Taking care of your health in China
How to chose a good hospital in China
Hospitals in mainland China are divided into three levels and ten grades.
How and where to buy medicines in China
Pharmacies and online platforms are the main channels for buying medicines.
The Chinese Traditional Medicine
An introduction of the main features of Chinese Traditional Medicine.
Choosing a good hospital
Criteria to choose an hospital
Hospitals in mainland China are divided into three levels and ten grades according to their overall scores, among which the third-level hospitals are the highest and have special grades. Hospital level reflects the size of the hospital, research direction, human resources and technical strength, medical hardware and equipment.
For specific diseases, it is recommended to choose a specialized hospital or a relevant department of a general hospital that has expertise in the field. You can learn about the hospital’s specialty capabilities and reputation through the hospital’s official website and authoritative medical rankings (e.g., the Fudan edition of the China Hospital Ranking).
Consider the location and accessibility of the hospital, especially when long-term treatment or multiple follow-up visits are required. Large cities and core areas have a relatively high concentration of medical resources, but may also face problems such as traffic congestion.
If you have Chinese medical insurance, it is recommended that you choose a designated hospital for medical insurance so that you can enjoy the medical insurance reimbursement policy when you seek medical treatment.
Choose doctors with senior titles (e.g. chief physician, deputy chief physician), who usually have richer clinical experience and higher medical standards. You can learn about the doctor’s area of specialization, patient reviews and other information through the hospital’s official website, registration platform and other channels. Learn about the doctor’s scheduling so that you can choose a suitable consultation time according to your own schedule. You can make an appointment for registration through the hospital’s official website.
Procedures required for foreigners to seek medical treatment in China
Proof of identity: Provide a valid passport and visa to prove their status of legal stay in China (some hospitals may require a copy of the passport or other identification documents for their records).
Proof of medical insurance: If you have medical insurance in China, you will need to provide proof of medical insurance in order to be eligible for reimbursement when seeking medical treatment.
It is recommended that you check with your insurance company about the policy and have all the required documents on hand prior to your visit.
Registration: Go to the hospital and register your personal information, including passport number and contact information (some hospitals may require additional forms or identification documents for their records).
Payment and Reimbursement: Pay your medical bills according to the hospital’s rules. If you have medical insurance, you can apply to your insurance company for partial reimbursement of medical expenses after your visit. Policies and regulations need to be understood and followed regarding payment and reimbursement.
How and where to buy medicines in China
Where and how to buy medicines:
Pharmacies: Pharmacies throughout cities and rural areas are the main channels for buying medicines. You can go directly to the pharmacy and tell the clerk the name of the medicine or symptoms you need to buy, and the clerk will recommend the appropriate medicine according to the situation.
Hospital: In the hospital, you can buy prescription drugs through the prescription issued by the doctor. At the same time, hospital pharmacies also provide over-the-counter (OTC) sales.
Online platforms: In recent years, with the development of the Internet, online drug purchases have become more and more convenient. You can search for the drugs you need on e-commerce platforms such as JD.com and Meituan, and complete payment and delivery online. In addition, designated retail pharmacies in some areas of medical insurance also support online drug purchases and use medical insurance personal accounts for payment.
In some cases, such as hospitalization or outpatient treatment, medicines may be provided directly by the hospital as part of the treatment. In addition, for some patients with chronic diseases, hospitals may provide long-term drug delivery services.
In China, a prescription from a doctor is usually required to buy prescription drugs. Prescription drugs refer to drugs that can only be dispensed, purchased and used with a prescription issued by a practicing physician or practicing assistant physician. Such drugs usually have certain pharmacological effects, potential drug interactions or dependence, so they need to be used under the guidance of a doctor. Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs can be purchased and used without a doctor’s prescription.
Mobile Applications to buy medicines
In China, you can use multiple applications to buy medicines; the most important are the followings:
JD Health: JD’s healthcare platform, which provides a rich selection of medicines and supports online payment and delivery.
Meituan Buy Medicine: Meituan’s medicine purchase service also provides a convenient medicine purchase experience and delivery services.
Ali Health Pharmacy: Alibaba Group’s medical e-commerce platform, which also provides online purchase and delivery of medicines.
Tips for Buying Medicines in China:
Use translation apps to help communicate with pharmacy staff if needed.
Ensure that your prescription is in Chinese or translated to avoid any issues.
Only buy medicines from reputable pharmacies and online platforms to ensure you receive genuine products.
Check if your health insurance covers purchases from certain pharmacies or requires medicines to be bought from specific providers.
Chinese Traditional Medicine
Main features of Chinese Traditional Medicine (“TCM”):
-
Holistic concept: TCM emphasizes that the human body is an organic whole, and that humans are closely related to the natural world and social environment. When diagnosing and treating, TCM will comprehensively consider the patient’s physical, psychological, social and environmental factors.
-
Treatment based on syndrome differentiation: TCM collects information on the condition through four examinations (looking, smelling, asking, and palpating), conducts comprehensive analysis, and identifies syndromes to determine personalized treatment methods.
-
Constant motion concept: TCM recognizes that the life activities of the human body and the changes of diseases are in constant motion, so it will dynamically observe the changes of the condition during diagnosis and treatment.
-
Treatment before disease occurs: TCM emphasizes the importance of disease prevention, including prevention before disease occurs and prevention of changes after disease occurs, that is, prevention before disease occurs and prevention of further deterioration of the disease after disease occurs.
-
Different treatments for the same disease and same treatments for different diseases: TCM believes that the same disease may have different syndromes at different stages or in different individuals, and different diseases may have the same syndromes at certain stages, so different or the same treatment methods will be used.
You can find a TCM doctor through the following channels:
-
TCM schools or institutions: TCM schools or institutions usually provide enrollment information or TCM services. You can check these institutions to find out if there is a suitable TCM practitioner.
-
Community clinics or hospitals: Many community clinics and hospitals have TCM departments. You can consult and make an appointment with a TCM practitioner at a local medical institution.
-
Online platforms: There are many medical service platforms that provide online appointment services for TCM practitioners. You can search and choose a suitable TCM practitioner on these platforms.
-
Word of mouth recommendation: Ask friends, family or colleagues around you to find out if they have good TCM practitioners to recommend.
Benefits and risks of TCM
Chinese medicine can bring you the following benefits:
-
Chinese medicine uses a holistic concept to comprehensively condition the human body, avoiding focusing on a single symptom and ignoring other potential problems.
-
Chinese medicine provides each patient with a personalized treatment plan through syndrome differentiation and treatment to improve the treatment effect.
-
Chinese medicine emphasizes preventing diseases before they occur, and prevents the occurrence of diseases by adjusting living habits and dietary structure.
-
Chinese medicine uses natural medicines, which usually have fewer side effects than chemical drugs.
-
Chinese medicine not only uses drug treatment, but also combines acupuncture, massage, cupping and other therapies to improve the treatment effect.
TCM can also have certain risks:
-
Some patients may be allergic to certain ingredients in TCM, leading to allergic reactions.
-
If the patient is using other drugs at the same time, TCM may interact with these drugs, affecting the efficacy or causing adverse reactions.
-
If the TCM physician makes inaccurate diagnosis or improper treatment, it may aggravate the condition or delay treatment.
-
Acupuncture risks: There may be risks such as fainting, hematoma, and broken needles during acupuncture treatment. Although these risks are uncommon, they need to be dealt with in a timely manner once they occur.
Therefore, when receiving TCM treatment, patients should choose regular medical institutions and qualified TCM physicians, and strictly follow the doctor’s instructions for treatment.
