Xinhua Hospital opens 19 hotlines to help patients

To better serve patients and their families, Shanghai's Xinhua Hospital has launched 19 hotlines, covering major departments, to answer questions and provide guidance on various diseases.

Each major department has a special line with bilingual ability to offer consultation, help arrange service for patients and direct patients to the most appropriate expert's outpatient service.

The oncology department's hotline, for instance, not only gives medical support but also psychological comfort to patients.

Staff help arrange patients' chemotherapy and give directions on nutrition and follow-up treatment to cancer patients, who are nervous and worried amid the COVID-19 lockdown.

Hospital officials revealed that the hotlines of dermatology, cardiology and urinary surgery departments are the most popular among all lines.

The dermatology department hotline received about 180 calls on Sunday. Most frequently-asked questions were about the emergency process, outpatient and hospitalization service, disease consultation and drug use.

In addition to the hotline, officials said patients can use Xinhua's internet hospital service. Online consultation on pediatrics ranks No. 1 in the hospital's online platform.

The service time for the hotlines is 9am to 9pm from Monday to Friday.

Ti Gong