●Beijing is currently promoting a new model of chronic disease prevention and treatment among community health service institutions – “Self-awareness Health Management”. So what is “Self-awareness Health Management”?

The “Self-awareness Health Management” is, just as its name implies, to manage your own health by raising your self-awareness. The management model aims at “balanced energy, effective exercise and quantitative management”, and achieves the goal of health promotion and disease reduction while saving medical resources and lowering medi-care costs through individualized health guides for participants to change their unhealthy lifestyles. In specific management, the participants wear an energy monitoring device in the size of a “beaper” to monitor the “amount of exercise” each day. Then the individualized health advice is provided to participants based on data analysis via computer software. Treatment duration lasts for three months.

　
● What are the contents of “Self-awareness Health Management”?
As is known to all, major causes of chronic diseases are excessive food intake and inadequate exercise resulting in excess energy. The core content of “Self-awareness Health Management” prioritizes the achievement of “balanced energy”. At present, a major factor leading to chronic diseases is excess energy, and the key to the balanced energy is adjustment of the amount of both food intake and exercise. Energy consumption of human beings is mainly composed of energy consumption through basic metabolism and physical activities. The detailed amount of energy consumption through basic metabolism can be deduced from the formula, but that through physical activities is a variant, which means it differs from person to person, and from day to day for even the same person. Hence, we can tackle the issue of excess energy and achieve the “balanced energy” though adjusting the amount of food intake and exercise. 

Then effective exercise is suggested. According to medical research, “aerobic exercise” can reduce the number of people suffering from hypertension by over 30%, lower the mortality rate of myocardial infarction and stroke respectively by 37% and 50%, and add an average of four years to our life expectancy.

Nevertheless, the “aerobic exercise” poses some danger to patients suffering from diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease and other diseases. Therefore, through the whole-process monitoring and adjustment of the amount, intensity and duration of exercise by the “energy monitoring device”, we can not only prevent and treat diseases, but avoid the occurrence of eventualities.

Finally, we need quantitative management over the amount of food intake and physical exercise. Firstly, we need to record the food intake of participants. Based on software analysis of food intake at breakfast, lunch and supper and the nutrient diagram, we can advise participants on what to eat, how much to eat and how to eat in accordance with requirements of balanced energy. And we can make due adjustment according to actual situations. Secondly, we need the quantitative management of participants’ physical exercise. By transmitting the data collected in the “energy monitoring device” to a computer software, analyzing it and providing corresponding advice, we can help the participants to be better aware of what and how much exercise they need each day. We can urge them to overcome their laziness and set specific goals of physical exercise, and guide them to self-consciously follow the exercise solution.

　
● Which community health service institutions in Beijing can popularize the “Self-awareness Health Management”? Who are the target patients of “Self-awareness Health Management”?

The target patients of “Self-awareness Health Management” are mainly people suffering from the four major chronic diseases, namely hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease and high blood cholesterol, as well as high-risk population. According to payment policies set down by medical insurance authority of Beijing, a total of 100 yuan is reimbursed after completion of an effective treatment duration. Basically, all community health service institutions listed as designated medical insurance institutions are eligible for the promotion of “Self-awareness Health Management”. At present, the eight urban districts of Beijing, (namely Dongcheng, Xicheng, Chongwen, Xuanwu, Chaoyang, Fengtai, Haidian and Shijingshan Districts,) have all comprehensively launched the campaign of “Self-awareness Health Management”, and more remote suburban districts are following suit one after another. For audiences interested in the “Self-awareness Health Management”, you can access more detailed information at community health service management centers of the districts and counties of Beijing. 

● The “Self-awareness Health Management” is very demanding in terms of technical level. Are doctors engaged in community health services competent enough?

According to relevant stipulations issued by Beijing Municipal Health Bureau, community medical workers need to participate in training on comprehensive prevention and treatment of chronic diseases commonly seen in communities of Beijing before actually engaging in the promotion of “Self-awareness Health Management”. They also need training on the use of health management system software which collects and analyses data for promoting “self-awareness” lifestyle and actualizing comprehensive disease prevention and treatment. The community health service institutions are conditioned to launch the “Self-awareness Health Management”, if equipped with computer and internet.