Fujian's health and family planning commission announced in December 2016 that it aims to realize a full coverage family doctor system in the province by 2020 to address residents' needs for close-to-residence medical treatment.
To realize this goal, the province will have different cities piloting such a system that is limited to treatment for chronic diseases in 2017.
Present urban community health care centers will take the lead in the pilot program. The program now targets only regular residents diagnosed with essential hypertension and type 2 diabetes.
The centers will forge family doctor teams to provide the targeted group within their individual jurisdiction with management of follow-up visits and medication guidance, along with health evaluation, outpatient services, referral service and health monitoring and management, all based on signed contracts.
More custom services, including rehabilitation guidance for patients' families, home care, and home sickbeds, can be negotiated between the signing parties. Different communities are encouraged to offer services according to their residents' varied demands.