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Healthcare in China is a significant point of contention for many international students. Treatment is available in public hospitals, international clinics within them, or at private facilities that cater to foreigners.
The Chinese healthcare system is hospital-centered, so students often forego the search for a general practitioner. As can be expected from such a vast country, the quality of care, the ease of access, and the costs vary tremendously between different places and institutions.
China's public healthcare system is best described as inconsistent. Many cities have direct access to hospitals and a range of medical services, whereas rural areas can be hours and even days away from the nearest clinic.
China’s public healthcare system is generally considered to be substandard. While this may not be the case with every facility, the language barrier, slow service and long queues dissuade most Westerners from seeking treatment in a public hospital. Despite their appearance, however, the quality of treatment in many hospitals is up to Western standards, even if their methods are different.
As part of an attempt to bridge the gap between the quality of care at costly private hospitals and the bad service at public facilities, some public clinics have opened an ‘international’ wing. These exist as partnerships between the state and the private sector, and aim to provide access to the public healthcare with Western standards of healthcare.
Many of these share doctors with public facilities but without long lines and with a greater focus on customer care. Treatments at these facilities also cost less than private hospitals. International wings are a relatively new phenomenon, however, and are only found in China's largest commercial centers.
International hospitals are well represented in larger cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, but will be absent in most smaller cities and rural communities.
Private hospitals often offer access to English-speaking medical staff with Western training; however, the high standards and service-orientated treatment come with a price. Fees are sometimes more than twice those at Chinese public hospitals.
Expats in the city will have access to the kinds of prescription medicines they are used to, as well as a range of traditional Chinese medicines that can provide supplementary treatment to different chronic and minor complaints. Some pharmacists have expertise in both areas and those that do make for a valuable resource. Foreign patients may, however, want to make sure of what they are being instructed to ingest.
Pharmacies are widely available in urban areas and are conveniently organized into different departments. However, most labels are in Chinese, so some assistance from a local friend, colleague or bilingual pharmacist may be necessary.
Emergency services in China are provided by the state’s emergency medical services. These are widespread and efficient in urban areas, but are less reliable or absent in rural regions. Ambulances often have a physician on board.
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