Government seeks healthcare partners to increase access

The central government said it will encourage more private investment in the country's hospitals in the hope of making healthcare more accessible to the public, said Minister of Health Chen Zhu Monday.

In 2011, there were 3.81 hospital beds for every 1,000 people, which is considered a high rate among developing countries, Chen said, adding that public hospitals would see moderate development as private investment in the sector is encouraged.

Qualified private investors will be given priority in building new hospitals, and efforts should be made in planning and management of medical resources to secure their orderly development, Chen said.

The minister pointed out that the government will also encourage private investors to upgrade and renovate existing hospitals, nursing homes, and geriatric and chronic disease hospitals. Chen also called on private hospitals to improve their services and efficiency.

At the end of 2011, there were around 22,000 hospitals and 918,000 grassroots-level clinics across the country. The number of medical practitioners for every 1,000 residents increased from 1.47 in 2002 to 1.82 last year.

The accessibility of healthcare services for residents has improved, the minister said, noting that hospitals and clinics nationwide had received 6.27 billion outpatient visits and treated 150 million inpatients in 2011.

China currently has more than 6,000 private hospitals, making up one third of the total, but the numbers of beds and patients received at these hospitals account for only 10 percent and 9 percent of the total, respectively.

The proportions of hospital beds and patient volume provided at private hospitals are expected to double by the end of 2015, Chen added.