China: Pathology Consults and Health Care Collaboration

International Medical Center in Changsha, Hunan Province

In August 2014, UPMC and Xiangya Hospital, Central South University elevated their decade-long research and clinical collaboration by partnering to develop a world-class International Medical Center. Located on the Hospital’s existing Changsha campus, this new department offers state-of-the-art medical care to patients within Hunan province and throughout China.

As part of this five-year advisory services agreement, UPMC will conduct a feasibility study to effectively develop and implement the International Medical Center. Acting as an exclusive advisor, UPMC will provide technical and management consulting services to Xiangya Hospital, adhering to international standards; insight and expertise to be shared in this agreement include:

• Medical and administrative training based in Pittsburgh and China
• Quality assurance and safety practices
• Technology recommendations
• Equipment and staffing plans
• Telemedicine links to UPMC’s clinical programs in Pittsburgh and Italy

UPMC will provide medical and administrative oversight of all services in the International Medical Center, and a small number of UPMC staff will be located on-site to perform consultative work throughout the duration of the agreement.

UPMC’s agreement with Xiangya Hospital is the most extensive effort yet in this country, underscoring UPMC’s renowned capabilities in applying managerial and clinical best practices at home and abroad. By collaborating in the development of the International Medical Center, both UPMC and Xiangya Hospital are engaging in a valuable exchange of knowledge and expertise, while bringing patients the highest quality medical care as close to home as possible.

For more information, please visit Xiangya International Medical Center’s homepage.

KingMed

In April 2011, UPMC entered a definitive agreement with KingMed Diagnostics, the largest independent medical diagnostic laboratory in China.

Headquartered in Guangzhou, KingMed's 17 central laboratories serve more than 6,000 hospitals and clinics in 26 out of 33 provincial-level regions in China.

Through this partnership, UPMC’s Department of Pathology provides second opinions for high-acuity anatomical pathology cases. Using equipment that scans glass pathology slides and stores and transmits the images electronically, KingMed receives second opinions on patient diagnoses from our UPMC pathologists through a secure, web-based telepathology portal.

The agreement provides KingMed's patients with rapid access to UPMC’s expert pathologists, thereby helping to ensure accurate diagnoses of complex diseases.

Pathology training and education

UPMC’s collaboration with KingMed also includes training for pathologists from China in UPMC’s Pittsburgh facilities and joint academic meetings as part of ongoing medical education in China.

For more information, please visit KingMed's homepage.

U.S.-China Healthcare Cooperation Program (HCP)

UPMC is a founding member of the U.S.-China Healthcare Cooperation Program (HCP), a public-private partnership of 18 companies and 10 nonprofit organizations.

Supported by United States governmental agencies and the Chinese ministries of health and commerce, HCP is a vehicle for the two countries to work together in:

• Technical collaboration
• Training
• Capacity building
• Market development

HCP supports projects in:

• Health care information technology
• Rural health care initiatives
• Quality and safety
• Hospital management for Chinese health care investment priorities