Campaign to root out bad behaviors in hospital system

China's top health authority has launched a yearlong campaign aimed at improving the quality of healthcare provided to patients, with a focus on issues such as inadequate risk management, instances of denied admission and privacy breaches.

The campaign, which began this month and will run through the end of May next year, will target all hospitals and public health institutions at the top two tiers of the country's three-level hospital system, according to a notice issued last week by the National Health Commission and two other government departments.

Authorities said the initiative will address practices such as denying admission to patients, delaying emergency care for those in critical condition, and failure to conduct ward rounds as scheduled or implement proper surgical management.