Notice of the General Office of the National Health Commission on Issuing the Guidelines for the Construction and Management of Geriatrics Departments (Trial)

VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) reports that the General Office of the National Health Commission recently issued the "Guidelines for the Construction and Management of Geriatrics Departments (Trial)." The notice requires secondary and above general hospitals with appropriate conditions to establish geriatrics departments. It provides detailed specifications on departmental structure, facility allocation, and operational requirements; staffing configurations, including physicians and nurses; departmental management protocols; and quality supervision measures.

Image source: Official website of the Bureau of Medical Administration and Medical Services

Article 1 To guide and standardize the construction and management of geriatrics departments, promote the development of the healthcare service system for the elderly, advance the field of geriatric medicine, and ensure medical quality and safety, these Guidelines are formulated in accordance with the Law of the People's Republic of China on Licensed Physicians, the Regulations on the Administration of Medical Institutions, the Regulations on Nurses, and other relevant laws and regulations.

Article 2 General hospitals shall establish and manage their departments of geriatrics in accordance with these Guidelines. Specialized hospitals and other medical institutions that establish departments of geriatrics shall implement these Guidelines by reference.

Article 3 General hospitals establishing a Department of Geriatrics shall obtain the corresponding qualifications for diagnostic and therapeutic services, and the department shall be named “Department of Geriatrics.” Secondary-level and above general hospitals with the necessary conditions shall establish a Department of Geriatrics.

Article 4 The Department of Geriatric Medicine primarily admits elderly patients suffering from geriatric syndromes, multimorbidity, and other acute or chronic diseases.

Article 5 Health administrative departments at all levels shall strengthen guidance and supervision over geriatrics departments. General hospitals shall enhance the development and management of geriatrics departments, improve the quality of medical services, and ensure patient safety.

Article 6Geriatrics departments shall be equipped with outpatient consultation rooms, inpatient wards, and comprehensive assessment rooms. The number of beds shall be ≥20; the net usable area per bed shall be ≥7 m²; the distance between beds should be ≥1.0 m; and the area of the restroom should be ≥4 m².. Ward setup standards comply with national regulations. Outpatient clinics, inpatient wards, and related public areas of the Department of Geriatrics shall meet the safety requirements for activity spaces and seating/lying facilities for elderly patients, and implement relevant national standards for barrier-free design.

Article 7 General Hospitals Establishing a Department of GeriatricsIt shall have departmental configurations related to geriatrics., including the Department of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medical Psychology (Office), Department of Nutrition, Department of Anesthesiology, Department of Surgery, Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Gynecology, Department of Oncology, Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Department of Rehabilitation (Office), Department of Pharmacy, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Department of Medical Imaging, and Department of Blood Transfusion (Office), among others.

Article 8 Requirements for the Department of Geriatric MedicineBasic Equipment: wheelchairs, transfer beds (or medical stretchers), standing and walking aids, seated scales; alarm systems, oxygen supply devices, negative pressure suction devices, infusion pumps, syringe pumps, etc. Meanwhile, it is necessary to haveEmergency Rescue Equipment: endotracheal intubation equipment, bag-valve-mask resuscitators; electrocardiogram monitors, cardiac defibrillators, and other equipment corresponding to the clinical diagnosis and treatment services of geriatrics.Encourage hospitals with the necessary conditions to install auxiliary bathing equipment, electric nursing beds, and self-transfer devices.etc.

Article 9 The Department of Geriatric Medicine shall be patient-centered for the elderly, adoptingConventional Model of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment, Multimorbidity Management Model, and Multidisciplinary Team Work Model,Provide medical care to elderly patients, maximizing the maintenance and restoration of their functional status.

Article 10 The Department of Geriatrics shall establish fixed liaisons with community health centers, medical-nursing combined institutions, nursing homes, and other mid- to long-term care institutions through the hospital.Regular remote consultations, online training, and bidirectional referrals with primary care institutions can be conducted to achieve continuous treatment and comprehensive, uninterrupted care for elderly patients.

Article 11 In addition to managing patients in their own wards and conducting outpatient services, physicians in the Department of Geriatrics shall participate in geriatric care activities across other specialties, such as preoperative assessment and perioperative management of high-risk elderly patients, and consultations.

Article 12 Configuration of Bed Unit Facilities: Implement in accordance with the standards for general hospitals of the corresponding level.

Article 13 Physicians in the Department of Geriatrics are physicians who are registered with the health administrative departments, have obtained professional practice qualifications in clinical medicine, and have undergone relevant training to provide medical services specializing in geriatrics. Nurses in the Department of Geriatrics are nurses who are registered with the health administrative departments.

Article 14 Department of Geriatric MedicineEach hospital bed shall be staffed with ≥0.3 physicians and ≥0.6 nurses.The staffing of geriatricians in the Department of Geriatrics shouldEnsure the three-tier ward round system.Encourage hospitals with the necessary conditions to staff rehabilitation therapists, dietitians, psychotherapists, clinical pharmacists, and other personnel.

Article 15 Tertiary General HospitalsThe director of the Department of Geriatrics shall be a physician who holds a senior professional technical title (associate senior level or above) and has worked continuously in the Department of Geriatrics for more than five years.The Director of the Department of Geriatrics in a Level II General Hospital shall be a physician with an intermediate or higher professional technical title.

Article 16 General hospitals shall ensure the sustainable development of the Department of Geriatrics, maintain a complete and rationally structured workforce hierarchy, define clear job responsibilities, foster distinct team collaboration, implement scientific service workflows, standardize medical quality, and preserve complete information records.

Article 17 General hospitals shall scientifically formulate talent development objectives and position-specific training plans for the Department of Geriatrics, conduct regular practical assessments, and continuously improve the professional competence and standards of geriatric medical personnel.

Article 18 The Department of Geriatric Medicine shall establish and improve, and strictly comply with, the corresponding rules and regulations, job responsibilities, diagnostic and treatment standards, and operating procedures.

Article 19The Department of Geriatrics shall establish technical specifications for comprehensive geriatric assessment, a multidisciplinary service model for older adults, and technical protocols and management measures for falls, bed falls, pressure injuries, aspiration, and palliative care in elderly patients.In accordance with industry standards such as the Safety Requirements for Patient Activity Areas and Seating/Lying Facilities in Medical Institutions, formulate patient safety assurance measures tailored to the characteristics of older adults, and ensure their effective implementation.Establish a two-way referral mechanism for elderly patients between hospitals and rehabilitation, nursing, and community health service centers.。

Article 20 The Department of Geriatric Medicine shall comply with the requirements of the Measures for the Administration of Hospital Infection Control and other relevant laws and regulations, strengthen hospital infection management, establish systems for the safety management of clinical blood use, and ensure medical quality and safety.

Article 21 The provincial health administrative departments shall entrust qualified institutions to serve as quality control centers for geriatric medicine, and carry out medical quality control work for the geriatric medicine specialty in accordance with the relevant requirements of the Measures for Medical Quality Management.

Article 22 Medical institutions shall actively cooperate with the guidance and quality control work carried out by the health administrative departments and their entrusted geriatric medical quality control centers, and shall not refuse or obstruct such work, nor provide false materials.

Article 23 These Guidelines shall be interpreted by the National Health Commission.

Article 24 These Guidelines shall come into force on the date of promulgation.

Note: Source of the document: Medical Administration and Medical Service Bureauhttp://www.nhc.gov.cn/yzygj/s7655/201912/de6d5fe0b5b8446d993f4c9129424885.shtml