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The leader of a Chinese pharmaceutical firm proposed creating a dedicated subsidy fund to promote the integration of artificial intelligence in grassroots healthcare facilities during the ongoing National People’s Congress. This fund, to be jointly financed by national and local governments, would provide purchase subsidies ranging from 30% to 50% for grassroots clinics that acquire AI systems to manage common and chronic diseases. In rural regions, the subsidy could increase to as much as 60%.
The annual political sessions, known as the Two Sessions, are vital for setting China’s policy agenda. Running from today through March 12, the National People’s Congress, China’s legislative body, is meeting concurrently with the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the top advisory body, which is in session until March 11.
Grassroots medical institutions in China encompass community health centers, township clinics, village health clinics, and private practices, which together comprise over 95% of the nation’s healthcare infrastructure. They are essential for diagnosing and treating common health issues, managing chronic conditions, and delivering public health services. These facilities also help ease the burden on larger hospitals.
Currently, most AI funding and technological advancements are concentrated in top-tier hospitals, leaving small medical centers with limited resources to adopt AI technology. Establishing a dedicated subsidy fund could help bridge this gap, according to the proposal.
Another delegate highlighted the need to gradually expand AI adoption in basic medical settings through pilot programs. He called for increased policy support and financial investment in these initiatives, including subsidies for grassroots clinics that implement AI technology and coverage of premium AI medical products within health insurance reimbursements.
It was suggested that pilot projects prioritize smaller medical units, large hospitals, and public health organizations situated in well-connected regions with robust internet infrastructure. These initiatives would focus on critical AI applications such as remote diagnostics, early detection of infectious diseases, patient triage, and assistance with drug discovery.
Furthermore, creating a fail-safe and error-correction system was emphasized to allow for dynamic adjustments to pilot policies. The need to accelerate the sharing of anonymized medical data and establish a standardized platform for this data was also underlined. Clarity on data privacy, standards, and access procedures is crucial for providing developers with high-quality, large-scale training data, thereby fostering the development of AI solutions tailored to China’s healthcare needs.
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