Beijing to allow doctors to open private clinics  

北京在职医生将可开私人诊所 有望跨省多点执业

(ECNS) -- Beijing plans to allow doctors who work in public hospitals to also open private clinics, a move to make medical services available to more people, the Beijing Municipal Health and Family Planning Commission said on Thursday.

Lu Ming, head of the medical affairs department under the commission, said the new policy aims to lessen the burden on public hospitals and provide more access to qualified doctors.

Although detailed measures have not been formulated, there will be certain requirements for doctors who want to open clinics, Lu said.

The city will disclose medical service information to help enterprises or individuals set up private hospitals or clinics in Beijing, said Fan Shimin, another official from the commission.

Yu Ying, an outspoken doctor who has gained 2.7 million followers on the social networking site Sina Weibo, resigned last summer from the prestigious Peking Union Medical College Hospital to open a private clinic.

Yu told the Beijing Youth Daily that she is still finding a proper place to open the clinic, and suggested that the government should give more preferential policies to private clinics.

As Beijing already allows doctors to work in different hospitals within the city, the commission may also remove regional restrictions and encourage Beijing doctors to work in neighboring Hebei province and Tianjin municipality.