National Family Doctor Alliance Officially Launched in Beijing

“Hundreds of flowers have sprouted, and the gentle breeze fans the sunny waves.” On the morning of February 6, 2021, the Inaugural Conference of the National Family Doctor Alliance and the 2021 Forum on Family Doctors and High-Quality Development were successfully held in Beijing. The conference was conducted in a hybrid format, combining online and offline participation, with over 100,000 viewers tuning in to the live stream.

Experts attending the conference in person included: Academician Wang Chen, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, President of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and President of Peking Union Medical College; Professor Li Changming, former Director of the Department of Maternal and Child Health under the Ministry of Health, and Lifetime Honorary Vice President of the China Maternal and Child Health Association; Professor Liu Yuanli, Counselor of the State Council and Executive Dean of the School of Health Policy and Management at Peking Union Medical College; Professor Liu Tingfang, Senior Advisor to the Dean of the Institute for Hospital Management at Tsinghua University and Chair of the Department of Hospital Leadership and Management at the School of Health Policy and Management, Peking Union Medical College; Professor Du Xueping, Deputy Dean of the School of General Practice and Continuing Education at Capital Medical University and President of the General Practitioner Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association; Professor Chi Chunhua, Chair of the Department of General Practice at Peking University Health Science Center and Chairperson of the General Practice Branch of the Chinese Medical Association; and Associate Professor Ma Jing from the Department of Population Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Experts participating in the conference online included: Professor Zhang Zongjiu, Executive Vice Dean of the Hospital Management Institute at Tsinghua University; Professor Li Guodong, President of the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA); Professor Guan Shihai, President of the Macao Society of General Practitioners and Vice President of the General Practice Branch of the World Chinese Physicians Association; Mr. Su Qingquan, President of the Taiwan Chinese Medical Association; and Professor Han Jianjun, Vice President of the Cross-Strait Medicine and Health Exchange Association and Director of the Chinese Journal of General Practice. The conference was moderated by Professor Gu Yuan from Capital Medical University.

The National Family Doctor Alliance is dedicated to organizing and guiding medical institutions in implementing policies related to family doctor contract services issued by the Party and the government, assisting in their effective execution, and refining standards, norms, and workflows for family doctor services. It aims to promote the development of family doctor teams in primary care institutions across China, enhance their service capabilities, and improve the scientific research, management, and service levels of these institutions. The ultimate goal is to advance the construction and development of China’s primary healthcare institutions and systems, elevate the value of primary medical services, and establish a “people-centered family doctor service system with Chinese characteristics.”

Academician Wang Chen, President of Peking Union Medical College, was elected as the Honorary Chairman of the Alliance. Together with Professor Liu Tingfang, he unveiled the plaque for the Alliance and presented letters of appointment to Senior Advisors Professor Li Changming and Professor Liu Yuanli, Alliance Chairman Professor Liu Tingfang, and Executive Chair Professor Gu Yuan. Alliance Chairman Professor Liu Tingfang presented letters of appointment to representatives of some Vice Chairmen, representatives of the Expert Committee, the Secretary-General, and Deputy Secretaries-General. The members of the Alliance Presidium and the Expert Committee include renowned clinical experts, scholars, and government officials in the field of general practice, particularly in family medicine.

Alliance Honorary Chairman Presents Appointment Letters to Senior Alliance Advisors

(Left: Professor Li Changming; Center: Academician Wang Chen; Right: Professor Liu Yuanli)

Honorary Chairman of the Alliance Presents Letter of Appointment to the Alliance Chairman

(Left: Executive Chair Professor Gu Yuan; Center: Academician Wang Chen; Right: Chair Professor Liu Tingfang)

Academician Wang Chen attached great importance to the establishment of the alliance, providing extensive guidance since the preparatory phase. In his address, he began with the history of public health at Peking Union Medical College, elucidated the essence of clinical medicine from five aspects—prevention, diagnosis, control, treatment, and rehabilitation—and highlighted that family doctors can play a significant role in integrating medical care with disease prevention. Finally, Academician Wang outlined the strategic direction for the alliance’s future work and expressed high expectations for its prospects.

In his address, Professor Li Guodong, President of the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA), first affirmed the vital role played by family doctors in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Professor Li pointed out that the establishment of the “National Family Doctor Alliance,” initiated by the School of Health Policy and Management at Peking Union Medical College, is of profound significance. It marks a commitment by Chinese family doctors to advance their profession from a global perspective, guided by the spirit of science, innovation, collaboration, and dedication. Professor Li expressed WONCA’s willingness to seize this opportunity and deepen cooperation with China’s National Family Doctor Alliance, working together to promote the development of family medicine, enhance population health, and build a global community of health for all.

Professor Li Changming, Senior Advisor to the Alliance, and Dr. Liu Xinying, Deputy Director of the Beijing Fangzhuang Community Health Service Center, also delivered remarks respectively.

Left: Professor Li Changming; Right: Dr. Liu Xinying

At the 2021 Family Doctor and High-Quality Development Forum, Professor Liu Yuanli, Senior Advisor of the Alliance; Professor Liu Tingfang, Chairman of the Alliance; and Professor Du Xueping, Vice Chairman of the Alliance, delivered keynote addresses on topics including the innovative development of primary healthcare service systems, research on China’s family doctor service models and performance evaluation indicator systems based on international comparisons, and research on the training and utilization of family doctors in China.

Subsequently, Professor Ma Jing, Vice Chair of the Alliance, moderated a roundtable forum themed “Key Priorities, Challenges, and Breakthroughs in Family Doctor Contract Services under Normalized Epidemic Prevention and Control.” As guest speakers, Director Lin Hainan from the Jialian Street Community Health Service Center in Siming District, Xiamen; Director Luo Xiaolu from the South Railway Station Community Health Service Center in Wuhou District, Chengdu; and President Jiang Yuping from Hongshan Hospital in Huangpu District, Guangzhou, shared their respective distinctive experiences. Professor Gu Yuan, Executive Chair of the Alliance, and Professor Du Xueping, Vice Chair of the Alliance, participated in the discussion. The session concluded with summary remarks by Professor Chi Chunhua, Vice Chair of the Alliance and Chair of the Expert Committee. The aforementioned experts also answered selected questions from online attendees and proposed strategies and countermeasures for further improving family doctor contract services under normalized epidemic prevention and control.