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An attendant (second from the right) cares for a patient. [Photo/Tide News]

Since its establishment in May 2025, Zhejiang province's first professional training base for medical care attendants at Shaoxing People's Hospital has produced 120 certified professionals who are becoming a vital force in alleviating the widespread challenge of family-provided hospital care by serving as skilled substitutes.

At the neurosurgery pilot ward at the hospital's Chang'an branch, attendant Yan Ronghua wears a smartwatch to promptly address patient needs. He cares for three patients, most of whom have difficulty with daily activities due to brain conditions. His duties include feeding patients, helping them turn, performing rehabilitation exercises, and providing daily hygiene, all while delivering round-the-clock care.

Becoming a qualified medical care attendant requires passing "three gates". The first is 14 days of standardized training that combines online and offline learning, followed by a strict assessment. Next, candidates must pass a departmental skills evaluation, scored against six specific criteria with a pass mark of 75. Finally, they must meet the health management and daily supervision standards of the third-party service company overseeing their employment.

Fees for the service range from 50 to 170 yuan ($7.17-$24.41) per day, offering a cost advantage over traditional one-on-one private aides. This no-family-accompaniment service has been rolled out across all tertiary hospitals in Shaoxing and is now being extended to secondary public hospitals, with nearly 4,000 such beds citywide. Across Zhejiang province, 269 pilot medical institutions have adopted the model, covering more than 20 specialized wards including orthopedics, rehabilitation, and geriatrics.