Temporary Treatment Centers

Temporary treatment center, better known as "mobile cabin hospital" in China, is a modern mobile medical system that takes medical cabin as the carrier and integrates the functions of medical treatment and clinical technology. Composed of medical treatment units, ward units and technical support units, temporary treatment centers are mainly used in major disaster rescue, emergency support, itinerant medical services, and other tasks. With such features as good mobility, fast deployment and strong environmental adaptability, these improvised hospitals are capable of undertaking medical rescue tasks at emergencies and therefore are valued by many countries.

China began to design and develop its own temporary treatment center system in the 1990s. The second-generation temporary treatment centers successively carried out medical rescue tasks in earthquake relief in Wenchuan and Yushu. 

In February 2020, facing the spread of COVID-19, Wuhan transformed several gymnasiums, convention and exhibition centers, training centers, industrial park factories, vocational high schools and other venues into temporary treatment centers to isolate mild cases and cases under observation. These emergency hospitals have complete functions and can carry out emergency treatment, surgical treatment, clinical tests and other tasks. They also have a team of psychologists to provide psychological support and counseling for patients. 

On February 16, the National Development and Reform Commission arranged 230 million yuan (32.81 million dollars) in the central budget to support the temporary treatment centers in Wuhan to improve their facilities and add necessary medical equipment to enhance their treatment capacities. By February 22, 16 temporary treatment centers had been put into operation in Wuhan, offering more than 12,000 beds.

Establishing temporary treatment centers is an effective measure to ensure patient isolation, decrease patient density, expand treatment capacity and control the spread of the epidemic. Temporary treatment centers have played an important role in providing emergency support for the national public health system.

方艙醫院

方艙醫院是以醫療方艙為載體，綜合集成醫療與醫技保障功能的現代化機動醫療系統，由醫療功能單元、病房單元和技術保障單元等部分構成，主要承擔重大災害救援、應急支援保障、巡回醫療服務等任務。方艙醫院具有機動性好、展開部署快、環境適應性強等特點，能夠適應突發的應急醫學救援任務，受到各國普遍重視。

20世紀90年代起，中國開始自行設計研制方艙醫院系統。經不斷改造升級，第二代方艙醫院先后在汶川、玉樹抗震救災中執行醫療救援任務。2020年2月，隨著新冠肺炎疫情發展，武漢市將一批體育館、會展中心、培訓中心、工業園區廠房、職業高中等場地改造建成方艙醫院，用于收治隔離輕癥患者和觀察病例。這些特殊的“急救醫院”功能齊備，可以開展緊急救治、外科處置、臨床檢驗等多項任務，同時配備心理醫生團隊，為患者提供心理支持和疏導。2月16日，國家發展改革委安排中央預算內投資2.3億元，支持武漢市方艙醫院完善設施及增添必要的醫療設備，以增強收治能力。截至2月22日，武漢市已投入運行16家方艙醫院，開放病床超過12,000張。

建立和實施方艙醫院是保障病患隔離、分流病患診治、擴大收治容量、控制疫情發展的一項有效措施，在國家公共衛生應急保障中發揮重要作用。