China steps up geriatric healthcare services at major hospitals

In a move to bolster medical support for its expanding elderly population, China's National Health Commission (NHC) has issued updated guidelines mandating that general hospitals of the top two tiers nationwide establish dedicated geriatric clinics.

This initiative aims to address the pressing healthcare needs stemming from the country's rapidly aging demographics. Geriatric clinics are primarily designed to treat elderly patients suffering from geriatric syndromes, multiple chronic conditions and acute illnesses. 

The revised guidelines, which supersede the 2019 version, specify that geriatric clinics must include outpatient consultation rooms, wards and comprehensive evaluation rooms. 

Tertiary hospitals, the top tier, are required to allocate no fewer than 20 beds for geriatric care, while secondary hospitals must provide at least 10 beds.

To ensure comprehensive care, the clinics must be equipped with essential life-support devices such as tracheal intubation tools, simple respirators, electrocardiogram monitors and cardiac defibrillators. 

Hospitals are also encouraged to install auxiliary bathing facilities, electric nursing beds, self-transfer devices, enteral nutrition infusion pumps and rehabilitation training equipment.

The guidelines also emphasize a multidisciplinary approach, requiring geriatric clinics to integrate professionals from internal medicine, oncology, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), rehabilitation, mental health, nursing, pharmacy and nutrition. This holistic strategy not only enhances medical services but also actively incorporates TCM therapies to provide well-rounded care for elderly patients.

Necessary but challenging

China's elderly population, defined as individuals aged 60 and above, reached approximately 310 million in 2023, accounting for 22 percent of the total population. 

In response to this aging trend, the NHC has rolled out several policy documents aimed at building and improving elderly health service systems. A notice released by the NHC in November 2024 sets a target for 80 percent of top and secondary-level general hospitals to have standardized geriatric departments by the end of 2027.

According to data from the NHC, the number of general hospitals of the top two tiers with geriatric departments increased from 4,685 in 2021 to 6,877 in 2023.

However, experts point out that the establishment and effective operation of independent geriatric departments face multiple challenges. 

As an emerging discipline, geriatric medicine suffers from a significant shortage of specialized healthcare professionals. Additionally, factors such as low service fees have led to a general lack of enthusiasm among medical institutions nationwide for geriatric department development.