Living in China has become very convenient and safe healthwise, especially in the bigger cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, etc.
Outpatient services: If you are sick with an URI, a diarrhea, have a small trauma injury, you need to go to see the doctor, either in one of the "International Clinics" in the big cities, or need to go to a local hospital. There are no legal doctor's practices as in the West.
When you go to an international clinic, you'll need to pay a couple of hundred RMB for a consultation. In a local hospital this can range from RMB 5 (normal physician) through the normal outpatient center to RMB 600 (so-called "specialist") through a VIP outpatient center, which means you get prompter, perhaps more efficient service in a quite hygienic environment
If you need to be hospitalized, you need to pay between 3000 and 10 000 RMB or more as down-pay before you can be admitted. Due to new regulations hospitals are required to admit patients through the ER in a life threatening medical situation even without that pre-pay.
Most doctors speak fair English, know a lot of medical vocabulary, but due to lack of practice, will find it often difficult to speak in plain English. So communication will have to rely on a translator in most cases.
If you need to be picked up by an ambulance, be prepared to wait. It usually takes 30 minutes to 1hour until one arrives at where you are in Beijing (this is based on own experience, with about 50 cases). Most ambulances do carry resuscitation equipment (defibrillator, adrenaline, oxygen etc.) but some don't, so make clear to the operator to dispatch a fully equipped ambulance. By the way, the operators in Beijing do not necessarily speak English, and the ambulance driver will not necessarily know where you are from your address, you may need to explain how to get to you.....
Another little problem is that the ambulances get stuck in traffic same as all the other cars.
So it would be a great idea to have someone or several people, who can speak fluent Chinese, or Chinese friends you can reach at any time to help you out when in need, either getting you some money to be admitted into a hospital, or to call an ambulance to your place etc.
If you suffer from a chronic illness, or are allergic to certain substances, you should have this information on you when you go out in Chinese, plus a contact number of someone people can call- just in case.
Medication: Most of all western medicines are available in China, and there is a lot of herbal medicine readily available as OTC. Those herbalists among you beware- many of those contain western medicines. For example many cold medicines contain aspirine. So make sure to ask the pharmacist if the product you are buying really is 100% herbal. Just to be on the safe side, buy medical products only in big pharmacies, or from bigger chain stores, to make sure(r) that you get the real thing.
In general, from personal experience, I would say doctors in Beijing have good skills. Hygienic conditions may sometimes be improvable. And it is cheap.
Cheers
P.s. if you have any questions, specially about Health in Beijing, get in touch,
Zhuowen
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