When you meet the emergency in China, the first thing you should know is the emergency call number. You can dial 120 from anywhere. An ambulance will normally arrive in a few minutes.
When you meet the emergency in China, the first thing you should know is the emergency call number. You can dial 120 from anywhere. An ambulance will normally arrive in a few minutes.
But if you just want to see a doctor in China, you should know the following things.
Hospitals for Foreigners
Big cities in China like Beijing and Shanghai have hospitals, clinics and dentists established for foreigners. Many of them are a part of local hospitals. Some can offer a full range of medical services such as operations, check-ups and in-patient facilities while other smaller clinics may simply be able to diagnose the symptoms of minor ailments.
If you wish to see a doctor you can do that by making an appointment by telephone or through an appropriate Website. Dentists are also available to visitors. You need to be certain that your insurance will cover the charges or you must pay the bill yourself before treatment. Most dentists are partnerships.
If you want to see a foreign doctor, who works for a small clinic, you should make sure they're licensed as foreign doctors must be licensed by local medical authorities.
Pharmacies
Your doctor may give you a prescription for you to buy medicine in a drugstore. Go to a drugstore, show the chemist the prescription and you'll be given what you need. Medicines in independent drugstores are often cheaper than those in hospital pharmacies.
Medicines sold in Chinese drugstores may not have their instructions written in English. So you should get instructions from your doctor.
You can also get the medicine from pharmacies in hospitals, but most of the expat hospitals don't have their own pharmacies. Some expat hospitals also have vaccination services, you may get such kind of information from their Websites.
How to See a Doctor
Before you go for assistance with medical care you should clarify whether your insurance will cover the service as most expatriate hospitals will charge you similar prices to those in your hometown.
You should be aware that you'll be required to share a room with three or more Chinese patients if you require to remain in hospital.
If you want to do as Chinese do in local public hospitals you should have some basic knowledge such as the procedures and some useful Chinese medical phrases.