China's Ministry of Health (MOH) is soliciting opinions from hospitals and doctors on creating electronic medical records for patients to help hospitals share these files, according to the ministry's online statement Tuesday.

Currently, most hospitals keep paper casebooks only.

Physicians are required to write patients' conditions, records of hospitalization, check-up results, records of transfer to other hospitals and other items on computer.

The information would be shared by hospitals "in a certain area," according to the MOH statement. But it did not explain the range of "certain area".

"The aim of the move is to help hospitals share clinical information, strengthen supervision and improve service quality," said the statement.

The MOH asked the opinions to be submitted by the end of August.

(Xinhua News Agency August 6, 2009)