Shanghai is building a “TCM inspection station” to make TCM services accessible at every turn

On October 18, 2023, the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission announced that the city has successfully established 60 community health service stations specializing in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), known as “TCM巡诊站点” for the 2024 “People’s Livelihood Project.” All of these stations have passed municipal evaluations and are now open to local residents.

According to the statistics, alongside the 112 stations completed in the previous two years, the total number of TCM巡诊站点 in Shanghai has reached 172. This expansion has significantly broadened the service coverage of TCM within communities and further solidified its role as a primary health service.

During a visit to the Yanjin Community Health Service Center’s TCM巡诊站点, a reporter observed that this newly renovated health hub offers a comfortable environment with specialized functions and streamlined processes. The station includes TCM consultation rooms, treatment areas, and health education facilities, all equipped with TCM diagnostic tools, health management cultural dissemination tools, and a digital intelligent network platform, reflecting the unique style of Shanghai’s TCM.

In an initiative that sets them apart, Shanghai’s health department has begun to explore the establishment of TCM stations in commercial buildings. Many of these stations now offer extended services during lunch hours and weekends, catering to a diverse clientele including women, children, teenagers, and working professionals, thereby showcasing the human-touch aspect of TCM services. The “Herb Garden” at the Yanjin TCM巡诊站点 features seasonal herbs, while the surrounding area is filled with the aromatic scent of mugwort and offers specialty health products like seasonal herbal teas and traditional medicinal coffees. Many locals have commented that these stations make traditional culture engaging and more accessible, enabling TCM services to feel within reach and genuinely responsive to community needs.

It was noted that each TCM站点 is staffed with experienced practitioners. In 2024, the Shanghai Health Commission will conduct specialized training programs to enhance community healthcare capabilities. It relies on four major medical alliances led by affiliated hospitals of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, ensuring comprehensive coverage across all 16 districts of the city. These efforts have led to the training of 286 grassroots TCM practitioners, with 53 community doctors being jointly employed by secondary and tertiary TCM hospitals. Importantly, all 16 districts now facilitate the community dispensing of TCM preparations from city hospitals, effectively meeting local demand for TCM care.

The Shanghai Health Commission also mentioned that building on last year’s efforts, 25 new city-level TCM workstations will be established this year, bringing the total to 125. This growth is pivotal in promoting a tiered healthcare system, allowing residents to consult renowned TCM experts from major hospitals without long waits or high costs while receiving quality care close to home.

Each TCM巡诊站点 is now paired with a leading hospital to form an expert advisory team. Specialists from established TCM schools, such as Yang’s Acupuncture, Zhu’s Tui Na, Gu’s Surgery, and Chen’s Gynecology, will visit the stations monthly for consultations and guidance. Additionally, these stations are actively developing tailored TCM health services, establishing self-management groups that regularly provide health guidance based on TCM principles related to diet, emotional balance, therapeutic meals, and exercise.

Looking ahead, the Shanghai Health Commission revealed plans for a new wave of TCM巡诊站点 development in 2024. This will expand selection criteria and promote the sustainability of this “people-centered” project while enhancing service levels and offerings at existing stations, thus optimizing the environment, standardizing services, and fostering a collaborative TCM service network.