Qingdao Eye Hospital Leads Formation of Shandong Peninsula Ophthalmology Medical Consortium with 22 Hospitals
VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) has learned that on November 4, the “Eastern Shandong Ophthalmology Medical Consortium,” led by Qingdao Eye Hospital, was officially established to actively promote the development of medical consortiums in eastern Shandong Province, break geographical barriers, and achieve vertical integration of ophthalmic diagnosis and treatment resources. The initial cohort of members includes Qingdao Eye Hospital and 21 other medical institutions across eastern Shandong, spanning multiple cities such as Qingdao, Yantai, Weihai, Rizhao, and Weifang. This marks the first ophthalmology-specific medical consortium covering the Shandong Peninsula.
To implement the reform requirements for public hospitals, better facilitate tiered diagnosis and treatment, meet the healthcare needs of the general public, and effectively strengthen primary care services, Qingdao Eye Hospital has leveraged its platform and professional expertise to lead the establishment of the first ophthalmic medical consortium covering the Shandong Peninsula. Spanning five prefecture-level cities and involving more than 20 medical institutions, this consortium represents a rare scale in the development of medical consortia in Qingdao.
On the morning of November 4, the inaugural conference for the establishment of the Medical Consortium was held at the Shinan main campus of Qingdao Eye Hospital. Yang Xixiang, Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of the Qingdao Municipal Health and Family Planning Commission; Xie Lixin, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and President of Qingdao Eye Hospital; as well as hospital-level and departmental heads from Qingdao Eye Hospital and the other 21 member institutions of the consortium attended the meeting. Representatives from several additional hospitals participated as observer units. The meeting was presided over by Qiao Zhentao, Vice President of Qingdao Eye Hospital.
The founding ceremony was attended by core medical institutions such as the People’s Hospital of Shinan District, the People’s Hospital of Shibei District, the People’s Hospital of Pingdu City, and the People’s Hospital of Jiaozhou City, as well as medical institutions from surrounding cities, including Rongcheng Eye Hospital, Qingzhou Eye Hospital, Rizhao Port Hospital, and Haiyang Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital. The Ophthalmology Medical Consortium has demonstrated full inclusivity by comprehensively integrating both general hospitals and specialized ophthalmic hospitals.
On the morning of the day, Director Yang Xixiang, Academician Xie Lixin, and representatives from member units of the medical consortium jointly pushed the launch lever, announcing the official establishment of the Ophthalmology Medical Consortium in Eastern Shandong. A plaque-awarding ceremony for the consortium’s member units was also held on site. Following the establishment of the consortium, both parties will engage in in-depth exchanges and cooperation in areas such as expert consultations, two-way referrals, discipline development, and talent training.
Director Yang Xixiang stated at the meeting, “The transition of the Medical Consortium from establishment to sound operation relies on innovations in mechanisms, management, and processes. We hope that Qingdao Eye Hospital will broaden its horizons, engage in continuous exploration and bold practice, leverage its specialized professional advantages, and orient its efforts toward the actual needs of primary care hospitals. The goal is to promptly establish a new healthcare delivery pattern characterized by initial diagnosis at primary care facilities, tiered diagnosis and treatment, separate management of acute and chronic conditions, and two-way referrals, thereby driving the overall development of ophthalmology in our city and the eastern region of Shandong Province.”
Academician Xie Lixin stated, “The establishment of medical consortiums is not merely a formality; rather, it must achieve cooperation, mutual benefit, and development. Prior to the formal establishment of the medical consortium platform, we maintained long-term, close operational ties with numerous primary care hospitals in the Shandong Peninsula region, particularly in emergency referrals. We have a thorough understanding of the practical needs for ophthalmology development at hospitals of all levels and have given deep consideration to how to ensure that medical consortiums play a substantive role. Through the construction of these consortiums, we aim to facilitate the downward flow of high-quality medical resources and effectively help primary healthcare institutions enhance their diagnostic and treatment capabilities.”
Currently, the construction of medical consortia is emerging rapidly across various regions. As a leader in ophthalmology in Shandong Province, Qingdao Eye Hospital has not blindly followed this trend by hastily launching such initiatives. Instead, it has conducted continuous and in-depth research and practice, adhering to the principle of “planning before acting” and tailoring its approach to the specific needs of each medical institution.
Recognizing the generally weak capabilities of primary healthcare institutions in the diagnosis and treatment of fundus diseases, Qingdao Eye Hospital has leveraged its core specialties, including Medical Retina and Vitreoretinal Surgery, to establish in-depth collaborations with various medical institutions. Furthermore, through targeted communication aligned with the specific development needs of each institution’s campuses and departments, the hospital has facilitated mutual assistance at the departmental level.
The “Ophthalmology Medical Consortium in Eastern Shandong,” spearheaded by Qingdao Eye Hospital, adheres to the principle of seeking truth and being pragmatic, and has introduced concrete measures in three areas: physician training, remote consultations, and referral of patients with complex and difficult cases.
First, the hospital has established a permanent liaison office to facilitate communication channels within the medical consortium and create a green channel for two-way referrals.
Second, Qingdao Eye Hospital has established a "Fundus Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center" featuring multi-departmental collaboration, and introduced Daheng Puxin, a leading domestic PACS developer, to build a platform for remote consultations and image interpretation, facilitating timely communication of patient conditions.
Third, rapidly organize and implement physician training programs within member hospitals to genuinely enhance the ophthalmic diagnostic and treatment capabilities of primary healthcare institutions.
Not long ago, a patient suffered a ruptured globe due to work-related trauma. From the incident to his arrival at Jiaozhou People’s Hospital, followed by emergency transfer via 120 ambulance, examination at Qingdao Eye Hospital, and completion of surgery in the operating room, the entire process took only three hours. This efficiency was made possible by the significant role played by the Medical Consortium.
Song Chunling, Director of the Department of Ophthalmology at Jiaozhou People’s Hospital, stated that we can now confidently assert that, through our medical consortium partnership with Qingdao Eye Hospital, residents of Jiaozhou who visit the hospital’s ophthalmology department will have access to optimal treatment pathways for all ocular conditions, whether emergencies or other eye diseases.
Fang Jianzhuang, President of Rongcheng Eye Hospital, also stated that the opening of the Qingdao-Rongcheng Intercity Railway has facilitated patient access to medical care in Qingdao. Furthermore, collaboration with Qingdao Eye Hospital within the medical consortium framework will drive the overall development of Rongcheng Eye Hospital, providing a significant boost to talent development and departmental construction.