Open AccessGeriatric medicine in China: The past, present, and future
Author(s) -
Yu Pulin,
Liu Xiang,
Wang Jianye
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
aging medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2475-0360
DOI - 10.1002/agm2.12008
Subject(s) - geriatrics , specialty , curriculum , health care , government (linguistics) , medicine , population ageing , china , medical education , nursing , investment (military) , population , family medicine , political science , politics , philosophy , environmental health , psychiatry , linguistics , law
Geriatric medicine in China started to develop as a medical specialty in the 1950s and has now become an extensive national healthcare network for the elderly. As population aging accelerates and the number of senior citizens keeps rising, major issues of healthcare delivery for this segment need to be addressed. Inequality in access to quality health care continues to exist between the public and private sectors and between urban centers and rural areas. The education and practice of geriatric medicine also face a range of problems, such as inadequate teaching of geriatrics‐related subjects in the medical education curriculum, the design of residency and fellowship programs, and the integration of geriatric principles into clinical practice. Government commitment, investment from the private sector, and improvement in geriatric medicine professionals’ knowledge and skills are required to bring geriatric care to a higher level.