Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has worked in collaboration with China-based Huici Health Management Co. to help with physician training and the design of a new medical center, including a 1,000-bed hospital, in Suzhou in East China's Jiangsu Province.

After the Huici Medical Center opens in 2020, medical students, residents and fellows from the School of Medicine of the U.S. university will have opportunities to learn and train at the new medical center, according to a news release posted on the website of the university on Monday.

As part of the collaboration, a referral system will be developed for Chinese patients to come to Washington University School of Medicine for specialized medical care to treat complex medical conditions, especially cancers.

The collaboration also includes the opportunity for Washington University doctors in St. Louis to provide long-distance healthcare services to patients in China through a telemedicine program.

"One of the major focuses of the relationship with Huici is the opportunity to partner with Siteman Cancer Center," said Timothy J. Eberlein, director of Siteman Cancer Center under Washington University School of Medicine.

"This partnership will help Huici develop state-of-the-art cancer services in Suzhou. Additionally, Siteman will share its exceptional prevention programs, which will be used to lessen the burden of disease in China," said Eberlein.

"This partnership will benefit people in the entire province surrounding Suzhou and is an example of the international impact of Siteman," Eberlein added.

Faculty at the School of Medicine will provide advice and technical consultations on the design of the medical center's facilities and recommend specific technologies, especially for diagnostic imaging and treating cancer.

"We are pleased to be pursuing this new collaboration with our colleagues in China," said Paul J. Scheel, associate vice chancellor for clinical affairs and CEO of Washington University Physicians.

"China's economy has expanded dramatically over the past several decades, and there is a strong demand for private sector health care," said Scheel.

"To fill this need, new hospitals are being built there, and we'll be providing our expertise on everything from hospital design to the purchase of new technologies and physician training, helping to bring better health care to patients in China," Scheel said.

"The collaboration also opens up new opportunities for our students, medical residents and fellows to train in China, providing an international setting that can enhance their skills and help them understand the challenges and successes of the Chinese health-care system," Scheel added.

Washington University School of Medicine, ranked among the top 10 medical schools in the country by U.S. News & World Report, is a leader in medical research, teaching and patient care in the United States.