# healthcare gig economy

Patient Companions: How China’s Gig Workforce Is Filling a Healthcare Gap — and Testing Regulation

China’s informal industry of patient companions has grown rapidly to help elderly and urban patients navigate crowded hospitals, but it remains fragmented, poorly regulated and exposed to fraud and liability risks. Recent local pilots and an interagency statement signal a move toward professionalisation, while practitioners warn that certification and platform dynamics have yet to resolve structural precarity.