Improving the people's wellbeing is a priority of China's 15th Five-Year Plan. Access to quality health care is among the goals. That goal is on the move, literally, in southern China's Greater Bay Area, thanks to a new direct shuttle service between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. Xu Hua has the story. 

This is Mr. Mai, a frequent visitor from Hong Kong who travels to Shenzhen for medical treatment. Thanks to the new shuttle service, his journey has become significantly easier.

XU HUA, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province "For Hong Kong patients seeking medical care in Shenzhen, the journey used to be a real headache. But this new direct shuttle bus fixes all that."

MAI, Patient from Hong Kong SAR "It's incredibly convenient, especially for us older people. You go through customs at Futian, walk straight onto the bus, and 20-25 minutes later, you're at the hospital."

But this bus is just the first link in a much larger chain. At The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, creating a seamless experience for cross-border patients is the priority.

WU YAOPING, Director, Division of Bone and Joint Surgery & Sports Medicine, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital "Various service was offered to those people who came from Hong Kong. Firstly, the language, and secondly the transportation and thirdly the communication. All of patients came from Hong Kong are satisfied with it."

This "patient-first" approach ensures everything is effortless, including a payment process that takes just minutes.

MAI, Patient from Hong Kong SAR "I paid using my Hong Kong healthcare voucher. I just showed my ID and Mainland Travel Permit, and all the medical fees were covered through the Hong Kong government system."

XU HUA, Shenzhen "We've just seen how easy it can be for Hong Kong patients to pay here. But making things run this smoothly across the border takes some serious work. So what exactly makes this possible?"

The answer is a strategic framework the hospital has named the "Five Connections".

KENNETH M.C. CHEUNG, President and Hospital Chief Executive, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital "Yes, I think there are 'Five Connections' due to the success of 'One Country, Two Systems' between Hong Kong and the mainland. The first one is talent. Talent connection. The second is data. Just very recently, we have been able to do electronic patient record transfer. The third is money. We are the first hospital to use elderly coupons from Hong Kong. And then drugs and medical devices, hospital standards. China has a very good hospital accreditation system called the AAA system. And our hospital has helped to expand the system beyond Hong Kong to other cities and countries."

This model is already viewed as a new blueprint for the region beyond.

YANG QIURONG, Department of Hong Kong, Macao and Regional Development, China Development Institute "Shenzhen-Hong Kong medical collaboration provides a replicable model. It connects infrastructure, policies, rules, and systems to enable efficient cross-border medical flows across China."

So, while the new bus might be the most visible sign of change, it's just the first step of a much longer journey, where the well-being of patients in the Greater Bay Area comes first. Xu Hua, CGTN, Shenzhen. 

Source：by CGTN