ABSTRACT
Objective To probe into the current services and outcomes of township hospitals following their transformation, and their future positioning of functionality. Methods Pinpointing townships A, B and C as samples from a district in Beijing, in which field surveys were made in the township hospitals to learn their services, service provision methods and outcomes. Results Among the current services provided by these three hospitals, those of public health and primary healthcare nature in hospital A account for 50% each; those in hospital B account for 70% and 30% respectively; those in hospital C account for 60% and 40% respectively. Recommendable services provided in these hospitals include universal coverage of medical files, management of infectious diseases, public health emergency management, and immunization. Conclusion Township hospitals as the center of the 3-tier rural health service network, deserve a repositioning of their functionality to fit the health needs of residents at large.