Experts Urge Inclusion of COPD in National Public Health Program, Signaling a Golden Era for Respiratory Disease Management
During the 2022 “Two Sessions,” Wang Chen, Member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, President of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and President of Peking Union Medical CollegeAcademician Wang ChenRecommendationsIncorporating Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease into the National Basic Public Health Services ProgramNotably, this marks the second time that Academician Wang Chen has formally submitted a proposal on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has now become one of the three major chronic diseases, on par with hypertension and diabetes. Incorporating health management for COPD patients into basic public health services is expected to rapidly address the severe challenges of insufficient social awareness, underdiagnosis and undertreatment, and inadequate patient management. From government agencies and healthcare institutions to social enterprises, early adopters have been actively exploring new models for COPD prevention and control, aiming to bridge the “last mile” gap in COPD management.
Henan Province is a typical representative of pilot initiatives, having established COPD prevention and control centers across the province with a three-tier management system at the provincial, municipal, and county levels.，Furthermore,Zhumadian City, a subordinate administrative region, launched the “Standardized Full-Course Management Project for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)” in late 2020. By integrating COPD management into its public welfare initiatives and vigorously promoting it, the city has established a pilot program for the public health-oriented management of COPD.
Among them, as a corporate force participating in the projectQiyi Medical undertook the program design and technical support.Amid calls at the Two Sessions to include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in China’s National Basic Public Health Services Program, VCBeat interviewed Qiyi Medical to share its successful experiences in respiratory disease management.
Ms. Song Siyi, CEO of Qiyi Medical, stated that improving healthcare accessibility for patients with respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and helping them benefit from care is the founding mission of Qiyi Medical. With increasing national emphasis on respiratory diseases, the introduction of advanced technologies, and the maturation of other supporting conditions, a solid foundation has been laid for the standardized management of respiratory diseases, ushering in an unprecedented opportunity for their management.
Respiratory diseases have historically been the hardest-hit areas in large-scale epidemics, and the state has demonstrated its determination to prevent and control respiratory diseases through policy measures.
Among the proposals submitted during this year’s Two Sessions, apart fromAcademician Wang ChenIn addition,Professor Li Weimin, Dean of West China Hospital of Sichuan University and Deputy to the National People’s Congress; Professor Chi Chunhua, Director of the Department of General Practice at Peking University First Hospital; and Professor Shao Rong, Executive Dean of the Institute of Drug Regulatory Science at China Pharmaceutical UniversityWe jointly call for the prompt inclusion of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in China’s National Basic Public Health Services Program, to enhance public awareness of COPD, strengthen the respiratory disease care system at primary healthcare institutions, and improve the capacity of primary healthcare professionals in prevention, diagnosis, control, treatment, and rehabilitation, thereby truly elevating the overall standards of COPD prevention, diagnosis, and treatment to benefit a broad population of patients.
Currently, a variety of chronic diseases, including hypertension and diabetes, have been incorporated into the National Basic Public Health Services Program for many years, providing a reference service model for the health management of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Based on this,Whether considering the urgent need for prevention and control of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) itself, or the already mature social conditions for implementing COPD prevention and control programs, incorporating COPD into the National Basic Public Health Services Package is a highly cost-effective measure.
It is evident that strengthening the construction of disease prevention, control, and treatment systems for respiratory diseases has become one of the next strategic priorities in the development of China’s national public health system. The unprecedented emphasis placed by policies on the management of respiratory diseases will serve as a significant driving force for the sustained advancement of respiratory health management.
“Favorable Conditions”: Guiding actions according to circumstances, breaking through difficulties and bottlenecks,
Bridging the “Last Mile” in COPD Prevention, Control, and Management
VCBeat, citing relevant reports,During the Two Sessions, Professor Shao Rong, Executive Dean of the School of Drug Regulatory Science at China Pharmaceutical University, stated that the inclusion of services in the National Basic Public Health Services Program requires coordinated implementation at the level of national policy and institutional frameworks.Currently, the main challenge in including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in this program is the insufficient capacity of primary healthcare services. In other words, incorporating COPD into the National Basic Public Health Program poses challenges to the disease management and health education capabilities of primary healthcare professionals.
