Shanghai Cancer Center Pioneers Full Hospital "No-Family" Care

Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center is one of the first public hospitals in the city to introduce "no-family care" in all inpatient wards. Patients receive 24-hour care from experienced hospital staff, removing the need for family members or private aids.

A citywide experiment that began early last year required hospitals to offer such services in ICUs and other self-selected wards. The Shanghai Health Commission said the policy addresses the growing elderly population, diverse patient needs and alleviates the care-giving burden on families.

All hospitalized patients receive professional, high-quality and digitally supported care from the leading national cancer treatment center. The hospital has trained all caregivers in professional nursing, rehabilitation and mental health support to ensure standardized and qualified care.

"Most patients here are battling cancer. Our training is specifically tailored to meet their needs and challenges," said Li Chen, vice president of the center. "It goes beyond basic life support skills – it's about fostering a deep understanding of cancer patients' requirements to deliver high-quality service and act as effective partners to our nursing staff."

Caregivers play a crucial role within the clinical team. They are involved in nursing shift handovers and work closely with nurses to monitor changes in patients' conditions, adjusting care priorities as needed. Nurses offer guidance and assess the performance of caregivers.

The hospital has established a digital platform to oversee the entire no-family care process.

"Since implementation, the average time for postoperative patients to stand and walk independently has been reduced by one day, and the overall hospital stay has shortened by 0.63 days. This data validates the positive impact of our care model," Li noted.

The initiative represents a significant shift toward institutionalized, professional patient care, demonstrating how structured support systems can improve recovery outcomes and optimize hospital resource utilization.