Objective To examine the status quo of utilization and market demand of equipments for identification of pre-clinical disease and effect evaluation on preventive treatment based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) ideology.

Methods Using random cluster sampling, we conducted a questionnaire survey among 658 TCM hospitals and health care institutions and 12 423 people receiving TCM related examinations in 25 province-level regions across China between December 2017 and February 2018.

Results For the hospitals and institutions surveyed, the allocation rates of all types of TCM-related detection equipments were less than 35.00%, except for the allocation rate of the TCM constitution identification apparatus (378 sets, 60.87%). The utilization rate of personal life status assessment equipments (213 sets, 50.17%) was higher than that of TCM physical examination equipments (356 sets, 35.89%). Low acceptability and long operation time were among the issues preventing the TCM-related detection equipments from pervasive application indicated by medical staff of the institutions. The people receiving examinations with the TCM-related equipments were generally satisfied to the detections but 78.72% of the examinees were not satisfied with the cost of the detections.

Conclusion The allocation and utilization of equipments for TCM-related identification of pre-clinical disease and effect evaluation on preventive treatment are generally at a good level but comprehensive efforts are needed to promote the development and application of the equipments for TCM-related detections.