The National Health Commission and five other departments recently issued a notice on promoting the integration of medical care and elderly care. By the end of 2027, the policy of integrating medical care and elderly care will be continuously improved, the service system will be more sound, the service supply will be effectively increased, the service capacity will be significantly improved, and the medical and health care and elderly care resources will be further co built and shared to better meet the health and elderly care service needs of the elderly. Notification requirements: Based on the existing medical and elderly care service network, improve the integrated medical and elderly care service system. Encourage the coordinated planning and adjacent construction of primary healthcare institutions and elderly care service facilities. Support medical and health institutions, as well as elderly care institutions, to carry out integrated medical and elderly care services in accordance with laws and regulations. By the end of 2027, based on the local population aging level, promote at least one medical and health institution or elderly care institution in each county (city, district, banner) to directly provide integrated medical and elderly care services, and basically achieve full coverage of integrated medical and elderly care services in counties. Support the integration of medical and elderly care institutions into a closely integrated medical consortium for unified management, achieving seamless service connections within the medical consortium for referral, medical treatment, rehabilitation, nursing, palliative care, medication, elderly care, and other services. By the end of 2027, medical and elderly care institutions that meet the conditions and have the willingness will be included in the compact medical consortium in principle. Expand the scale of professional talent cultivation. The state and various regions collaborate to guide and support local higher education institutions and vocational schools to offer majors related to medical and elderly care and management, elderly care service management, and smart health elderly care services and management. Medical and elderly care institutions actively support teacher practice and student internships. By the end of 2027, a total of no less than 30 new medical and nursing care and management professional sites will be established nationwide. Carry out capacity enhancement training for elderly medical talents, medical and elderly care integration talents, elderly care service skills talents, long-term care talents, etc., and provide continuing education for medical and elderly care integration practitioners. By the end of 2027, the training of management personnel and professional technical personnel in medical and elderly care institutions within the jurisdiction will be basically completed. Encourage medical and elderly care institutions to equip nutrition instructors to provide dietary guidance and consultation for the elderly, guide nutritional meal preparation, and carry out nutritional interventions for low weight, elderly, and other elderly people. The notice emphasizes that primary healthcare institutions should optimize family doctor contract services and provide convenient services such as appointment referrals for elderly people aged 65 and above. Support the establishment of family doctor workstations in elderly care institutions, where elderly caregivers, social workers, and other service personnel can communicate information with the family doctor team in a timely manner and collaborate to maintain the health of contracted elderly people. By the end of 2027, the coverage rate of family doctor contracts for disabled, elderly, and disabled elderly people with special difficulties shall not be less than 80%. (New Society)