Comments on: China Health Care Challenges http://www.chinahearsay.com/china-health-care-challenges/ China law, business and economics commentary Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:44:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Stan http://www.chinahearsay.com/china-health-care-challenges/comment-page-1/#comment-75957 Stan Fri, 12 Feb 2010 04:13:57 +0000 http://www.chinahearsay.com/?p=4937#comment-75957 I've had the same experience going to emergency rooms here on several occasions. Provided you know exactly what you want (e.g. IV antibiotics), it's amazingly fast and cheap. This is not the same as what the LA Times article was talking about. It's the difference between going to an emergency room and having a private appointment with a doctor of your choosing. Keep mind also that when Chinese people talk about "going to the hospital" that can mean anything from an emergency room to an appointment with a "normal" doctor or dentist. I’ve had the same experience going to emergency rooms here on several occasions. Provided you know exactly what you want (e.g. IV antibiotics), it’s amazingly fast and cheap. This is not the same as what the LA Times article was talking about. It’s the difference between going to an emergency room and having a private appointment with a doctor of your choosing.

Keep mind also that when Chinese people talk about “going to the hospital” that can mean anything from an emergency room to an appointment with a “normal” doctor or dentist.

]]> By: Tony http://www.chinahearsay.com/china-health-care-challenges/comment-page-1/#comment-75954 Tony Thu, 11 Feb 2010 21:51:34 +0000 http://www.chinahearsay.com/?p=4937#comment-75954 Am I missing something? I've been to a hospital (or maybe more like a clinic) in China, but only once. The one time I got sick in Guangdong somewhere (on vacation), and my wife made me go (i just wanted to tough it out, of course). She's Chinese (lived in Shanghai before coming to the U.S.). I by no means went to some kind of international or expensive hospital. There were no lines and I got in very quick. They gave me miscellaneous pills and hooked me up with an IV to give me fluids where I sat with other Chinese people for four hours or so. I think my wife paid 100-200 rmb for the whole thing (I'll have to double check). Now, we are in the U.S. Anytime that my wife or I need to go the doctor, she complains because according to her in China she doesn't need to make an appointment or wait in line for hours. So was this a different medical institution that I went to? Now I need to talk to my wife when I get home from work today. Side note: I'm pretty sure the IV was completely unnecessary. Of course, I eventually got better, so it must have been the IV (even though I would have without it). At least that seems to be the logic of my wife and her friends when it comes to traditional chinese medicines (wow, it cured her of a cold in a week and half). Also, the hosptial/clinic had no soap in the bathrooms. Am I missing something? I’ve been to a hospital (or maybe more like a clinic) in China, but only once.

The one time I got sick in Guangdong somewhere (on vacation), and my wife made me go (i just wanted to tough it out, of course). She’s Chinese (lived in Shanghai before coming to the U.S.). I by no means went to some kind of international or expensive hospital. There were no lines and I got in very quick. They gave me miscellaneous pills and hooked me up with an IV to give me fluids where I sat with other Chinese people for four hours or so. I think my wife paid 100-200 rmb for the whole thing (I’ll have to double check).

Now, we are in the U.S. Anytime that my wife or I need to go the doctor, she complains because according to her in China she doesn’t need to make an appointment or wait in line for hours.

So was this a different medical institution that I went to? Now I need to talk to my wife when I get home from work today.

Side note: I’m pretty sure the IV was completely unnecessary. Of course, I eventually got better, so it must have been the IV (even though I would have without it). At least that seems to be the logic of my wife and her friends when it comes to traditional chinese medicines (wow, it cured her of a cold in a week and half). Also, the hosptial/clinic had no soap in the bathrooms.

]]>