16 BEIJING REVIEW MARCH 12, 2020 http://www.bjreview.comCOVER STORY
A
t a temporary hospital run by the
Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan
University in Wuhan, pervasive use
of advanced technology is the new nor-
mal. Doctors don’t write patients’ medical
records here. Instead, they speak to a com-
puter kitted with sophisticated software,
which can transcribe spoken words into
a written document at the speed of 400
characters per minute.
Speech recognition technology has not
only freed doctors’ hands and improved
the efficiency of writing medical records
but also reduced the chance of infection
as medical workers don’t need to pass on
written records among one another.
The two body scanning machines at
the hospital are also computerized, making
it more convenient, faster and less risky forpatients to have checkups. A chest scan
takes less than three minutes. Plus the scan
system is equipped with technology that
allows diagnostic images to be stored and
then accessed through multiple machines.
The technology transmits electronic im-
ages and reports digitally, eliminating the
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read scanned images and make their diag-
nosis remotely.
At the entrance of the hospital stands
a mobile container. It is actually a mobile
biosafety level-3 laboratory, also known
as a P3 lab, for isolating and testing virus
samples. Operated by a medical team from
the Peking Union Medical College Hospital
in Beijing, the lab tests patients’ swabs,
blood or other elements to check for thepresence of coronavirus.
The first test was done on February 13
and by the next day the lab had produced
the results of nearly 100 samples. Currently,
it can test 120 to 130 samples every day
and give the results the same day. The
results are used not only for diagnosis of
patients with the novel coronavirus disease,
but also for determining whether they can
be discharged. A patient has to test negative
twice before being discharged.
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1,461-bed hospital is not a “real” hospi-
tal. Before the epidemic, it was an urban
cultural complex and landmark in Wuhan.
Now it is known as the Wuhan Livingroom
Hospital. On March 1, it discharged 132
patients, the largest number of patients
released on a single day. The youngest was
19 and the oldest 75.
Temporary hospitals made headlines
frequently since the epidemic outbreak, es-
pecially the Huoshenshan and Leishenshan
hospitals, which were assembled in
about 10 days. The temporary hospitals
are staffed with medical personnel from
around the country, who have shown
bravery and unity in the face of danger.
Footage of them dancing with patients to
keep up morale has often been shown on
TV and social media. The patients’ opti-
mism and courage have also been moving.HIGH ON TECH
Temporary hospitals in Wuhan use advanced
medical technology for greater efficacy
and safety By Ji Jing
A staff at work at the smart pharmacy at the Jiangxia Hospital in Wuhan on February 26
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