|
Download Shanghai will introduce a directive next month to help ease the increasingly tense relationship between patients and doctors, which has resulted in death or injury to medical staff in recent cases. "The rule was formulated to prevent and settle doctor-patient disputes, which have become a big problem. It will help protect both parties' legal rights and maintain order in medical institutes," said Liu Ping, deputy director of the city’s legal department. The Shanghai Medical Dispute Prevention and Mediation Measures feature a mediation mechanism, in which the parties can apply to a mediation committee. Public medical institutes must cooperate with the mediation work. Meanwhile, medical institutes should inform patients to seek mediation when compensation exceeds 30,000 yuan ($4,900). To improve patients' trust in the new procedure, an advisory team has been established to provide professional consultation for medical disputes. So far, the team has 922 experts from the fields of medical science, law, forensic medicine, psychology and other areas. "In the past, some patients questioned the justice of investigation work because many experts in charge were from the medical system, who might be partial. But now, the experts have various backgrounds in different fields. This will help build credibility," said Zhao Yong, deputy director of the Shanghai Health and Family Planning Commission. | 
