Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine

The Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine/Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine was established in 1958. After more than half a century of arduous development, it has now become an integrated Chinese and Western medicine discipline combining medical care, teaching, and scientific research. It has successively been designated a high-level key discipline in traditional Chinese medicine by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, a flagship department for integrated Chinese and Western medicine, a national demonstration unit for traditional Chinese medicine work in general hospitals, a National Clinical Key Specialty (Traditional Chinese Medicine Gynecology), and a Key Specialty of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Traditional Chinese Medicine Endocrinology), and serves as a national clinical trial institution for new drugs in traditional Chinese medicine endocrinology, traditional Chinese medicine rheumatology, and traditional Chinese medicine gynecology. The discipline of integrated Chinese and Western medicine has also been designated a national key (cultivation) discipline and a key first-level discipline in Hubei Province, a doctoral degree authorization point for a first-level discipline, and a postdoctoral research station; the Fundamentals of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine was designated one of the first batch of nationally authorized disciplines for doctoral and master's degrees. It has now established a traditional Chinese medicine/integrated Chinese and Western medicine discipline whose overall strength is at a leading level in China. The three campuses of the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine have up to 147 beds, more than 220,000 outpatient visits, more than 5400 discharges annually, and a bed utilization rate of over 110%; CMI has consistently ranked first among traditional Chinese medicine departments in general hospitals throughout the province. This department is now one of the largest traditional Chinese medicine/integrated Chinese and Western medicine departments in general hospitals in China. All three campuses have a traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy and can, according to patients’ needs, provide traditional decoctions, soft-packaged Chinese herbal decoctions, and prepared formula granules, respectively. The department currently has 117 employees, including 41 with senior professional titles (12 with full senior titles and 29 with associate senior titles), 3 professors receiving State Council expert allowances, 1 National Famous Traditional Chinese Medicine Physician, 5 national-level mentors for transmitting the academic experience of renowned senior traditional Chinese medicine physicians, 2 Hubei Traditional Chinese Medicine Masters, 2 Hubei Famous Traditional Chinese Medicine Teachers, 7 doctoral supervisors, 14 master’s supervisors, 3 nationally outstanding traditional Chinese medicine clinical professionals, and 1 outstanding professional trained in Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine. It has been approved to establish the Inheritance Studio of Professor Huang Guangying, a National Famous Traditional Chinese Medicine Physician, and the Inheritance Studio of Professor Lu Fuer, a National Famous Senior Traditional Chinese Medicine Expert. Most physicians hold doctoral degrees and have overseas study experience, and many concurrently hold important positions in national, provincial, and municipal academic organizations for traditional Chinese medicine or integrated Chinese and Western medicine. Of these, 8 serve as standing committee members, chairpersons, or council members of the Chinese Association of Integrative Medicine, 2 serve as council members of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies, and 7 serve as vice presidents, deputy chairpersons, committee members, or in other positions in the Hubei Association of Integrative Medicine. The department has 10 clinical subspecialties: Traditional Chinese Medicine/Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Obstetrics and Gynecology, Endocrinology, Rheumatology, Gastroenterology, Oncology, Nephrology, Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Andrology and Infertility, Acupuncture and Moxibustion, and Pediatrics. With its distinctive clinical diagnostic and treatment approaches integrating traditional Chinese and Western medicine and its outstanding advantages in clinical efficacy, it enjoys a high reputation in Hubei Province and throughout China.