China currently has 136,000 private clinics, of which half are for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinics and mostly found in rural areas, according to official statistics.
A survey by the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine indicated that, among the patients seeking medical service privately, about 60 percent favor TCM clinics. The revenue these clinics gain from TCM treatment accounts for 74 percent of their total.
The survey also reveals that private TCM clinics are playing an increasing role in the medical care services of the country, which is especially true in rural areas where farmers? income is relatively low. Private TCM clinics charge relatively low fees compared with those offering Western medicines.
Private clinics are developing rapidly in China as they follow the market economic mechanism. Compared with state-run hospitals, they have a clearer title to property and profit more directly. In addition, China has many policies for encouraging them, including tax preferences and exemptions. Private clinics enjoy the same rights and treatment as state clinics. Yet the country has to step up its efforts to regulate the market as some clinics are still swindling patients under the TCM guise.
Li Zhenji, vice director of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, points out that the private TCM clinics are a major force in the rural health service network and their cheap but excellent medical services are more likely to be accepted by farmers.
Li hopes private TCM clinics can conduct more exchanges and cooperation with each other for common development. Moreover, their management mechanisms, operation and medical services need further upgrading.
(china.org.cn by Guo Xiaohong January 22, 2003)
