Baiyin: At the home of 75-year-old Wu Ling in Baiyin, Gansu Province, Zhao Yanyan, a licensed nurse, has become a regular visitor, attending to Wu’s bedridden husband by changing his urinary catheter with precision and care.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Wu expressed her gratitude by offering Zhao a cup of tea, thanking her for the invaluable service. Wu learned how to book nursing services online from her child, and since April 2023, Zhao has been providing consistent care for her husband, who has been bedridden since 2019. This innovative “Internet plus nursing” service allows Wu’s husband to receive hospital-quality care at home.
The complexity of hospital visits can be overwhelming for many elderly Chinese citizens, with challenges ranging from understanding registration procedures to navigating hospital departments. Online nursing services offer a solution by providing professional care directly to homes, easing the burden on China’s aging population.
Zhao Yanyan, a chief nurse in the neurology department at Baiyin First People’s Hospital, has been at the forefront of this service since its launch in 2023. Handling over 130 home care orders annually, Zhao emphasizes the importance of serving patients well and acknowledges the support from patients and their families for home visits.
Baiyin First People’s Hospital undertook extensive preparation before launching the service, including training and assessing nurses on laws, ethics, service standards, technical procedures, and emergency response. Only nurses who pass the rigorous assessment can register on the platform to provide home services.
The hospital’s initiative has been successful, fulfilling over 700 orders so far. Patients can request services via the hospital’s official platform, which pairs them with specialized nurses possessing at least five years of clinical experience. Services offered include wound dressing, rehab guidance, and catheter changes, with a total of 23 personalized care items available.
Hospital president Gao Zhenhua highlighted that 157 nurses are currently registered on the platform, addressing key challenges faced by elderly patients, those with chronic diseases, and individuals with limited mobility. The service also supports extended care after hospital discharge, significantly reducing the need for hospital visits.
The success in Baiyin has inspired other cities in Gansu Province, such as Lanzhou and Jiayuguan, to adopt similar services. Since 2019, the National Health Commission has designated pilot regions across China, including Beijing and Shanghai, releasing guidelines to support “Internet plus nursing.” In Shanghai, community health centers offer “doorstep nursing” with 42 services covered by basic medical insurance.
As China’s elderly population continues to grow, with over 310 million people aged 60 and above by late 2024, “Internet plus nursing” is becoming an essential tool for addressing the challenges of elderly care. Da Chunhe, director of Baiyin’s health commission, explained that the model of “online orders and offline services” delivers specialized care directly to the doorsteps of those in need, streamlining the provision of healthcare for discharged patients and the elderly.