Healthcare in Shanghai

The overall healthcare in Shanghai can be described as good. Strolling around the city, one can find quite easily a number of medical care providers, including those which practices western medicine (they are there to cater especially for the local expatriate communities there). As the number is vast, you may want to find out from your contacts (or check the internet) before your arrival in Shanghai on which provider you can count on for yourself and your family. It is common for the local expatriate community to have its own medical facility, but look again; you would realize the choice and depth of service may differ (dependent on community size and local availability) from one to another.

Without a doubt, the most widely practiced medicine in Shanghai is Traditional Chinese Medicine (or TCM). It is definitely a novelty if you have been used to the conventional western medicine. Even while medical experts have acknowledged TCM place in the medical discipline (as a complimentary branch of medicine), it still evoke mixed feelings. Some would be totally dismissive while there are those who gave it a lot of credit because of personal experience (either his or her own experience or that of loves ones or relative). There are also a lot of massage clinics in Shanghai but differences in prices, and corresponding the service levels fluctuates hugely here (my assumption: price offered is in direct proportion to the professional background and training, as well as the depth of service on offer). Then there are also the hybrid massages with traditional Chinese medicine or complimentary services such as manicure and pedicure bundled in.

Healthcare Facilities in Shanghai

 Naturally, western style clinics in the city are well-frequented by the expatriate communities. They are usually managed and run by expatriates and they tend to be expensive. Or you can seek treatment from the city’s foreigners' clinics as designated by the Shanghai health authority. But the often heard complaint about such clinics is that they do not look like professionally run. One other complaint is that quite a few of them are manned by non-English speaking locals, so it would be a good idea to brush up your Chinese vocabulary before you give these clinics a try.

Overall, the service level is decent and the cost is reasonable (again may vary from one to another). Otherwise, the public hospital in the city would only take on foreigners in case of emergency.

 Private Medical Facilities in Shanghai

 As the people in Shanghai become more affluent with the economic growth, private healthcare is mushrooming. The private hospitals and clinics are usually joint ventures and they come in all sizes. Often the charge levied is dependent on of the staff level and medical equipment invested, hence treatment or care dispensed may not be consistent.

 For expatriates who are based in Shanghai, the common route for them is to fly home when they require medical treatment, or sometimes they do make a trip to either Bangkok or Hong Kong for their treatments. Apparently they have not yet become comfortable seeking major treatment in Shanghai.

 Those medical clinics run by Americans tend to be more popular in Shanghai and they are equal to their jobs. Due to the ever expanding expatriate community’s size, more such set-ups are expected in the foreseeable future.

 There is no regulatory requirement for immunizations in the city but its health authority would encourage visitors to go for certain immunizations, like those against Hepatits A & B, Japanese encephalitis and rabies. If you plan to do that, maybe it is more convenient you do that before you fly off to Shanghai but if you feel comfortable, you can let the medical staff in Shanghai to take care of that.

Finding the right Medical insurance in Shanghai

If you travel to Shanghai it is important to have a suitable Medical Insurance in case you have an accident or get sick.
Since Medical cost in Shanghai can be quite significant you can contact us in order for us to help you select the most suitable healthcare plan for yourself or your family. Our advisors will guide you toward the most suitable medical plan in Shanghai.