Economic Benefit Assessment And Model Research On TCM Service For Community Health

Objective:To explore the economic benefit characteristics of Traditional Chinesemedicine(TCM) service for community health; to discuss the complementary advantagesof General practice (GP)'s service and TCM's service from the view of economy andmanagement as well as to explore the possibility and necessity to build the unique GP'sservice model in Chinese community, integrating the advantages both of western GP'sservice and TCM's service.Method:Analyze the economic and managerial characteristics of GP's service bymaking literature review of general practice medicine and its service; make a field study,by the qualitative and quantitative method,on the economic and managerial status quo ofTCM's service for community health; demonstrate the importance of model creation ofTCM's community service through comparing the service characteristics of GP's serviceand TCM's service.Result:The theory of production factors allocation plays a role in GP's service. Themajor influence factors in GP's service are labor, management, as well as science andtechnology, among them the labor factor is the most important factor because the qualityand quantity of labors determine the development of GP's service system. GP's servicealso follows the rule of supply and demand. Any factor influencing on supply and demandhas effect on the quality, efficiency, and benefit of GP's service. Although there is verypotential to TCM for community health, Chinese medical service needs to more productionfactors are allocated to support its development. The integration of GP service and TCMservice will be beneficial to build the unique model of community health service in chinabecause of their similarity in thoughts and practices. The reform of payment system to TCM service will play a very important positive role to the development of TCM becausethe current payment style can not reflect the real value of TCM service.Conclusion: GP service and TCM service are all the productive labor to create value.The common character both of them is a key to create the unique Chinese communityhealth service system, and the reform of the current payment style to TCM service will bepositive to the development for TCM. For the current situation of community healthservice, the suggestion is that the government shall put much more economic resources tothe community health service; that a medical insurance system covered kinds of peopleshall be set up and play a role in the community health service; that more highlyspecialized TCM personnel shall be brought into community health organization toimprove TCM service quality; that community health organizations shall turn theiroperational style to public welfare, reinforce their TCM facilities, and to apply more TCMskills to primary care service.