Learning About the Chinese Medical Record System: Beijing

As we near the end of our four day stay in Beijing, the People-to-People Delegation learned a great deal about the people of China, its culture, and their medical records system. Upon arrival to Beijing, (the plane ride was 14 hours from LA to Hong Kong and two hours from Hong Kong to Beijing), delegates quickly changed and visited the Lama Temple. The Lama Temple is one of the sacred sites in Beijing and it houses one of the world's largest Buddhas, carved from a single piece of sandalwood.

On day two, we had an opportunity to present to approximately 200 physicians, nurses, and medical records personnel during an event hosted by the Chinese Medical Records Association (CMRA). There was great interest in the role of medical transcriptionist, since in China physicians are responsible for documenting care. Although medical records departments have personnel to provide quality checks, it is the primary responsibility of physicians to document encounters. However, as China moves toward fully adopting electronic health records, there is interest in learning more about the role of the documentation specialist and determining how it might be adapted into their medical records system. A subgroup of delegates is considering a task force to provide technical assistance and consultation to CMRA.

On day three, the delegation toured Capital University of Medical Sciences, founded in 1960, the key municipal university in Beijing and one the advanced medical institutes in China. The delegation held a roundtable discussion with university leaders and presented to a class of 50 medical information management students on healthcare information trends in the U.S. and the role of medical transcriptionists in patient care delivery.

The delegation also toured the Department of Medical Records at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, a 1,800-bed Class A hospital that averages 7,000 admissions per day. The photo above shows the scanning process used in their medical record department. We met with several medical records heads from the Northern China Provinces to discuss the challenges of health information in China. Chinese representatives were impressed with the level of support the U.S. receives from the Administration in moving our healthcare system to an electronic platform. The Chinese recognize the importance of this goal to improve patient care, decrease medical errors, and create more cost effective and efficient systems of care.

Day four was a cultural day where delegates and guests toured Tian’an Men Square, the Forbidden City, and climbed the Great Wall of China. The people we have met along the way have been very gracious, willing to share and exchange cultural stories, and make us feel at home. We also passed by the construction sites for the 2008 Olympics. We are now ready to fly to our next city, Guilin.