GPs given a greater role in primary health evaluation

To improve the city's classified health service system and encourage local residents to visit general practitioners in their communities, the Shanghai Health Commission has begun a trial of allocating half of the outpatient quota from leading hospitals to neighborhood health centers five days in advance for online reservations.

Patients can receive primary evaluations from GPs, who will determine whether they require senior specialist services, recommend the most appropriate doctors, and reserve patient quotas online. Top hospitals have a quota of regular, specialist, and VIP clinics.

So far, 61 city-level and 129 district-level hospitals have participated in the trial, which allows general physicians to assist patients in reserving specialists more quickly.

"Many top specialists are difficult to reserve. Such measures can greatly benefit residents," said Shen Wei, an official from Dapuqiao Neighborhood Health Center.

The new measure places a greater burden on general practitioners, who must provide an accurate diagnosis of the ailment and assist patients in scheduling appointments with the most relevant specialists.

To fulfill this need, health authorities and top institutions, including foreign hospitals, are actively training GPs in tailor-made courses to strengthen their clinical capabilities.

Jiahui International Hospital and Jiahui Medical Research & Education Group (J-Med) recently hosted a family medicine international enhancement training program for nearly 150 Shanghai general practitioners, where they also had the chance to interact with international family medicine physicians.

The courses cover women's health, common diseases in children, mental health, preventative medicine, communication skills, functional medicine, geriatric medicine, and palliative care.

According to Yao Lixia of the Shanghai Health Commission, Shanghai places a high value on GP training because neighborhood health centers are the foundation of a classified health care system that encourages residents to visit grassroots health facilities for common and chronic diseases, while high-end facilities focus on complex cases.

Dr Donald Li, former chairman of the World Organization of Family Doctors, said that GP training with an international view is required for an international city like Shanghai, which has a large population of expats and a strong demand for health services from the general public.