“Although the methods may seem strange to you, realize that whichever treatment modality is used,the doctors are genuinely concerned about you…Considering the sheer numbers they serve, they do an amazing job.” In China I routinely see inappropriate expensive meds for inappropriate lengths of time, have botched bargain-basement surgeries, financial exploitation of the patient, etc. Who knows if it’s b/c of poor training, financial motivation, or lack of genuine concern? Except for the old zhongyi who do the 10 kuai/treatment, I’d say ALL doctors (regardless of country) are genuinely concerned about the patient’s money, SOME doctors are genuinely concerned about the patient, and FEW doctors are capable of doing an amazing job.

My local employees occasionally ask for help with medical crises. A common scam here is for the hospital to only accept the patient if they’ve paid a deposit up front. One employee with a heart condition paid about RMB 30,000 to be admitted. The hospital then began treatment and would not release him (“it’s too dangerous for you to leave”) until his money ran out a few weeks later, at which time they declared “you’re finally ok now, but you’ll probably have to come back again”. They refused to give a specific diagnosis or provide a copy of his medical records. The next time he returned to the same hospital, but only had RMB 2000. They said OK. I go to hospital and it’s a dump. I ask for him to be transferred to a different hospital. They refuse and say “too dangerous, we have to keep him here indefinitely”. I grab the EKG out of chart and demand to discuss the diagnosis and treatment plan with the cardiologist. 2 hrs later they decide that the cardiologist is too busy and that it “probably is OK” to go to a different hospital. Take the ~70? kuai ambulance to the other hospital. Since it’s 3am, he stays until the morning, gets diagnosis, is released and w no problems at follow-up.

“As for western standards of cleanliness, you might be comforted by the fact that more than 99,000 people a year in the US die from drug resistant staph infections from hospitals!” Not sure what numbers you’re referring to, but US deaths from MRSA were estimated at ~19,000 in 2005, (total life-threatening infxn from MRSA ~94,000) (http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/2007/r071016.htm). China Daily reported that patients have a 10% chance of leaving the hospital with a new infection, and half of the 5 million such cases last year were MRSA (probably non-life threatening)(http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hfQIWU4O51OmqWN0gSdDubJ0FQaw). MRSA is becoming a huge problem all over the world. It’s encouraging that China is working to curb its rapidly growing rate of drug resistant hospital acquired infections (ex: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1502134).

Besides, Ivs expel the “evil” more quickly, more powerfully. See how it fits? Unfortunately, this practice pushed out other Chinese medicine that was equally if not more effective. As recent studies in China indicate, these antibiotics, however, have caused one third of all deafness in Chinese children. That is ALOT!!!! In some ways, let’s face it, IVs are like a fad and slowly disappearing as standard protocol.

As for western standards of cleanliness, you might be comforted by the fact that more than 99,000 people a year in the US die from drug resistant staph infections from hospitals! Think about what would happen if this were true in China.

I have studied both Chinese and Western medicine and medical anthropology, so I can speak from both sides. Although the methods may seem strange to you, realize that whichever treatment modality is used,the doctors are genuinely concerned about you. Considering the sheer numbers they serve, they do an amazing job. So, too, realize that through the 1980s any doctor that needed more training or was severely lacking in skill were assigned to big cities until they coud prove themselves. This, perhaps, is why Shanghai is saying it has the best doctors. So, too, the history of Shanghai plays a significant role. Shanghai was the financial capital, the port the Brits demanded open after the Opium war and was effectively ruled by the Brits, US, France, Germany and Shanghai. Do you see how western criticism has influenced or made the Chinese defensive?

Also consider that dollars spent on equipment and western medicine greaty limits the amount of people the medical system can and does serve. This is a factor and question every government must answer. Comparatively, the US is the lowest ranking healthcare of developed nations and ranks 46th in the world even though it is second in spending. The important point is that you were seen and treated successfully, were you not?

Feel free to write me anytime. I was a triple major and have spent more years than I care to admit studying China history, philosophy, culture, medicine and language but it has served me well. China is life long learning, but you know that. Namaste, 湘君

Part of the problem I think is the shear volume of people they have to work with. A couple of the doctors I met, seemed like concerned and capable. Of course, this was offset by having other hospital staff puffing cigs outside my door in the hospital.

Really cannot beat the price though.. it would cost me 10 times more back home.