BioScience Trends. 2016;10(3):240-243. (DOI: 10.5582/bst.2016.01094)
Continuing violence against medical personnel in China: A flagrant violation of Chinese law.
Peng W, Ding G, Tang Q, Xu LZ
Over the past few years, China has witnessed a surge in violence against medical personnel, including widely reported incidents of violent abuse, riots, attacks, and protests in hospitals, where doctors suffer from heavy workloads and little protection. China has engaged in serious efforts, such as investing large amounts into the healthcare system and implementing several decades of healthcare reform, to make medical care more accessible to and affordable for the public. However, incidents of violence against medical personnel have increased in intensity, reflecting deteriorating relations between medical staff and their patients in China over the past few decades. Hence, the effectiveness of healthcare legislation needs to be examined and medical reform and development of the healthcare system need to be reevaluated. Only by enhancing oversight, promoting healthcare reform, and improving the healthcare system can we repair the doctor-patient relationship and decrease violence against doctors in China.