Boston Scientific Launches 'Precision PCI Grassroots Initiative' to Support China's 'Thousand County Project'

BeijingApril 23, 2022PR Newswire -- Today, Boston Scientific (NYSE: BSX), a global leader in the field of minimally invasive interventional treatments, has responded positively to the "Thousand Counties Project" initiative by China's National Health Commission. Focusing on enhancing the capabilities of county-level cardiology departments, Boston Scientific has joined hands with the National Cardiovascular Disease Management Capacity Assessment and Enhancement Project (CDQI) to officially launch the "Thousand Counties Project Precision PCI Grassroots Initiative" in Beijing. This project aims to promote resource sharing and integration, assist county hospitals in establishing minimally invasive interventional centers for coronary heart disease, enhance the medical service capabilities of county hospitals, further extend high-quality medical resources to the grassroots level, and support the realization of a tiered medical treatment system.

"Thousand Counties Project Precision PCI Grassroots Initiative" Launch Ceremony

A relevant official from the Medical Administration Department of the National Health Commission interpreted national policies at the launch meeting of the Thousand Counties Project: "The 'Thousand Counties Project' launched by the National Health Commission aims to fundamentally address issues related to fairness and accessibility in medical services for residents in county-level areas. Our goal is 'to have at least 1,000 county hospitals across China reach the service capability level of tertiary hospitals by 2025.' Achieving this goal requires optimal allocation of resources, improved management of systems and processes, implementation of diagnostic and treatment standards, as well as capacity building for the health 'gatekeepers,' and active participation from industry, academia, research, and medical sectors. There is significant anticipation that through collaborative efforts, the 'Thousand Counties Project - Precision PCI Grassroots Initiative' will expand and extend high-quality medical technologies in the field of highly prevalent cardiovascular diseases, fulfilling the basic medical service needs of county-level regions."

Ma Changsheng, Director of the Cardiology Center at Beijing Anzhen Hospital affiliated with Capital Medical University, shared insights on the Cardiovascular Disease Management Capability Assessment and Enhancement Project (CDQI): "CDQI is one of the largest bases in China for the incubation, application, and evaluation of new technologies in cardiovascular disease diagnosis and treatment, as well as a leading training ground for cardiovascular specialists. Its establishment aims to guide the healthy development of China's cardiovascular disease discipline through clinical research based on real-world data, striving to achieve the best clinical practices and research by nurturing top talent and enhancing the diagnosis, treatment, research, and control capabilities of cardiovascular diseases. This 'Thousand County Project Precision PCI Grassroots Initiative' will promote the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular internal medicine and strengthen the academic development of cardiology departments, thereby comprehensively improving cardiovascular medical standards at the county level."

"For Boston Scientific, being able to collaborate with the National Health Commission and CDQI on the 'Thousand Counties Project for Precision PCI at the Grassroots Level' fills us with great honor and a profound sense of responsibility," said Ms. Zhang Jun, President of Boston Scientific Greater China. "We will implement the concept of 'Boundless Love,' fully leveraging our innovative capabilities in the field of minimally invasive interventions and the professional educational expertise we have accumulated locally over the years, to promote the implementation of the project at the grassroots level, allowing high-quality medical resources to benefit a broad base of county-level patients as soon as possible."

On the day of the launch conference, the "Thousand County Project" CDQI training sessions were simultaneously initiated across multiple locations in China. The event connected with three training centers: Xingyi People's Hospital in Guizhou Province, Zhuzhou People's Hospital in Hunan Province, and Bethune Hospital Shanxi, to jointly witness the launch of the "Thousand County Project Precision PCI Grassroots Initiative."

Minimally Invasive Interventional Treatment Enters Thousands of Counties, Assisting in Achieving ""Serious illnesses need not leave the county"

CDQI is a project jointly implemented by the National Clinical Research Center for Cardiovascular Diseases and the Chinese Society of Cardiology under the guidance of the National Health Commission's Capacity Building and Continuing Education Center. It aims to build a clinical quality evaluation and capacity improvement system by establishing high-quality diagnosis and treatment standards and practical courses, creating an Internet-based training and technical support platform, improving offline training and on-site technical guidance models, developing a series of clinical diagnosis and treatment assistance tools, and enhancing clinical research capabilities. The project also seeks to establish national standardized cardiovascular disease centers covering medical institutions at all levels in China, promote the implementation of CDQI construction standards, and stimulate the upward and downward flow of high-quality medical resources.

