Pingtan, an island off China's southeastern coast, has rolled out a new "credit-based medical treatment" system that allows patients to receive care at public healthcare institutions — including village clinics — before making any payment. This initiative, now fully implemented across the region, dramatically reduces the time patients spend queuing and simplifies the entire treatment process for those covered by medical insurance.

"In the past, if I needed to visit several departments, I had to pay multiple times," said Lin Juan, a local resident. "Now I can get all the treatment first and just settle the bill once at the end. It's incredibly convenient, especially for the elderly."

Built on a foundation of individual credit data, the system is enhanced by an added layer of oversight from health insurance credit monitoring. By integrating medical and insurance resources, it creates a seamless loop that begins with credit assessment and ends with secure payment, all without requiring a deposit.

According to Yang Xiaofang, a staff member of a local hospital, once patients activate the credit-based service linked to their insurance, they can skip upfront payments entirely. "When patients check in at a self-service kiosk, the system automatically determines if they're eligible. Those who qualify can immediately receive medical attention," she explained. "Aftermedial consultation, they can settle all associated costs — whether for medication, lab tests, or minor procedures — in a single transaction, eliminating the need to queue for payments between departments."

For first-time patients, a quick visit to the payment counter is required to link their insurance card to the credit system.

This reform marks a significant shift in how healthcare is accessed in Pingtan, prioritizing patient comfort and administrative efficiency by turning the traditional payment-first approach on its head.