The hospital ? in what administrators are calling "by-pass surgery clubs" - is aiming to provide patients with better medical care through further consultations and check-ups on medicines and lifestyle. It also hopes the added service will enhance its competitive position in the medical care market.

Hao Jianchao, director of surgery at Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital, said the extension services is good for patients' health and also give more information about patients to doctors, which is important to improve the level of medical science and technology at the hospital.

Dr. Hao also acknowledged the competitive aspect as many other hospitals recently have been working to implement extension service programs.

The First Hospital of Harbin Medical University requires its department of heart surgery to keep addresses of patients and pay regular follow-up medical visits. Li Weiming, the director of the department, gives his business cards to all patient and asks them to call him if they have trouble. Some senior doctors also pay follow-up visits to their patients in other cities and provinces. Some professionals believe the introduction of extension services reflects more intense competition in the medical field that involves technology, service and reputation.

(From 哈尔滨日报 [Harbin Daily] December 18, 2001, translated by Li Liangdu for china.org.cn