The National Health Commission (NHC) of China has released a notice detailing the results of the 2023 county hospital medical service capability evaluation, which included 2,062 hospitals and achieved a national coverage rate of 98.6%. The evaluation was conducted based on the basic and recommended standards for medical service capabilities of county hospitals issued by the bureau in 2016, with the basic standards applicable to Class 2 hospitals and the recommended standards to Class 3 hospitals.
In the 2023 evaluation, 1,894 of the 2,062 county hospitals (91.85%) met the basic standards, and 1,163 (56.40%) met the recommended standards, marking an increase of 38 and 199 hospitals respectively compared to 2022. The medical service capability showed continuous improvement, with enhanced establishment and diagnosis and treatment capabilities for departments related to common and frequently occurring diseases.
The number and efficiency of diagnosis and treatment continued to improve, with an average of 370,100 visits per county hospital, a figure essentially unchanged from 2022. Medical quality and safety security remained stable, with a consistent rate of over 95% for admission and discharge diagnosis, pre- and post-operative diagnosis, pathological clinical diagnosis, etc. The infection rate at the surgical site of Class I incision remained at a relatively low level.
The informatization level and clinical standardization management level of county-level hospitals were gradually improving, with an average annual income of about RMB 350 million per county hospital. Medical income accounted for 79.97% of the total, with medical service income making up 31.67% of medical income. For every RMB 100 of medical income, the consumption of hygiene materials was RMB 24.52. Among the 36 monitored single diseases, the average hospitalization cost for 29 diseases decreased compared to 2022, with 24 diseases such as acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction and inguinal hernia showing a decrease of more than 10%.
The role of county-level leaders and urban-rural linkages continued to be emphasized, with 1928 county hospitals (93.50%) leading in establishing county-level medical communities, facilitating a total of 8.32 million two-way referrals. Among these, 4.24 million people were transferred up to urban hospitals from township health centers, and 4.08 million people were transferred down to township health centers from urban hospitals.
Despite these advancements, there are still shortcomings in the construction of specialized departments in county hospitals, with regional gaps and a persistent talent shortage, as well as equipment that does not fully meet clinical needs. The next steps will focus on building a stable and reasonable talent pool, smoothing two-way referral channels, enhancing the accessibility and continuity of medical services, and implementing the autonomy of county hospitals in talent recruitment and other aspects.- Flcube.com
