[Preview of the Weekly] Respiratory Diseases in Children Overwhelm Medical System: What Challenges Do Community Pediatrics Face in Providing Care? (AI Translation)
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- Beijing's pediatric healthcare system faced a peak in respiratory illnesses during the autumn and winter of 2023, with major hospitals overwhelmed and community hospitals attempting to alleviate the pressure.
- Despite significant government investment in strengthening primary care and pediatric services, there is still a considerable gap between community healthcare capabilities and patient preferences for higher-level hospitals.
- The recent surge in pediatric cases has highlighted the need for sustained training of general practitioners in child healthcare, better resource allocation, and stronger incentives to retain talent at the community level.
文｜财新周刊 汤涵钰
By Tang Hanyu, Caixin Weekly
新年伊始，焦头烂额了一整个秋冬的北京市儿科门诊和病房，终于看到一些放松的苗头。此时，由社区医院增设儿科门诊以分流三甲医院压力的尝试仍在进行。
At the beginning of the new year, pediatric outpatient clinics and wards in Beijing, which had been overwhelmed throughout the autumn and winter, finally began to see signs of easing. At this time, efforts to alleviate the pressure on tertiary hospitals by setting up additional pediatric outpatient services in community hospitals were still underway.
疫情之前的每个秋冬季也常见儿科就诊高峰，但是2023年高峰开始早、持续久，令医院和医生尤其疲惫。11月，北京两大儿科机构——北京儿童医院、首都儿科研究所（下称“首都儿研所”）的发热门急诊量，日均可达上千号。综合医院儿科同样承压，有的次日上午仍在处理前夜急诊号。不少医生和患儿家属表示，夸张程度超过往常。
Prior to the pandemic, pediatric clinics often saw a surge in visits every autumn and winter. However, the peak in 2023 began earlier and lasted longer, leaving hospitals and doctors particularly exhausted. In November, the daily emergency visits for fever at Beijing's two major pediatric institutions—Beijing Children's Hospital and Capital Institute of Pediatrics (referred to as "Capital Institute")—could reach over a thousand. Comprehensive hospitals' pediatric departments were also under pressure, with some still dealing with the previous night's emergency cases the following morning. Many doctors and patients' families noted that the extent of the surge exceeded usual levels.
大医院高压之下，主管部门接连发声，建议轻症患儿前往社区等基层医疗机构分流就诊。国家卫健委基层司司长傅卫近日在发布会上表示，从11月26日至12月24日，基层每日呼吸道疾病诊疗量占全国医疗机构呼吸道疾病诊疗量的40%左右。
Under the pressure facing major hospitals, supervisory departments have successively spoken out, suggesting that children with mild symptoms should seek treatment at community and other primary healthcare facilities to alleviate the burden. Fu Wei, Director-General of the Primary Health Department of China's National Health Commission, recently stated at a press conference that from November 26 to December 24, daily respiratory disease treatments at the primary level accounted for about 40% of such treatments across all national medical institutions.
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