The "Thousand Counties Project: Precision PCI Grassroots Initiative," under the guidance of China's National Health Commission and CDQI standards, aims to establish "CDQI Coronary Heart Disease Centers" in county-level hospitals. This initiative will collectively enhance the capacity for PCI procedures at the county level, explore practical experiences and standardized models for tiered medical care, and promote the nationwide implementation of CDQI in China.

Currently, the project has formulated a three-year implementation plan from 2022 to 2024. Through an innovative training model that links provinces, cities, and counties, it will promote the deployment of high-quality teaching resources and encourage talent mobility for learning. At the same time, the CDQI certification assistance program and the Precision PCI Grassroots Campaign mini-program have been launched, establishing multiple online learning platforms to ensure the timely sharing of the latest policies, academic trends, and diagnostic and treatment technologies. It is expected that within three years, the project will reach more than 700 county-level hospitals online and over 600 county-level hospitals in 16 key provinces offline, accelerating the improvement of minimally invasive interventional diagnosis and treatment for coronary heart disease at the county level and contributing to the goal of "major illnesses not leaving the county."

Health Promotion Knows No Boundaries, Enhancing Primary Healthcare Standards

In the field of coronary intervention, Boston Scientific currently possesses a complete product line capable of providing comprehensive solutions for coronary interventional procedures. As one of the earliest foreign enterprises to enter China's coronary intervention treatment sector, the company has been deeply involved in talent cultivation and technical standardization within this field in China. Over the past two years, Boston Scientific has provided remote support for more than 1,500 coronary interventional surgeries across over 60 hospitals in 25 provinces of China, utilizing remote technology to enhance the accessibility of cardiac interventional procedures.

Since 2013, Boston Scientific has successively established Innovation Training Institutes and Innovation Centers in Shanghai, Beijing, and Chengdu. It has also built a multi-faceted training platform and system that integrates offline simulation training, online systematic courses, and 5G training live broadcasts to deliver advanced medical technologies across multiple disease areas to broader regions in China. By launching the industry's first mobile education and training bus, Boston Scientific has further brought advanced medical technologies covering multiple disease areas to extensive grassroots regions, truly achieving wide coverage and deep empowerment, and bridging the "last mile" for grassroots doctors' professional development.

Ms. Zhang Jun, President of Boston Scientific Greater China, stated, "2022 marks the 25th anniversary of Boston Scientific's presence in China, and launching this significant public welfare project at this milestone is profoundly meaningful. In the future, we will stay true to our original aspiration of walking alongside doctors and patients, accelerate the introduction of innovative products, and serve patients across a broader range of disease treatment areas. We will also continue to collaborate closely with the government and local partners to enhance grassroots medical capabilities, contributing to rural revitalization and the 'Healthy China' initiative!"

About Boston Scientific

Boston Scientific Corporation is committed to innovation for life. We are dedicated to innovative medical solutions that improve the lives of patients around the world. For more than four decades, Boston Scientific has consistently led the global medical technology industry by providing a wide range of high-performance medical solutions that meet critical patient needs, while reducing healthcare costs. For more information, please visit the company’s website:www.bostonscientific.cn

About Boston Scientific Greater China

Boston Scientific established its China headquarters in Shanghai in 1997 and currently has branch offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. The company's core businesses encompass interventional cardiology, structural heart disease, cardiac rhythm management and electrophysiology, endoscopic intervention, peripheral and tumor intervention, urology and pelvic floor health, respiratory products, and more. Upholding its tradition as an innovation leader, Boston Scientific is committed to becoming a respected medical technology company that meets the needs of doctors and patients, demonstrates innovative vitality, and delivers high-quality medical products and services for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. For more detailed information, please visit the company’s website:www.bostonscientific.cn