成都医院不再有排队挂号

Starting Thursday, residents of Chengdu in southwestern China's Sichuan Province will be able to see a doctor without registering at a local hospital.

　　Sichuan News reported that registration lines will no longer be seen in Chengdu Qingyang District's No.2 People's Hospital, in a move claimed to bring real convenience to patients.

　　The hospital, first in the province to get rid of registration, also promises to provide service 24/7, while previously most doctors were not available on weekends.

　　People can telephone to make an appointment in advance or head for a doctor directly.

　　Also gone are the registration fees, usually ranging from around 5 yuan （64 US cents） to a few hundred depending on the level of one's doctor. The hospital says it may suffer an annual loss of 100,000 yuan （US$12,888）, but that the new rules have been made to provide better service.

　　The news is receiving a warm welcome from local citizens, according to the report.

　　The long lines in front of registration windows are among the most vexing things patients must currently face in Chinese hospitals.