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Shanghai Health and Insurance News |
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Shanghai Medical Insurance |
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Shanghai is the financial and commercial capital of China; a developing business hub for many multinational corporations. Shanghai is one of the fastest growing cities in China and the world, with an expanding population; development in the city is continuous. There is a strong need for excellent healthcare facilities. Similar to Beijing, Shanghai has become wealthy, and the residents of the city are changing their lifestyles.
Shanghai provides private and public healthcare facilities for local Chinese residents and expatriates. Subsidized public healthcare is available for registered Chinese residents, however, foreign nationals in China are required to pay for their medical treatment in full even at public healthcare facilities. The medial facilities vary across Shanghai; some public facilities are crowded by waiting patients due to insufficient numbers of doctors, while private medical care facilities offer standards of healthcare equal to those available in western countries.
Shanghai has numerous international healthcare facilities present in the city, which target expatriates and affluent Chinese residents. The quality of medical care provided in Shanghai is excellent, with western style clinics and hospitals that employ international medical professionals. Due to the high quality medical facilities available it is vital you have Shanghai expatriate health insurance in place to protect you from the high cost of any medical treatment you may require.
American and European health care providers have been established in China for 15 years, and have been able to expand the medical care they provide in Shanghai. Demand for centers of medical excellence has meant international healthcare providers such as Parkway Health Medical Center supply multilingual doctors and state of the art facilities. Parkway Health Medical Center is internationally renowned for their quality prenatal & birthing packages. In the past many expatriates returned home to give birth but with the medical care now available, this is not always the case.
Shanghai East International Medical Center is a healthcare provider in Shanghai that employs expatriate medical professionals and has developed a name for offering expats first class medical treatment. Shanghai East International Medical Center has six internationally trained doctors.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Shanghai was one of the top 20 most polluted cities in the world � 16 out of 20 were Chinese � leading to health concerns for residents in cities. Poor air quality is a major factor in respiratory illnesses such as asthma and restrictive lung disease. The increase in the use of cars, large scale development projects and factory output has contributed to high emissions and ongoing health issues. Factories have been moved, by the authorities in Shanghai, to the outskirts of the city to improve air quality; the impact of air pollution, however, is still high in the city.
The Chinese government and authorities are focusing on the health standards of food establishments. Unhygienic restaurants and street vendors are still an issue, in some cases leading to illnesses such as diarrhea or food poisoning. When eating out in Shanghai it is recommended you gauge the cleanliness of the establishment to avoid any potential health risks. Contaminated food across China in recent years has been a further issue for the Chinese government; measures to try and combat this are in place.
The lifestyle of the citizens of Shanghai is influenced by health care and even impacts on their social life. The majority of the citizens can afford to live in sanitary conditions; however there are a minority who cannot, tending to live in cramped, unsanitary conditions which can be potential breeding grounds for illness and disease. The healthcare system, and how to access it, is not familiar to all Chinese citizens. The healthcare in Shanghai and other cities is overburdened with influxes of Chinese citizens from less affluent surrounding areas seeking public medical facilities. Primary medical care is free for the citizens of China, they are however required to pay for some aspects of treatment, if their state health insurance does not cover secondary treatment.
Illness can spread in areas with a densely high population, impacting large portions of citizens and visitors. The occurrence of this happened in 2009 when there were several recorded cases of Swine flu. There is the potential for future outbreaks of disease and infections in large, densely populated cities like Shanghai.
Over the last decade more foreign companies have relocated to or are opening offices in Shanghai, leading to an increase in the number of expatriates. Demand for western style hospitals and clinics, and multilingual medical professionals continues to grow; with expatriate medical professionals working in small clinics and large hospitals in Shanghai. In these facilities major languages are spoken to meet the requirements of the large expatriate community. These facilities are often operated as a VIP or premium service, meaning costs are exceedingly high. The best way to be financially secure while availing yourself of high quality medical treatment is to have a Shanghai medical insurance policy in force.
Be aware that ambulance response times are not up to the same standard and efficiency as in the US and EU; heavy traffic can impede the arrival of an ambulance to an accident. You are advised that if you require medical treatment when in Shanghai you try to make your own way to a hospital. An ambulance may not be able to reach you speedily and will only transport you to the nearest hospital � which may not be the best one.
It is important to remember that all international healthcare facilities in Shanghai provide superb medical care; it is expensive and it is critical you have Shanghai expatriate health insurance while you are in China. The healthcare providers in Shanghai, that cater for the expatriate community include; American-Sino Ob/Gyn Service, Shanghai East International Medical Center, United Family Hospital, Parkway Health Medical Center, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical University Children's Hospital and New Pioneer Medical Center.
