Asian Journal Of Social Pharmacy

Objective To analyze the operation of value-based payment for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the pilot hospital, and to identify possible constraints in its implementation environment. Methods Single-case analysis and quantitative data description were used to study the multi-dimensions of hospital grade promotion, national examination indicators, and talents support. Results and Conclusion The requirements of performance assessments of national public hospital, high-quality development evaluations and grade promotion for hospitals made them continuously increase the number of surgeons and the percentage of high-level surgeries, which was contradictory to the conservative therapies of traditional Chinese medicine. Besides, the incentive mechanism of “the same disease, same efficiency, and same price” had defects. Lastly, conservative treatment of traditional Chinese medicine demanded TCM specialists, and the existing training methods could not meet the clinical needs. Value-based payment system for TCM provides an excellent opportunity for TCM hospitals in the DRG payment reform. However, the policy environment needs to be further improved, and the talent training model also should be adjusted accordingly.