The First People's Hospital of Taicang has recently been designated as a Grade A tertiary hospital, marking a significant advancement in the city's healthcare development.

An aerial view of the First People's Hospital of Taicang. [Photo/WeChat account: tcfbgw]

Tertiary hospitals serve as regional centers providing advanced medical services and engaging in higher education and research initiatives. Attaining Grade A status requires surpassing 900 points in a series of stringent evaluation criteria, and the hospitals must provide more than 500 beds.

Established in 1935, the First People's Hospital of Taicang offers a comprehensive array of services, including medical care, education, research, and preventive health services, and has a capacity of 1,100 beds. The hospital features an extensive range of departments, comprising 36 clinical specialties, 10 medical technology departments, and 28 inpatient wards.

The hospital has consistently enhanced its research and educational capabilities over the years. Between 2019 and 2023, it secured a National Natural Science Foundation project, five provincial research projects, and 59 projects in Suzhou. Additionally, the hospital obtained 95 patents and 81 awards for new technologies, including two provincial science and technology progress awards, 10 Suzhou-level awards, and 69 Taicang-level awards.

This year, the hospital launched more than 10 specialized outpatient clinics, such as the "Foot and Ankle Clinic", "Lipid Disorder Clinic", and "Cardiovascular Nursing Clinic", to deliver more targeted medical care.

Furthermore, Taicang has developed a comprehensive Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) health service network, primarily consisting of public medical institutions, socially-run TCM facilities and renowned medical institutions and experts from the surrounding regions. This network encompasses prevention, healthcare, medical treatment, and rehabilitation, ensuring that residents across the city, towns, and villages have easy access to high-quality TCM health services.