A Shanghai international hospital can be a great source of comfort for expats. This article will help you understand the benefits and costs of using their healthcare services in Shanghai.
We have a list of Shanghai international hospitals and clinics at the end of this article.
If you are traveling to Beijing we have a sister website where you can find contact information for Beijing international hospitals.
Choosing a Shanghai International Hospital
Most expats who have comprehensive health insurance coverage will choose a Shanghai international hospital when seeking medical care.
These hospitals provide a similar standard of healthcare to what you are accustomed to back home.
Most medical insurance plans can be accepted for direct billing by these medical centers. Even if your medical insurance provider can not process direct billing with the hospital usually you can get reimbursed after treatment based on receipts and doctor reports.
It is critical, however, to first understand what your medical insurance plan covers and how you can get reimbursed before using any healthcare services in Shanghai.
If your medical insurance plan is not extensive you should immediately let the doctor know your concerns about the fees and go over them in detail. As well, you should confirm with your insurance provider which Shanghai hospitals and clinics are covered by your plan.
COVID-19 Testing at a Shanghai International Hospital
At least one Shanghai international hospital, Jiahui, now offers COVID-19 nucleic acid tests for outpatients showing COVID-19 symptoms or those scheduled for inpatient services at their hospital. Any asymptomatic people who are not scheduled for inpatient services still need to visit one of the fever clinics at a public Shanghai hospital for the test.
Shanghai International Hospital Fees
Standard consultation fees at a Shanghai international hospital can range from US$70 to $200, much higher than at a public Shanghai hospital. The fees for tests and treatments are also much higher, sometimes several times the price.
United Family Healthcare (UFH), one of Shanghai’s biggest international hospitals has published their prices for various outpatient services online.
Advantages of a Shanghai International Hospital
Even though their fees are higher, there are many advantages to use the services of a Shanghai international hospital or clinic as compared to public hospitals in China.
Although none of them have the scale of large state-run hospitals they are growing in size and offering more services. Many also cooperate with the large public hospitals so they can make use of their premises and equipment when needed.
Many of the doctors at international hospitals and clinics in Shanghai are expats, otherwise Chinese who have trained and worked overseas. Their English skills, therefore, are excellent. Doctors who speak other foreign languages are also available at many of these international hospitals in Shanghai.
It is quite easy to make a doctor’s appointment over the phone for a Shanghai international hospital or clinic, something impossible to do for a Shanghai public hospital.
Long wait times for outpatient care is the number one complaint for public hospitals in Shanghai as confirmed by a recent survey of over 15,000 participants. You will not have to worry about this at an international hospital in Shanghai.
Personal Care at a Shanghai International Hospital
The biggest benefit of using a Shanghai international hospital is the higher-quality service and personal care you will receive.
Your doctor will:
- Take the time to learn about your medical history and keep records for future reference.
- Spend more time to analyze your general overall health.
- Take more care to ensure you are not overusing medications.
- As they are not rushed for time, the doctor will also give you more advice for preventive care.
After a consultation at a Shanghai international hospital, therefore, you will have the peace of mind that you have received quality care.
Many of the international hospitals and clinics in Shanghai also offer mental health care services, maternity services and dental services for Shanghai expats.
Certainly Faster and Occasionally Cheaper Service
For small medical procedures you can receive much quicker and sometimes even cheaper service at an international clinic in Shanghai than a public hospital.
Once this author needed to have a small skin lump removed in Shanghai. At the Huashan hospital I needed to wait two hours to see a general doctor, who then referred me to see a specialist a few days later.
The specialist recommended I book an appointment to remove the small growth, but the waiting list was two to three months long. The cost quoted to me was about RMB 1,300 (US$ 200) and I would have to pay a deposit immediately.
As I was not able to predict my schedule two months in advance I decided it would be better to go to a Shanghai international clinic and pay a bit extra to get quicker service.
I was able to immediately book an appointment over the phone and visited the clinic the same day. The consultation fee quoted on the phone was about RMB 500 (US$80).
After examination the doctor said she could immediately remove the growth and would only need to increase the consultation fee to RMB 800 (US$ 120) and charge RMB 34 (US$ 5.20) for some medication.
On this occasion, I not only received much quicker service, but actually saved money by using a Shanghai international clinic.
Government Regulation of Shanghai International Hospitals
The main obstacles to the growth of foreign invested international hospitals in China are the regulations limiting ownership, and the difficulty for them to participate in the Chinese state health insurance scheme.
Only investors from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau are allowed to wholly own an international hospital in some cities in China, while investors from foreign countries are limited to less than 100 percent ownership, with the allowed amount varying by city.
The Chinese government announced, however, a goal for the private sector to provide approximately 20 percent of China’s healthcare services, and foreign investors would be welcomed in helping to reach this goal.
Already many foreign invested Shanghai international hospitals and clinics have started to serve high-wealth local Chinese who are willing to pay out of their own pocket for higher quality healthcare.
Foreign invested hospitals and clinics are lobbying to participate in the state health insurance system so Chinese citizens would be able to at least partially reimburse some of their fees.
Many foreign investors are considering to establish new international clinics and hospitals in Shanghai’s two new international medical zones in Hongqiao and Pudong.
Shanghai International Hospital List
Here we have a list of Shanghai international hospitals and clinics for foreigners.
- Jiahui Health Hospital and Clinics
Jingan, Yangpu, Xuhui - Global Healthcare
Jingan, Pudong - Parkway Health (Gleneagles)
Jingan, Pudong, Jinqiao - Shanghai United Family Hospital
Changning, Pudong - Columbia Clinic
Jingan - American Sino OBGYN
Xuhui - Delta Health Clinic and Hospital
Hongqiao, Qingpu - Raffles Medical Group
Xuhui - Shanghai East International Medical Center (SEIMC)
Pudong - St Michael Hospital
- Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine (the clinic)
- World Path Clinic
- Landseed Hospital
- Shanghai Chiropractic
- Red Leaf Maternity Hospital
- New Vision Eye Clinic
- Shanghai Sky Clinic
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