While I have deep compassion for those suffering from serious medical disorders, and are unable to find effective cures in the West, I would say be very, very careful with any medical treatment in China. I have lived in 3 different parts of China for over 3 years, Both I and my wife have sought medical treatment for the flu and pnemonia in various Chinese hospitals. Being competently diagnoses and getting appropriate therapy is very risky, and I say that from repeated first hand experience. Among the best medical treatment that is availble in China is in Chinese Army hospitals, or some university affiliated hospitals in the bigger cities. However, these army hospitals do NOT accept persons that are not Han Chinese as partients.
And with most things in China, the kind of treatment you get and the kind of room and medical environment you are put in depends upon basicly two factors, how much money you can spend and who you know that is higher up in the Party/Government. The later is referred to in China as “guan shi” There is a third factor in Chinese medicine which you should be aware of and that is Chinese doctors do not make that much money, and most want the nice apartment, home and BMW. So, they are subject and interested in “back door bribes”and gifts.
Most people in any field in Mainland Chinese culture who have some importance are subject to, interested in and can be very influenced by back door bribes, gifts, fancy vacations, etc. This strong backdoor influence is and has been a part of Chinese culture for many decades, if not longer.
Lastly, the medical facilities, even in good hospitals, are often unsanitary, spartian, and perhaps shocking to an American.
And medical ethiics in China in many situations is very questionable. The amount of money you can pay for a treatment often determines the quatity, and quantity of treatment you will get. And as stated by many US medical doctors, you have NO guarentee that the treatment Chinese medical doctors say they are giving to you, is what they say it is.
Best wishes, prayers and be very careful what you are commiting your money, hope and time for, in China.
Curruption here is just part of how things are, just ask almost any half way educated Chinese citizen. Most do not like it, unless they are profiting from it, but cannot change this Chinese fact of live.
1 Comment Add your own
1. Jim | January 6th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
While I have deep compassion for those suffering from serious medical disorders, and are unable to find effective cures in the West, I would say be very, very careful with any medical treatment in China. I have lived in 3 different parts of China for over 3 years, Both I and my wife have sought medical treatment for the flu and pnemonia in various Chinese hospitals. Being competently diagnoses and getting appropriate therapy is very risky, and I say that from repeated first hand experience. Among the best medical treatment that is availble in China is in Chinese Army hospitals, or some university affiliated hospitals in the bigger cities. However, these army hospitals do NOT accept persons that are not Han Chinese as partients.
And with most things in China, the kind of treatment you get and the kind of room and medical environment you are put in depends upon basicly two factors, how much money you can spend and who you know that is higher up in the Party/Government. The later is referred to in China as “guan shi” There is a third factor in Chinese medicine which you should be aware of and that is Chinese doctors do not make that much money, and most want the nice apartment, home and BMW. So, they are subject and interested in “back door bribes”and gifts.
Most people in any field in Mainland Chinese culture who have some importance are subject to, interested in and can be very influenced by back door bribes, gifts, fancy vacations, etc. This strong backdoor influence is and has been a part of Chinese culture for many decades, if not longer.
Lastly, the medical facilities, even in good hospitals, are often unsanitary, spartian, and perhaps shocking to an American.
And medical ethiics in China in many situations is very questionable. The amount of money you can pay for a treatment often determines the quatity, and quantity of treatment you will get. And as stated by many US medical doctors, you have NO guarentee that the treatment Chinese medical doctors say they are giving to you, is what they say it is.
Best wishes, prayers and be very careful what you are commiting your money, hope and time for, in China.
Curruption here is just part of how things are, just ask almost any half way educated Chinese citizen. Most do not like it, unless they are profiting from it, but cannot change this Chinese fact of live.
So, be careful!
Jim
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