Pittsburgh-based UPMC has signed an agreement to advise Xiangya Hospital of Central South University in Changsha, China, according to a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report.
Under the deal, UPMC will help the hospital establish the 200-bed Xiangya International Medical Center on the hospital's campus and serving as an adviser to management. UPMC staff will also provide medical and administrative oversight of the operations, according to the report.
The five-year agreement is UPMC's second advisory deal in China, which is expected to bring "multimillions per year" over its term, Charles Bogosta, UPMC's president of international and commercial services, told the Post-Gazette. He said the health system will not make any investments and all money will come in UPMC's direction.
In April 2011, UPMC entered a definitive agreement with KingMed Diagnostics, the largest independent medical diagnostic laboratory in China. Through that partnership, UPMC's Department of Pathology provides second opinions for high-acuity anatomical pathology cases and helps diagnose complex diseases.
Mr. Bogosta said healthcare in China is roughly 30 years behind that in the United States, and the advisory agreement with Xiangya International will help bring the hospital up to "international standards," according to the report.
Under the agreement, three UPMC staffers will work half-time in China and another six or so will either assist from Pittsburgh or travel there occasionally.