By Fineline Cube 
The National Health Commission (NHC) this week released the “Guidelines for the Construction and Management of Geriatric Medicine Departments (2025 Edition).” These guidelines provide standards for general hospitals and other medical institutions to establish and manage geriatric medicine departments effectively.
Geriatric Medicine Departments Overview
Geriatric medicine departments should primarily admit older patients with geriatric syndromes, comorbidities, and acute/chronic diseases. The guidelines mandate the inclusion of outpatient clinics, inpatient wards, and comprehensive assessment rooms. Class 3 general hospitals are required to have at least 20 inpatient beds, while Class 2 general hospitals must have a minimum of 10 inpatient beds. All bed specifications, including net area per bed, spacing between beds, and bathroom size, must comply with national regulations.
Staffing Requirements
Each bed in the geriatric medicine department should be equipped with at least 0.3 physicians and 0.6 nurses. Physician allocation must support a three-tier ward round system, including attending, resident, and chief physician oversight. Hospitals are encouraged to employ rehabilitation therapists, nutritionists, psychologists, and clinical pharmacists to enhance patient care.
Department Head Qualifications
For Class 3 general hospitals, department heads must hold associate chief physician or higher credentials with a minimum of 5 years of experience in geriatric medicine. In Class 2 general hospitals, department heads must hold attending physician or higher credentials with at least 3 years of experience in geriatric medicine.-Fineline Info & Tech