The development of respiratory medicine has become a national priority, while primary care serves as the foundational bedrock supporting this discipline.Strengthening the capacity for prevention and treatment of respiratory diseases at the primary care level is fundamental to improving the overall standard of respiratory disease management.
To address the root cause,Qiyi Medical has focused on addressing the “diagnostic and treatment capability gaps” among primary care physicians in the implementation of the “Zhumadian Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Full-Course Standardized Management Project.”On one hand, leveraging technology platforms and integrating online and offline efforts to provide comprehensive skills training for primary healthcare workers on COPD knowledge and pulmonary function testing, thereby achieving homogenization and standardization of diagnostic and treatment standards.
On the other hand,Qiyi Medical has independently developed the “Qiyi” full-course management system for respiratory diseases.”, providing physicians with optimal diagnostic and treatment solutions and tools, including SaaS-based management systems, data analytics, smart hardware, post-discharge follow-up systems, and patient-facing applications. These tools address physicians’ needs and value in healthcare delivery, earning high recognition and active participation from the medical community.
From the perspective of national will and local experiences, it can be said that personnel, equipment, medications, and diagnostic and therapeutic techniques have provided fully favorable conditions for the basic medical care of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
“A single thread cannot make a cord; a single tree cannot make a forest.” Standardized disease management requires the concerted efforts of all stakeholders, including governmental administrative power, top-level design by expert teams, and a research spirit that adheres to clinical guidelines—all of which are indispensable. Teams with strong execution capabilities also play a crucial role in disease management, as they must effectively integrate medicine with technology. While pursuing technological innovation, the design of diagnostic and treatment pathways must strictly follow medical principles. Furthermore, disease management processes must be practical and user-friendly for physicians, thereby ensuring the smooth implementation of management programs.
During the implementation of the “Zhumadian Standardized Full-Course Management Project for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)”, the Zhumadian Municipal People's Government signed an agreement with the National Center for Respiratory Medicine of China-Japan Friendship Hospital, under which China-Japan Friendship Hospital will provide guidance on the development of respiratory disciplines and talent training in Zhumadian City, while also carrying out screening and standardized management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) across the entire city of Zhumadian.Qiyi Medical is responsible for building the citywide screening and management platform for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Local village doctors and family physicians can screen populations using a digital mobile app. High-risk individuals identified through screening can be referred to higher-level hospitals for pulmonary function testing. After physicians formulate treatment plans, patients are referred back to village doctors or family physicians for long-term follow-up management. This platform achieves full-process interconnectivity for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) care across medical institutions at all levels in the city, enabling standardized, end-to-end management of COPD for a population of one million, and jointly exploring new models for public health-oriented management of COPD.
The highlight of Zhumadian’s full-cycle management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for its million-strong population lies in leveraging artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, big data, and internet technologies to significantly enhance the efficiency of healthcare service coverage while ensuring quality.While the project was being advanced, local secondary and tertiary hospitals collectively applied for the PCCM Department Standardization Initiative, jointly launched by the Chinese Thoracic Society (CTS) and the Chinese Association of Chest Physicians (CACP). This initiative enhanced standardization in six key areas—personnel, facilities, management, clinical services, departmental operations, and culture—leading to an overall improvement in the discipline. Additionally, all primary healthcare institutions across Zhumadian City participated in the Project for Building and Enhancing the Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment System and Capabilities for Respiratory Diseases in Primary Healthcare Institutions, which significantly improved the capacity for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of respiratory diseases at the primary care level.
Furthermore, by addressing clinical pain points and conducting in-depth analysis of extensive data, Qiyi Medical has initiated clinical research on digital therapeutics for pulmonary rehabilitation in chronic respiratory diseases. Integrating evidence-based medicine with intelligent services, this initiative is poised to become the first innovative tool for primary care respiratory disease management in China, thereby benefiting a broader patient population.
In the process of integrating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) into basic public health management, concerted efforts from all sectors are required. In addition to favorable national policies and support from industry experts, the respiratory care sector has seen an influx of participants in medical devices, innovative drugs, and digital therapeutics. This diversified market landscape and the emergence of innovative therapies are poised to bring new hope to the over 100 million COPD patients in China.
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