Tongji Hospital Launches Radiology Alliance Offering Five Core Services: Standardization, Training, Support, Consultation, and Green Channel

January 19, 2018, Wuhan Conference Center.

On the occasion of the 4th Yangtze River Medical Imaging Summit, Professor Wang Wei, President of Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, together with one hundred domestic experts and one thousand hospital representatives, jointly witnessed the launch ceremony of the Radiology Alliance of Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology.

“On April 26, 2017, the General Office of the State Council issued the Guiding Opinions on Promoting the Construction and Development of Medical Consortia. The opinions state that launching the construction of medical consortia is an important step and institutional innovation in deepening healthcare reform. It helps adjust and optimize the structural layout of medical resources, promote the shifting of focus and resources in medical and health services to the grassroots level, enhance primary care service capacity, facilitate the vertical integration of medical resources, improve the overall efficiency of the healthcare service system, better implement tiered diagnosis and treatment, and meet the public’s health needs.”

“On June 29, 2017, to earnestly implement the spirit of documents such as the Guiding Opinions of the General Office of the State Council on Promoting the Construction and Development of Medical Consortia (Guo Ban Fa [2017] No. 32) and the Notice of the General Office of the Hubei Provincial People’s Government on Issuing the Implementation Plan for Promoting the Construction of a Tiered Diagnosis and Treatment System in Hubei Province (E Zheng Ban Fa [2016] No. 7), the General Office of the Hubei Provincial People’s Government issued the Implementation Opinions on Promoting the Construction and Development of Medical Consortia. The opinions encourage key specialties of tertiary hospitals and specialized hospitals to establish cross-regional specialty alliances.”

“In response to the call from the state and government, to implement the deployment of building medical consortiums, to better leverage Tongji Hospital’s leading role in the field of regional radiology, to accelerate the improvement of diagnostic and treatment capabilities as well as disciplinary development at local primary hospitals, and to better serve the health needs of the broad population in the region, the Radiology Alliance of Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology is hereby formally established. The Alliance will provide five core functions: standardization guidance, advanced training, assistance support, consultation for complex cases, and green-channel referrals. Currently, 158 institutions intend to join the Alliance. Leveraging the platform of the 4th Yangtze River Medical Imaging Summit Forum, the Alliance is officially launched today.”

As the countdown clock, imbued with the spirit of the times, ticked closer to zero, the Radiology Alliance was officially launched. This milestone was driven by the joint efforts of Professor Jin Zhengyu, Chairman of the Chinese Society of Radiology; Professor Feng Xiaoyuan, Former Chairman of the Chinese Society of Radiology; Professor Lu Guangming, Vice Chairman of the Chinese Society of Radiology; Professor Zhu Wenzhen, Vice President of Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Professor Xia Liming, Director of the Department of Radiology at Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology; General Manager Yang Haolin, Founder of 365 Hospital Network; and nine representatives from various hospitals.

The nine hospital presidents representing their respective specialized fields include: Ke Sanhua, Party Secretary of Hong’an County People’s Hospital (representing county-level hospitals); Shao Jianbo, President of Wuhan Children’s Hospital (the largest tertiary A specialized hospital in Central China); Zhou Jun, Vice President of Yichang Central People’s Hospital (a comprehensive tertiary A hospital in Western Hubei); Wang Hongliang, Vice President of the Central Hospital of Edong Medical Group (the largest hospital consortium in Eastern Hubei); Li Huazhang, Vice President of Hubei Rongjun Hospital (the largest medical institution directly affiliated with the Hubei Provincial Department of Civil Affairs); Hu Wangming, Chairman of Hubei Jianghan Oilfield General Hospital (representing enterprise-run hospitals in Hubei Province); Li Xugui, President of Wuhan 672 Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital; Bao Xuejuan, Deputy General Manager of Wuhan Meinian Onehealth Healthcare Management Co., Ltd. (currently the largest nationwide chain of health checkup centers); and Ji Qi, General Manager of Hubei Rongjun Zhuoyue Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (an independent third-party imaging center).

Representatives from Wuhan Children’s Hospital, Yichang Central People’s Hospital, and Hong’an County People’s Hospital—on behalf of nine hospitals—completed the on-site signing ceremony with Professor Zhu Wenzhen, Vice President of Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology.

Professor Jin Zhengyu, Chairman of the Chinese Society of Radiology (CSR); Professor Feng Xiaoyuan, Former Chairman of the CSR; Professor Lu Guangming, Vice Chairman of the CSR; Professor Zhu Wenzhen, Vice President of Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology; and Professor Xia Liming, Director of the Department of Radiology at Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, respectively conducted the plaque-awarding ceremony for representatives from nine hospitals.

Following the launch ceremony, more hospital representatives on site expressed their willingness to join the alliance and gained a detailed understanding of the five core functions of the Tongji Hospital Radiology Alliance. Professor Zhu Wenzhen, Vice President of Tongji Hospital, and Professor Xia Liming, Director of the Department of Radiology at Tongji Hospital, provided thorough explanations to the attendees.

Regulations: Based on the specific requirements for radiology department development and practical operational experience, Tongji Hospital’s Department of Radiology has compiled a comprehensive set of guidelines, including standards for radiology discipline construction and operational protocols. These resources are designed to assist member institutions of the alliance in developing their own medical and technical management systems tailored to their specific circumstances, and to ensure effective implementation thereof. The ultimate goal is to achieve unified regulations, standardized systems, and consistent operational standards across the alliance.

Advanced Training: As a vital pathway for the professional development of radiology staff in lower-tier hospitals, the Department of Radiology at Tongji Hospital offers additional advanced training positions to medical and technical personnel from allied healthcare institutions, in accordance with its annual advanced training plan, to support their professional advancement.

Support: Experts from the Department of Radiology at Tongji Hospital enhance the academic standards of alliance member institutions through methods such as thesis guidance and participation in research projects. Furthermore, they organize effective support initiatives, including academic training and on-site teaching, for member institutions across various regions on an irregular basis.

Difficult Cases: More than 20 experts at the level of professors and associate professors from Tongji Hospital in Wuhan routinely provide top-down consultation services to all alliance member units.

Green Channel: Wuhan Tongji Hospital provides comprehensive admission services for critically ill patients from alliance member institutions who are unable to receive adequate treatment at their own facilities, thereby offering more convenient and expedited hospitalization.