Primary physicians to offer family doctor services nationwide by 2027

China has rolled out a series of measures to improve family doctor services, according to a document released on Monday by the National Health Commission and two other government departments.

By the end of 2027, all physicians at primary healthcare institutions — regardless of their specialties — will be expected to provide family doctor services, including those who have been dispatched from larger hospitals for more than one year, the document said.

Medical specialists from reputable private institutions are also encouraged to participate in offering family doctor services.

The scope of family doctor services will be expanded to cover both chronic and infectious disease management.

The document requires family doctors to deliver education, referrals, follow-up care and vaccinations for common respiratory, gastrointestinal and vector-borne diseases, as well as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. Priority groups include the elderly and children.

Qualified family doctors may write vaccine prescriptions for enrolled patients, it added.

The document also calls for contract services with flexible durations, streamlined referrals from family doctors to specialists at higher-level hospitals, and the use of artificial intelligence tools to expand service capacity.

China launched family doctor contract services in 200 cities nationwide in 2016. By the end of 2025, the country had about 1.39 million family doctors. Their priority groups include the elderly, children, pregnant women, and patients with high blood pressure, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.