Temporary Treatment Centers
Temporary treatment center, better known as "mobile cabin hospital" in China, is a modern mobile medical system that takes medical cabin as the carrier and integrates the functions of medical treatment and clinical technology. Composed of medical treatment units, ward units and technical support units, temporary treatment centers are mainly used in major disaster rescue, emergency support, itinerant medical services, and other tasks. With such features as good mobility, fast deployment and strong environmental adaptability, these improvised hospitals are capable of undertaking medical rescue tasks at emergencies and therefore are valued by many countries.
China began to design and develop its own temporary treatment center system in the 1990s. The second-generation temporary treatment centers successively carried out medical rescue tasks in earthquake relief in Wenchuan and Yushu.
In February 2020, facing the spread of COVID-19, Wuhan transformed several gymnasiums, convention and exhibition centers, training centers, industrial park factories, vocational high schools and other venues into temporary treatment centers to isolate mild cases and cases under observation. These emergency hospitals have complete functions and can carry out emergency treatment, surgical treatment, clinical tests and other tasks. They also have a team of psychologists to provide psychological support and counseling for patients.
On February 16, the National Development and Reform Commission arranged 230 million yuan (32.81 million dollars) in the central budget to support the temporary treatment centers in Wuhan to improve their facilities and add necessary medical equipment to enhance their treatment capacities. By February 22, 16 temporary treatment centers had been put into operation in Wuhan, offering more than 12,000 beds.
Establishing temporary treatment centers is an effective measure to ensure patient isolation, decrease patient density, expand treatment capacity and control the spread of the epidemic. Temporary treatment centers have played an important role in providing emergency support for the national public health system.
方舱医院
方舱医院是以医疗方舱为载体，综合集成医疗与医技保障功能的现代化机动医疗系统，由医疗功能单元、病房单元和技术保障单元等部分构成，主要承担重大灾害救援、应急支援保障、巡回医疗服务等任务。方舱医院具有机动性好、展开部署快、环境适应性强等特点，能够适应突发的应急医学救援任务，受到各国普遍重视。
20世纪90年代起，中国开始自行设计研制方舱医院系统。经不断改造升级，第二代方舱医院先后在汶川、玉树抗震救灾中执行医疗救援任务。2020年2月，随着新冠肺炎疫情发展，武汉市将一批体育馆、会展中心、培训中心、工业园区厂房、职业高中等场地改造建成方舱医院，用于收治隔离轻症患者和观察病例。这些特殊的“急救医院”功能齐备，可以开展紧急救治、外科处置、临床检验等多项任务，同时配备心理医生团队，为患者提供心理支持和疏导。2月16日，国家发展改革委安排中央预算内投资2.3亿元，支持武汉市方舱医院完善设施及增添必要的医疗设备，以增强收治能力。截至2月22日，武汉市已投入运行16家方舱医院，开放病床超过12,000张。
建立和实施方舱医院是保障病患隔离、分流病患诊治、扩大收治容量、控制疫情发展的一项有效措施，在国家公共卫生应急保障中发挥重要作用。