A Study on Policy Documents of Combining Medical Care and Elderly Care Services in Guangzhou from the Perspective of Policy Instruments and the PMC Index Model
Main Article Content
Keywords
combining medical and elderly care, policy instruments, PMC index model, elderly care services, Guangzhou
Abstract
Based on policy instrument theory and the PMC (Policy Modeling Consistency) index model, this study conducts a systematic quantitative analysis of policy documents on combining medical care and elderly care services issued in Guangzhou from 2017 to 2025. The results indicate that Guangzhou’s policy framework is characterized by a dominance of environmental instruments, supplemented by supply-side instruments, while demand-side instruments remain relatively weak. In particular, regulatory and normative instruments are overrepresented, whereas demand-side incentives are insufficient. The PMC index evaluation shows that the overall policy performance is at a good level with strong internal consistency; however, notable imbalances persist in terms of policy timeliness, stakeholder coverage, and content innovation. The findings suggest that although Guangzhou has established a relatively comprehensive institutional framework for integrated medical and elderly care, further improvements are needed in stimulating market vitality, promoting social participation, and enhancing policy implementability. Accordingly, this study proposes policy recommendations, including optimizing the structure of policy instruments, strengthening demand-side incentives, broadening stakeholder participation, promoting the integration of traditional Chinese medicine with smart elderly care, and improving the policy evaluation mechanism, with the aim of enhancing the effectiveness of local integrated care policies.
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