Recently, the General Office of the National Health Commission ("NHC") and the General Office of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine ("SATCM") have jointly issued the Circular on Working Effectively on the Implementation of the Regulations on Prevention and Handling of Health Care Disputes (the "Circular").
The Circular states that efforts will be made to carry out all-round publicity and education programs, make good preparations for important work, prevent and resolve health care disputes and put in place administrative response measures. In particular, the Circular expressly states that, all levels of local administrative departments of health ought to intensify the supervision and administration of the quality of medical services offered by medical institutions, urge the strengthened daily management of quality safety of medical services, step up efforts in preventing and controlling risks at core stages and in key areas of medical services, and improve the communication between doctors and patients, with a view to guarding against and reducing health care disputes. Where a healthcare dispute occurs, it shall be responded to in a timely and standard way and be handled under the principles and procedures and by the means, as stated in the Regulations on Prevention and Handling of Health Care Disputes (the "Regulations"). During the implementation of these Regulations, effective efforts shall be made for the connection with the Regulations on the Handling of Medical Accidents.