Guangdong to offer family doctor service

GUANGZHOU -- South China's Guangdong province, one of the richest regions in the country, will initiate a family doctor service starting next year on a trial basis, local health authorities said.

The move is to encourage people to have medical care at grassroots medical institutions and reduce the pressure on hospitals in cities.

The provincial government is expected to experiment the service at county-level next year. The service will cover all streets and villages within five years, according to a provincial health and family planning commission statement on Wednesday.

A family doctor, or family physician, is devoted to the continuing and comprehensive health care for individuals and families across all ages.

The family doctor service will be based on the general medical practitioners service in urban community and rural township clinics. They will initially serve the elderly, pregnant, disabled, children and those with chronic diseases and then extend to all people in their areas, according to the statement.

The doctors will provide basic medical care as well as health consultations.

Coastal Guangdong province, with a population of more than 100 million, is leading the country in economic development with a per capita gross domestic product of 54,095 yuan ($8,818) recorded in 2012.