With the Shanghai Health Bureau investing 4.8 billion yuan (US$578 million) on 30 renovation-cum-relocation projects in all the 26 city-based medical facilities, the move -- aimed at improving service level and rearranging the geographic location of local hospitals -- has triggered a heated debate among hospital officials and patients.
In view of the fact that more residents have settled in the city's outskirts and most hospitals are located in downtown, the bureau is pushing these medical facilities to move or build new branches in suburban districts. While the decision has been hailed by locals living in newly built residential complexes in Minhang, Pudong and Songjiang districts, hospital officials are far from happy or convinced about the efficacy of the move.
"I moved to Minhang District a year ago. Though my living condition has improved, visiting hospitals has become a bane. I have to take a one-hour bus ride to Fudan University's Children's Hospital in Xuhui District, which I feel is more reliable for my daughter," said Chen Guoqing, a 35-year-old company clerk. She was happy when told that the hospital will be moving to Minhang soon. But officials from the hospital are not so gung-ho.
"Many patients have already complained about our Minhang move. We may keep the downtown building for out-patients service," said Luo Weifeng, a hospital spokeswoman. Her hospital is not the only one in a dilemma.
Shanghai aims to become a major health-care center in Asia, but many local hospitals, including some of the city's leading medical institutions, currently offer services in rundown buildings amid over-crowded, noisy and disorderly environment, according to the bureau.
The Shanghai No.1 People's Hospital began work on its new branch in Songjiang last December, where the 600-bed, 4-million-yuan facility is expected to serve the district's college town and factories by 2005.
"Our headquarters will still be in Hongkou District, mainly for out-patients," said Wu Qiang of the hospital, adding, "We don't want to give up the original building because the location is convenient for downtown residents. If we move to Songjiang, we will lose them."
While the health bureau considers relocation necessary to "improve local health-care environment," some hospitals have a different view.
"Dispersing city-based hospitals to remote areas isn't a good idea. Under medical reforms, it's the responsibility of neighborhood health centers to serve patients for minor diseases. The city-based facilities should focus on complicated treatment," said Duan Tao, deputy director of Shanghai No.1 Maternity and Infant Health Hospital.
(Eastday.com February 8, 2003)
