Ma Xiaowei, China's Vice Health Minister, on Friday warned
hospitals they were prohibited from refusing emergency treatment to
patients who were unable to pay the medical fees.
"Emergency treatment should carried out first no matter whether
the patients can afford the medical fees," said Ma at a national
health meeting.
Ma acknowledged that some patients defaulted on payments for
emergency medical treatment, "but hospitals should not take this as
an excuse for refusing to give patients treatment", he said.
He urged hospitals to work with local governments to frame
compensatory polices to solve the issue.
At the meeting, Ma also called for a standard definition of
medical accidents, improving compensation regulations and the
promotion of medical insurance to effectively solve disputes
between patients and hospitals.
"This is very important in building harmonious relations between
doctors and patients," he said.
(Xinhua News Agency March 31, 2007)