It is vital you have in place comprehensive travel and medical insurance cover prior to your arrival in China. You are advised to seek private healthcare facilities as not all of the public hospitals are up to the same standard of care as the United States or Europe or may not have English speaking staff; the language barrier may lead to misinterpretation or unnecessary medical expenses. Private healthcare facilities cater to expatriates and business groups, with physicians, surgeons and nurses speaking English and other European languages. The quality of service you receive in private healthcare is regarded as excellent; staff who work in these facilities are trained to high international standards. The private healthcare network, United Family Hospital & Clinic, is renowned for the quality of service it provides to local Chinese and expatriates.
All major insurance companies have strong representation in China, and can offer a range of international medical insurance policies in Shanghai for both short term visitors and expatriates employees. If you are looking for individual or family medical care it is advisable your policy includes emergency evacuation, for extreme circumstances, as you may require relocation to a special healthcare facility in your country of residence.
Overall the quality of private healthcare in Shanghai far exceeds the medical care available in public run facilities. If you do require medical treatment while in Shanghai you will be able to find a healthcare provider that can offer a range of medical needs, with medical staff trained to standards of western nations; diagnosis and treatment will be communicated in English. However, this quality of medical care is expensive, and therefore it is paramount you are covered with full comprehensive international medical insurance or Shanghai medical insurance cover, as the cost of medical treatment may amount to thousands of dollars. If your visit is short term, or if you are a working expatriate, there are policies designed to meet, and suit your needs, while you are in Shanghai.
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New Shanghai International Medical Center set to open |
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The Shanghai East International Medical Center, located on the 12th floor of the Shanghai East Hospital, was launched by the hospital and US based Pacific Alliance Medical Center three months ago on a trial basis. The US company invested US$9.8 million in the project.
The hospital has 26 wards and 50 beds and currently receives more than 20 patients every day.
Targeting expatriates and wealthy residents, the medical center is equipped with not only modern facilities with human-oriented service but also has experienced doctors, including one from France.
“We are promoting the international ‘family doctor’ concept, which means a patient has his or her own doctor all the time, “ said Michael Heindel, CEO & general manager of East International. “For special diseases o surgeries, we invited local specialists to cooperation with our doctors to conduct proper treatment.”
Two more foreign doctors, one each from the United States and Australia, will arrive before the center’s official inauguration. It has some 20 local staff, including doctors and nurses.
However, the service does not come cheap. The registration payment for outpatient service varies from 500 yuan (US$60) to 1,500 yuan, while local hospitals only charge between 10 yuan and 100 yuan. The cots for surgery is also 5-6 times more than that of local hospitals.
“We are not worried that the cost, since it is still cheaper, compared with to countries and regions like Singapore and Hong Kong. Heidel said.
At present, there are more than 20 JV medical facilities in the city, but all of them are clinics and only provide outpatient services or specialized treatment for face-lift, gynecology and obstetrics and dental care.
These JV clinics cater to about 60,000 expats in the city. “I believe my three children from Chile to Shanghai, where my husband works, early this year. At first, I was worried about the medical service. Now I feel confident after visiting some joint venture facilities here,’ said a woman named Chen.
Local hospitals have been feeling the heat from competitions since the city government said it welcomed more JV and private hospitals to meet people’s demands.
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Medical and Dental Facilities for Shanghai's Expatriate |
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There are expatriate medical and dental facilities in Shanghai; the physicians are either expatriates themselves or have been trained in another country. If your condition cannot be treated by these clinics, you'll be evaluated further and either referred to a specialist Hong Kong, or to the "foreigners" clinic in one of the local hospitals. The doctors in these foreigner clinics may speak some English.
In the event of a medical emergency, you may have a long wait for an ambulance. You can usually catch a taxi in just a few minutes in Shanghai.
It's a good idea to bring a copy of your medical records and a year's supply of any prescription drugs with you to Shanghai.
Both World Link and Sino-Canadian have dental clinics. Check to see what dental services they provide. World Link does have a program available for dental braces, and brings a specialist in on certain days of the month. If you have very young children, bring a supply of fluoride with you; the bottled water everyone drinks in China is not fluorinated.
Globalsurance has extensive knowledge of international medical insurance for expats living all over the world including Shanghai, China. We are here to help you choose the most suitable Shanghai International Health Insurance plan that is best suited to your needs.
Globalsurance is an independent medical and international health insurance advisor. We offer free quotations and advice to clients throughout the World. If you are planning to travel or live abroad, we can offer you advice to match your international health insurance needs. |
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