Provider perspectives on general practice in Henan, China: a mixed-methods study

Zhu, Jiming; Ariana, Proochista

In addition to varied qualifications, China has paid special attention to public health, especially since the SARS incident in 2003. With the massive influx of funding from the central government, quite often the GPs provide the so-called "national basic public health services". As a result, the doctors in primary care facilities, before the start of the GP movement, did see patients but now are busy with the "public health services" which consist of the work which could be largely undertaken by nurses and community health workers and partially by doctors and public health professionals. In other words, before they all functioned as doctors, but now they may function as doctors, public health professionals, nurses or community health workers. The heterogeneity of GPs and their everyday work contribute to the vague understanding of both public health and general practice in China.