Family doctor contracting: an overview of concepts and core content

Family doctor contract signing is a medical service model centered on residents' health. Through residents and family doctor teams signing service agreements, a long-term and stable doctor-patient relationship is established. The main contents includeBasic medical services, health management, referral coordinationetc., giving priority to covering key groups such as the elderly and patients with chronic diseases. Its core lies inCombination of “disease prevention + treatment”, to improve residents’ health through regular follow-up visits and personalized health guidance. The service structure is divided into three levels:Basic package (free), personalized package (optional payment), special services for special groups.

Service contents and advantages of family doctor contract

The family doctor team usually consists of general practitioners, nurses, public health physicians, etc., and providesDiagnosis and treatment of common diseases, establishment of health records, medication guidanceWaiting for service. For example, regularly monitor blood pressure and adjust medication regimens for patients with hypertension. After signing the contract, residents can enjoyPriority appointment, long prescriptionand other conveniences, reducing repeated examinations and unnecessary medical expenses. Some pilot areas also provideHome visits, home hospital bedsand other extended services, especially for the elderly with limited mobility.

Signing process and policy support

Residents can voluntarily sign up through community health service centers or online platforms. The process includesSelect a team, sign an agreement, and create a health fileThree steps. passed by the governmentMedical insurance subsidies, performance appraisalPolicies such as these promote the implementation of services. For example, some provinces and cities include contract service fees in medical insurance reimbursement. Data shows that as of 2022, the national contract coverage rate will exceed 40%, including more than 70% of key groups (data source: National Health Commission).

The role of family doctors in cooperating with residents

Family doctors are not only the executors of “seeing patients and prescribing medicines”;health gatekeeper, it is necessary to proactively identify residents’ health risks. For example, identifying people with prediabetes through screening and intervening. Residents need to cooperateProvide truthful health information and participate in follow-up visitsOnly through collaboration between the two parties can we achieve the goal of hierarchical diagnosis and treatment of "minor diseases in the community and orderly referral of serious diseases".

Summary and future prospects

Family doctor contract signing is an important measure to deepen medical reform.continuity of serviceReduce medical costs and improve health management efficiency. Still need to be resolvedUnbalanced service capabilities and insufficient residents’ awarenessetc. questions. In the future, artificial intelligence-assisted diagnosis, remote monitoring and other technologies can be combined to further optimize the service experience.

Quote sources:
1. National Health Commission's "Guiding Opinions on Standardizing the Management of Family Doctor Contracting Services"
2. World Health Organization (WHO) Primary Health Care Report
3. Data statistics: National Health Commission's "Statistical Bulletin on the Development of my country's Health Careers in 2022"