East-West Medical Collaboration Brings Health Benefits to Rural China

Strategic Insights -

The East-West Collaborative Medical Assistance Program in Gansu Province, China has successfully improved healthcare services in rural areas through a collaborative effort between medical experts from Jinnan District, Tianjin, and Lingtai County. Outstanding medical experts from Jinnan District have been dispatched to Lingtai County to establish themselves on the front lines of clinical practice, revitalizing the local healthcare sector. The collaboration has not only revitalized the local healthcare sector but has also strengthened Lingtai County's medical services, enabling the county to emerge with a "non-takeable" medical team with strong technical skills and the ability to shoulder heavy responsibilities.

Key Takeaways:

  • The East-West Collaborative Medical Assistance Program has successfully improved healthcare services in rural areas through a collaborative effort between medical experts from Jinnan District, Tianjin, and Lingtai County.
  • Ninety-four Jinnan experts have brought their expertise from the Bohai Sea westward, while 245 Lingtai experts have journeyed eastward to learn from them, nurturing a network across 23 clinical departments in Lingtai County over the past seven years.
  • The collaboration has strengthened Lingtai County's medical services, enabling the county to emerge with a "non-takeable" medical team with strong technical skills and the ability to shoulder heavy responsibilities.
  • The program has promoted the "Internet + Health Assistance" project, building a smart healthcare network covering the county, township, and village levels.
  • The project has invested over 15 million yuan to build a county-level smart medical center, 13 township-level teleconsultation centers, 12 cloud-based medical vehicles, 186 cloud-based medical kits, 18 integrated health machines, and six public health intelligent information systems.
  • The smart medical equipment is available in all 186 administrative villages across the county, providing seven major categories and 53 subcategories of examination and testing services.
  • The program has conducted over 500 remote consultations for difficult diseases, more than 600 electrocardiogram diagnoses, and more than 800 DR imaging diagnoses since its implementation.
  • The cloud-based medical van has visited each village monthly, providing disease screening, chronic disease management, and family doctor contracts, with all examination data uploaded to the county-level smart medical center in real time.

Statistics:

  • 94 Jinnan experts have brought their expertise from the Bohai Sea westward.
  • 245 Lingtai experts have journeyed eastward to learn from them.
  • 23 clinical departments in Lingtai County have been nurtured over the past seven years.
  • 12 specialized specialties have been further strengthened in Lingtai County.
  • Over 15 million yuan has been invested in the "Internet + Health Assistance" project.
  • 186 cloud-based medical kits are available in all administrative villages across the county.
  • 18 integrated health machines have been installed.
  • 6 public health intelligent information systems have been built.
  • Over 500 remote consultations for difficult diseases have been conducted.
  • More than 600 electrocardiogram diagnoses have been completed.
  • More than 800 DR imaging diagnoses have been conducted.
  • 58,000 health examinations have been completed for people over 65 years old.
  • 67,000 key groups have been followed up.
  • 108,000 family doctor contract services have been provided.

Sources:

  • Pingliang Government Website: http://www.pingliang.gov.cn/xwzx/mryw/art/2025/art_34f3459f06a34d52856679d6d3bd297a.html.