BEIJING, March 23 (Xinhua) -- The following are the highlights of China's key health news from the past week:

-- China to promote labor pain relief methods at over 900 pilot hospitals

China will promote pain relief methods during labor and delivery at over 900 pilot hospitals, with the list to be released soon.

The National Health Commission will make pain relief techniques accessible for more hospitals to prompt more people to drop the idea that painless labor is impossible, which has long been believed by many in China.

-- China launches crackdown on medical scams

Chinese authorities have launched a year-long campaign with focuses on illegal activities including practicing irregularities, medicare fraud, over-treatment, and misleading commercials and promotions of healthcare products and services.

Medical practitioners leasing their certificates, healthcare providers or pharmacies renting and trading such certificates, and those manufacturing and selling counterfeit drugs will face harsh punishment.

-- China to implement grading system for "smart hospitals"

China will implement a smart medical service grading system for the development of "smart hospitals."

A typical "smart hospital" features information-based service systems including a database of patients' medical records, a registration system, a hospital navigation system and a logistics management system.