BEIJING — China will accelerate the development of medical consortiums, according to a regulation on the management of such consortiums unveiled on July 17.

Under plans to be devised by local health authorities, a city or county will be divided into several grids, each of which will see the establishment of a medical consortium led by a major hospital and joined by several other hospitals and primary-level clinics.

In principle, the medical consortium in each grid will be responsible for providing integrated and continuous healthcare services, including disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, nutrition, rehabilitation, nursing, and health management, to local residents.

The regulation was jointly issued by the National Health Commission and the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

According to experts, health authorities view the development of medical consortiums as a key part of China's efforts to put in place a multi-tiered diagnosis and treatment system.