai, president of Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital.