About 6.7 million residents have signed agreements with general practitioners in neighborhood health centers.

Over half of high-risk groups — the elderly, those with chronic diseases, pregnant women, children and disabled people — now have their own designated GP, the health commission announced yesterday.

By simplifying the process and encouraging more people to sign up, over 600 residents with an average age of 41 have signed the agreement through a health commission app this month.

The commission started assigning GPs in 2011 to help people enjoy cheaper and faster services in neighborhood health centers instead of visiting crowded public hospitals.

After signing with a GP, prescriptions, health management, health education and intervention all become easier. If you are signed up, you get priority on out-patient services for top specialists in leading hospitals and in hospital transfers.

“To expand our services, we will cooperate with education authorities on screening and treating children,” said Wu Qianyu, vice director of the health commission.