Compulsory liability cover for doctors

The Beijing Municipal Health Bureau plans to compel all the capital's public medical organisations to take out medical malpractice insurance, in which coverage will extend to doctors and other professionals against liability arising from patient care, according to news sources.

According to a report by the Beijing Insurance Regulatory Committee released this earlier in 2013, less than 20 city hospitals have taken out medical malpractice insurance. And only two insurance companies, PICC Property and Casualty Co Ltd and the Beijing Branch of Taiping Life Insurance Co Ltd, offer such a policy.

But medical malpractice and doctor-patient disputes, which frequently arise, are becoming an increasing woe for the normal running of medical organisations.

Under the new directive, all State-owned non-profit-making medical organisations are required to have medical malpractice insurance.

An independent third party, most likely an intermediary, will assess any medical liability claim and mediate disputes.