All Shanghai families to have doctors by 2020  

上海今年起全面推广家庭医生制度

上海市卫生局今日披露，今年起，上海将全面推广家庭医生制度，力争到2020年之前，基本实现每个家庭与一名家庭医生签约。

Shanghai (CNS) -- All families in Shanghai will have signed service agreements with general practitioners by 2020, the Shanghai Health Bureau said on Wednesday.

The bureau released new rules Wednesday on the duties and services of general practitioners and vowed to promote the service across the city.

It said the city will help 173 health centers in communities, which account for 70 percent of the total in Shanghai, to establish family doctor services this year.

Family doctors will give advice on health problems, treat chronic and common diseases, and help patients transfer to higher-level hospitals when necessary, it said.

Every resident in Shanghai will have an electronic health record, which will be updated from time to time, according to the bureau.

Due to a shortage of physicians, the city will explore ways to attract more qualified family doctors, it said.

Shanghai has piloted the family doctor system in 10 districts since 2011, and about 2,280 family doctors currently serve 3.74 million residents.