2016年CRI Qingdao Plans to Alleviate Locals from Medicare Burdens

As of 2015, life expectancy 1 in China now stands at 76.34.

The State Council plans to extend that to 77.3 by 2020 and 79 by 2030.

Under the so-called "Healthy China 2030" blueprint 2, Qingdao wants to invest in sectors 3 such as public health care and take the lead in setting up a classification system in medical care.

65-year old Qingdao native Mr. Tan was hospitalized for kidney disease for about a month. Tan's wife was charged with less than 400 yuan, amounting to less than 60 American dollars.

"The total Medicare cost was 12,800 yuan. However, I only needed to pay a hospital bill of less than 400 yuan. It's quite cheap."

Mr Yu, who received medical treatment in hospital for diabetes 4, also thinks the medical bill is reasonable when he saw a hospital bill from another diabetes patient who was leaving the hospital.

"Regularly, he would have to pay 12,400 yuan, but he only needed to pay 1120 yuan, accounting 5 for eight percent of the total."

These new changes took place after the local government allocated 6 more funds to health care subsidies 7.

Also, since July 1st this year, public hospitals in Qingdao sold drugs at the same price as it was bought from manufacturers. Overall, the drug prices saw a decline of 15% or more.

In addition to those who stay in hospital for treatment, the patients who go to see a doctor in clinics also felt happy with the drop in drug prices.

Mr Chen is one of them.

"Today, I buy five to six types of medicine, which costs a total of 84 yuan. Last time, when I bought the same medicines here, I remember it cost almost twice that price."

When people feel ill, should they go to a large hospital or a community-based clinic?

This is a common problem that an ordinary citizen may face in their daily life.

And the best solution is to consult a doctor at a community clinic first.

The city of Qingdao has recently introduced a grading system in health care and diagnosis 8, allowing family physicians to offer preliminary diagnoses and treatment of illnesses.

75-year old Duan Xiu-ting lives in Shazikou Street in Laoshan District. She has long suffered from hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease. Meanwhile, her husband is also a hypertension patient.

The couple has signed a deal with the community authorities for the family medicine and family physicians' service. Their family doctor is Hu Liang.

"Sometimes, I even called Hu Liang at night as I felt terribly ill. Now I have memorized his number."

The basic service a family physician could offer in Laoshan district includes a fundamental treatment of illnesses and providing counseling on lifestyle changes that can prevent illnesses.

Lan Xuepeng is the vice 9 director of a Shazikou-street clinic. He disclosed by the end of this year, 30 percent of the local residents in his community would sign a contract related to the family medical service.

"My community-based clinic has signed a contract with two city-level hospitals and under it, they should dispatch their doctors to join us in setting up a family physicians' team that would exam resident's health condition, give traditional Chinese medical massage 10 or cupping therapy for treatment free of charge."

Although local residents are offered an opportunity to have a visiting family physician, they could still choose to see doctors in a hospital in their neighborhood.

The team of family physicians is composed of both the doctors in relatively 11 large hospitals and medical staffs in community-based clinics.

Li Chanrong is an official with Qingdao Municipal Health and Family Planning Commission.

"The service of visiting family physicians changes the model that a doctor could treat their patients only in clinics or hospitals and enables doctors to better develop a relationship with their patients by making home visits. Meanwhile, the family physicians' income would increase according to the number of home visits they make. Also, local households may get access to a professional, general medical practitioner 12."

The physicians who specialize in the family medicine would enable patients to have a more precise diagnose at the very beginning and offer them advices on whether they should go to a hospital or not.

Zou Xiao is the deputy director of Qingdao Center Hospital.

"These family physicians are well aware of the patients in a community they work in. Meanwhile, they are also very clear-minded about the medical resources in the hospital including the professional level of our doctors. If they couldn't cure patients, they may facilitate patients to have access to a doctor or a hospital where they may receive the most professional treatment."

Qingdao has ambitions for both the near future and many years ahead.

By 2017, a classification system in the health care and diagnosis service would primarily take shape in Qingdao. And the proportion of residents who opt 13 for community-based clinics within two weeks after they fall ill should occupy over 70 percent.

Qingdao is expected to boast a well-functioned health care classification system by 2020.

For CRI, I'm Yang Yong.