"Xie Xie Nong" 2019 Shanghai Family Doctor Skill Show
Members of our Cross Straits Association Society of General Practice have appeared in a Family Doctor Siills TV show. Dr Chan Dong Dong reports.
Shanghai is promoting family medicine and engaging the community in a very local way – inviting doctors to show their clinical skills and medical knowledge on TV.
Various kinds of challenges on TV, such as singing, dancing or talents shows, have ‘gone viral’ in the mainland China in recent years and watching these programs has become daily entertainment for many local families.
The TV program, namely “Xie Xie Nong 2019 Shanghai Family Doctor Skill Show”, was broadcast on August 3,2019 with the aims of promoting family medicine in the city and showing recognition to some outstanding practitioners.
“Xie Xie Nong” means “Thank You” in an affectionate tone in Shanghai dialect, signifying the close relationships between doctors and patients who are encouraged to go “hand in hand to build a healthy life”, as the theme of the show says.
A total of 32 family doctors joined the TV challenge where they demonstrated their medical knowledge and clinical skills. WONCA president, Dr Donald Li, said he was pleased to be one of the special VIP guests on the show.
“Producing a TV program to promote family medicine is a very creative way of getting practitioners closer to the community. We support different cities and places use their own ways to promote family medicine, that can work best with their culture and the interests of the local people” Dr Li said.
Other guests included Deputy Director of Primary Health Care Department of China National Health Commission, Zhu Hongming, and President of the Community Health Association of China, Chen Bowen.
Some of the 5,000 family doctors from Shanghai participated in the event that commenced on May 19, World Family Doctor Day. Local residents selected the finalists of the TV show through online voting.
China has been promoting family medicine in recent years under its “Healthy China Strategy”. The TV show organisers said more and more Shanghai residents consult their contracted family doctors, showing that the new service model of having family doctors play the role of “Health Gatekeeper” is being increasingly trusted by patients.
The event was co-sponsored by Shanghai Community Health Association, Shanghai Education TV Station and Shanghai Medical and Health Development Foundation.