As the "International Volunteer Day" is approaching, Ministry of Health and Hospital Association of China launched the medical volunteer service in People's Hospital of Peking University, marking the official beginning of the medical volunteer services in medical institutions of China. In developed countries, the medical volunteer service has already become an indispensable part of modern health care system. In order to promote the development of the service in Chinese medical institutions and to provide more convenient and high quality services to patients, the Ministry of Health tried out the volunteer system in People's Hospital of Peking University last year. From April 2, 2009 to November 23, 2010, 1151 people registered volunteers in People's Hospital and totally accumulated 12,257 hours of service, which included guidance in out-patient hall, accompany in dialysis room and other positions.
According to Municipal Health Bureau, now many hospitals in Beijing have carried out the medical volunteer service. The system will be gradually extended to hundreds of hospitals and community health service institutions of Beijing.
