A STATEMENT on the official website of the National Health Commission outlined Friday the detailed guidelines for wholly owned foreign hospitals operating in China.

In early September, China announced the approval of wholly owned foreign hospitals in nine pilot regions as part of efforts to further open up the healthcare sector. These regions include Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Nanjing in Jiangsu Province, Fuzhou in Fujian Province, Guangzhou and Shenzhen in Guangdong, and the entirety of Hainan Island.

In addition to meeting the needs of foreign nationals, these hospitals are intended to cater to specific requirements of Chinese patients, with their management practices potentially offering valuable insights for local medical institutions, the statement said. While China has allowed hospitals jointly funded by domestic and foreign entities for over two decades, there are currently more than 60 such establishments across the nation.

The guidelines mandate that wholly owned foreign hospitals comply with Chinese laws and regulations, alongside additional tailored requirements.

For example, these hospitals must integrate their information management system with local supervision platforms, and their servers storing medical records and data must be located within Chinese mainland to ensure data security.

Wholly-owned foreign hospitals are restricted from establishing hematological institutions, hematological clinical departments, conducting human organ transplants, assisted reproductive treatments, or providing prenatal screenings or diagnoses.

However, they can apply to participate in China’s national medical insurance scheme if they meet the requisite national service payment and pricing standards.

(SD-Agencies)