Multicenter Strategy Study on Leveraging Chinese Medicine Characteristics and Advantages in the Transformation of Community Hospitals into Chinese Medicine- Specialized Hospitals Based on Delphi Method
Abstract: Objective: Based on the Delphi method, this study aims to establish a scientific and reasonable evaluation index system for the transformation of community hospitals into Chinese medicine-specialized hospitals,to leverage the characteristics and advantages of Chinese medicine. Methods: Candidate indicators were preliminarily formed by reviewing relevant literature and standards on the transformation of community hospitals into Chinese medicine-specialized hospitals, and combined with expert interviews. Qualitative research was used to construct the framework of the evaluation index system, and the Delphi method was applied to revise and improve the system. Considering the actual development of community hospitals, an indicator pool was established. A questionnaire was developed,and the Delphi method and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) were used to determine the final evaluation index system, calculate the coefficient of variation and weights, and establish the evaluation index system for the transformation of community hospitals into Chinese medicine-specialized hospitals. Results: The constructed evaluation system includes two levels of indicators. The first level consists of 11 items: traditional Chinese medicine health human resourses,patient satisfaction,hospital service volume,Chinese medicine talent cultivation and cultural development,department and equipment setup,Chinese medicine service offerings,provision of Chinese medicinecharacteristic services, Chinese medicine-advantaged diseases and treatment protocols, Chinese medicine-related income and expenditure, Chinese medicine research achievements, and implementation of Chinese medicine (integrated Chinese and western medicine) clinical pathways. The second level includes 45 items, with reasonable weight distribution for each indicator. Conclusion: The evaluation system constructed using the Delphi method encompasses representative key indicators for the transformation of community hospitals into Chinese medicinespecialized hospitals. It not only provides a scientific tool for assessing hospital transformation but also serves as a reference for formulating high-quality development policies for Chinese medicine-specialized hospitals. This system is of significant importance for improving the efficiency of community hospital transformation and promoting the advantages of Chinese medicine.