BEIJING, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- For 95-year-old Gu Lanzhi in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, a swollen knee after a fall at home meant more than just a trip to the hospital. With her family unable to accompany her, navigating the process of seeking medical care could be a challenge.

Help came from a nearby community health station, where a nurse registered Gu, arranged examinations, handled payment and called a hospital shuttle. At the hospital, station staff stayed with her through each step.

Gu's experience points to a broader challenge facing China's healthcare system as the population ages and medical services become increasingly digital. In response, a range of patient companion services has emerged in recent years.

As these services expand in various forms, the need for clearer requirements and more consistent practices has come into focus. On Nov. 1, China's first national standard for patient companion services will take effect.

A GROWING NEED

By the end of 2025, China had 323.38 million people aged 60 and above, or 23 percent of the population, a figure projected to exceed 400 million by around 2035. Many will need someone at their side.

But the need extends well beyond older adults. People with limited mobility, those unfamiliar with digital devices, and patients seeking care far from home can also struggle with hospital visits without help.

Ever more specialized departments and ever larger hospitals leave many patients unsure where to register or how to move through a visit, ending up "lost in the hospital," said Song Yu, a researcher at the Institute of Sociology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Song said changing family structures and a fast-aging population have intensified the need.

The demand is evident in hospitals themselves. At Beijing Tongren Hospital's Yizhuang campus, 76-year-old volunteer Sun Ying has been helping patients in the ophthalmology department since early morning.

By 10:30 a.m., just two and a half hours into Sun's shift, the counter at her station showed she had assisted more than 100 patients. Her tasks range from helping patients check in to directing them to the right departments.

Many older patients cannot manage smartphones and other digital devices, while others struggle to get around or are unfamiliar with hospital procedures, Sun said. "For them, we serve as their eyes, ears and walking sticks."

A SECTOR TAKING SHAPE

Across China, patient companion services are delivered through a variety of channels. Hospital volunteers, community workers and nursing staff provide them, as do specialized agencies and individual service providers.

At Shanghai's Renji Hospital, 66-year-old Cao booked a patient companion service after experiencing frequent dizziness and headaches. Unwilling to disrupt his children's work, he booked through the hospital's WeChat account.

His companion, Wang Ping, helped him complete every step from registration and consultation to collecting medication. Cao finished the visit in less than half a day.

The public-interest program, launched with local civil affairs authorities in August 2025, has since expanded to all of Renji's campuses and provided nearly 4,000 free sessions.

On the commercial side, specialized agencies and individual providers have been joined by tech giants such as Alibaba, JD.com and Didi, which combine online booking with in-person accompaniment. Some providers also cater to international patients seeking medical care in China.

According to China-based consultancy Intelligence Research Group, patient companion services were used 7.41 million times in China in 2025, up 21.6 percent year on year. The market size reached 1.19 billion yuan (about 177 million U.S. dollars), up 18 percent.

A PUSH FOR STANDARDS

However, the sector's rapid growth has also exposed problems. Inconsistent pricing, unclear responsibilities, and inadequate privacy protection have raised concerns.

To address these problems, the national standard for commercial patient companion services was rolled out, scheduled to take effect on Nov. 1.

It lists 12 things companions can do and seven they cannot, such as giving medical advice or making treatment decisions for patients. It also requires organizations to verify companions' qualifications, train them and answer for their services.

Efforts are also underway to strengthen professional training and assessment. In Chengdu, specialized skills assessments have been introduced for patient companions. By June 2026, five assessment institutions had conducted 26 rounds of assessments, with about 1,100 people qualifying, a pass rate of around 64 percent.

Patient companionship is not an "errand business" but a new service that fills the "last mile" of medical care, said Wang Yue, a professor from Peking University's School of Health Humanities. At its core, Wang said, companions serve as "translators of information" and "emotional anchors" between doctors and patients.