Eight Beijing-based hospitals that offer high-quality medical services and also charge high fees made their debut in Beijing Sunday with permission from Beijing's medical administration departments.

Being the first group of commercial hospitals in this capital city of China, the eight can both decide how to serve patients and fix medical service prices, according to regulations drawn up by the Beijing Municipal Public Health Bureau (BMPHB).

The commercial hospitals will offer more comprehensive and considerate services than the government-run ones, including free consultation and follow-up medical treatment, according to a doctor at one of the eight hospitals. As a result, the service prices will become much higher.

Patients of the eight hospitals have to pay their medical bills themselves even if they have medical insurance for government-run hospitals.

Non-profit hospitals

Beijing has some 80 government-run hospitals that enjoy government subsidies. The medical service prices of such hospitals, which provide basic medical treatment, are also decided by the government.

Government-run hospitals will continue their dominant position in Beijing's hospital system, and sustain the duty of offering basic medical treatment services to the masses, said Jin Dapeng, deputy director of the BMPHB.

(People's Daily December 31, 2001)