Beijing's health authorities have urged its 51 major public hospitals to provide weekend outpatient services starting from the end of this year.

The new move is designed to better improve city-wide health care system and bring more convenience to the public.

According to a latest rule announced Friday by the Beijing Health Bureau, the upcoming weekend outpatient services at local major public hospitals should be available from 8: 00 AM to 11: 00 AM on Saturdays and Sundays. Whether senior doctors will be arranged on all weekend services, each of the required hospitals will have to manage on their own.

To accommodate the service, the new rule also demands nurses and technical professionals in related hospital sections be in place, and medical equipment be in operation and pharmacy services on the run for in-time relief to patients. The Health Bureau also suggested relevant hospitals to invite retired veteran doctors back to support the designed weekend medical services.

This decision, however, was not that welcomed by all hospitals. Some complained about their being short of manpower and having extra work load. Others say such weekend services might even bring about more possible economic losses.

Despite such negative feedbacks, Beijing's health authorities firmly stressed that the importance of public welfare must be given first priority and all possible efforts should be made to alleviate the heavy medical burdens patients now have to face.

At present, Beijing's eastern Chaoyang Hospital and Sino-Japan Friendship Hospital are already on the trial run of "holiday-free" medical services, while its southern Xuanwu Hospital is also scheduled to run such a service after the May Day Holiday.

(CRIENGLISH.com April 29, 2007)