The International Hip Dysplasia Institute (IHDI) Medical Advisory Board Members, Dr. Charles Price, and Dr. James Kasser will be traveling to Beijing China to address hip dysplasia innovation. China is joining Western countries as a productive contributor to healthcare innovation. A special session has been arranged with IHDI leaders and a group of Chinese hip dysplasia researchers. This will be followed by an educational symposium for doctors-in-training. This collaboration in conjunction with China’s large population and eager young physicians could stimulate change on a global scale.
China’s proud history of traditional medicine is well known. However, China is beginning to lead the way with the modernization of advanced medical care. China’s aging population and mounting health care expenses have sparked governmental policy changes and the creation of a long-term strategic plan titled “Healthy China 2030”.
Announced in October 2016 by President Xi Jinping, “Healthy China 2030” (HC 2030) is a governmental blueprint for improving the health and wellbeing for all of China, and consequently, the whole world. HC 2030 is built off Four Core Principles;
- Health Priority: meaning that health care should be a priority and have a place in all future strategic planning.
- Innovation: highlighting how multisectoral collaboration and innovation play a valuable role in the development and improvement of health services.
- Scientific Development: with an emphasis on prevention and control, reducing the gaps in basic health services.
- Fairness and Justice: promote equal access to basic public health services.
These Four Core Principles match well with China’s globally recognized health science and technological innovation industry and it further emphasizes China’s transition from traditional medical care to a broader skilled medical management system.
Looking through the lens of hip dysplasia, China is poised to become a hotbed for hip dysplasia research and innovation. The exact prevalence of hip dysplasia in China is difficult to ascertain, but a 2017 sampling of 25,767 adult Chinese revealed a prevalence of 1.52%. This means that approximately 16 million adults in China are living with hip dysplasia (1).
China is home to a new era of innovative young physicians’ eager to test new methodology and research mechanisms. This medical community has recognized hip dysplasia as a public health problem and invited members of the global orthopedic community to collaborate in hip dysplasia research. Drs. Price, Kasser and others will share new ideas and opportunities for research with Chinese colleagues. The International Hip Dysplasia Institute is pleased to participate in this exciting effort to stimulate hip dysplasia research in China.
- Tian FD, Zhao DW, Wang W, Guo L, Tian SM, Feng A, Yang F, Li DY, Prevalence of Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip in Chinese Adults: A Cross-sectional Survey. Chin Med J 2017; 130: 1261-8
