Shanghai Emerges as a Global Medical Hub: Foreign Patients Find Hope and High-Quality Care
Mid of 2024, Dan Atanassov, a 16-year-old Bulgarian boy, was admitted to the Neurosurgery Ward of the Shanghai Children’s Medical Center and successfully underwent a selective dorsal rhizotomy. Ten days post-surgery, the child has shown significant recovery and can now stand independently, preparing to be discharged soon.
What draws an increasing number of foreign patients to seek medical treatment in Shanghai? Journalists have found that Shanghai is actively promoting the development of medical tourism. With rapid advancements in China’s medical technology, many expatriates living in Shanghai choose to receive treatment domestically, and foreign patients requiring complex surgeries are also increasingly opting to come to China for medical care.
Hope for Complex Conditions
Foreign Patients Find New Opportunities in Shanghai
Dan Atanassov has lived with cerebral palsy since childhood, undergoing years of rehabilitation in Bulgaria with limited success. As he grew, his weight increased, but his motor functions continued to decline, making it nearly impossible for him to stand independently. His family, desperately seeking a solution, learned through recommendations that Dr. Xiao Bo in Shanghai specializes in techniques that can improve motor function in cerebral palsy patients.
Dr. Xiao Bo received an email from the family, and within a month, the Shanghai Children’s Medical Center helped them complete the necessary procedures to travel to China. Dan was admitted to the Neurosurgery Ward and underwent the selective dorsal rhizotomy on May 14th, which went smoothly. Since the surgery, he has made remarkable progress, able to stand independently, and is ready to leave the hospital.
Similarly, in January, a 14-year-old boy from India, who traveled to Shanghai for specialized medical treatment, underwent surgery at the Jing Lang International Medical Department of Xinhua Hospital. The surgery, a posterior spinal correction for severe scoliosis, was performed by Professor Yang Junlin and lasted seven hours. The boy successfully overcame various perioperative challenges and has now recovered well. Over two years ago, he was diagnosed with the extremely rare “Stiff Person Syndrome,” which caused his spine to bend almost in half, severely impacting his heart and lung functions. His family took him to hospitals in India, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Singapore, but all declined due to the high surgical risk.
In the end, they found Xinhua Hospital in Shanghai. After completing the necessary examinations, the hospital organized a hospital-wide multidisciplinary consultation with Professor Yang Junlin, who crafted a comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation plan. Post-surgery, the Indian boy can now stand and walk without a walking device, gaining 24 cm in height, and is gradually resuming his normal life.
Efficient and Cost-Effective Medical Services
Vladimir Borzenkov, a Russian patient with high-risk late-stage multiple myeloma, a serious blood disease, also found hope in Shanghai. After multiple treatments and two autologous transplants failed, he said, “Shanghai offered me a new chance.”
Through his hematologist in Russia, Vladimir learned about CAR-T, a cutting-edge cancer therapy. As a university professor with connections worldwide, one of his students recommended Shanghai. Dr. Li Hua, the director of the Oncology Department at Shanghai Jiahui International Hospital, conducted an online consultation with Vladimir and communicated with his hematologist in Russia. Based on international guidelines and his medical history, they determined that he was a suitable candidate for CAR-T treatment.
Vladimir shared his experience, praising the city. “Shanghai provided me with a first-class medical experience. Every doctor and staff member at the oncology center took great care of me. The top-notch medical assistance was one of the main reasons I chose Shanghai. I am confident that coming to Shanghai for treatment was the right decision.”
Dr. Li Hua, who studied and practiced medicine in the United States, is now working in Shanghai. He noted, “China has made significant advancements in CAR-T treatment. The cost of treatment in China is also very competitive, and Jiahui International Hospital supports various payment methods including commercial insurance, medical insurance, and out-of-pocket payments, making the medical experience both convenient and efficient.”
Shanghai’s medical institutions are developing their own service characteristics for foreign patients, expanding their international medical tourism business through market-oriented and flexible operating methods.
“Aside from complex surgeries, foreign patients also consider coming to Shanghai for routine check-ups,” a hospital director explained. Recently, a foreign patient flew from Canada to Shanghai specifically for a gastroenterology examination, as he had been waiting for a year in his home country. The convenient medical process and professional technology in Shanghai made this foreign patient choose to seek treatment here.
International Medical Tourism Development
“Twenty years ago, foreigners living in Shanghai would generally return to their home countries for minor surgeries. Now, more and more foreign patients are choosing to come to Shanghai, some even flying specifically for treatment,” many expatriates have remarked.
While China’s international medical tourism is still in its early stages, a city like Shanghai, rich in high-quality medical resources, is exploring its path of development.
The “Healthy Shanghai Action (2019-2030)” officially proposed the development of medical tourism in 2019, aiming to build a competitive international health tourism destination.
In August 2020, the Shanghai Health Commission selected the first batch of international medical tourism pilot and seed institutions among non-public medical institutions to promote the city’s international medical tourism. They then proposed “supporting eligible medical institutions in providing international medical tourism services and facilitating the integration of health insurance and medical payments with international standards.”
In September 2023, the Shanghai government officially issued the “Notice on the Implementation Plan for Pilot International Medical Tourism in High-Level Public Hospitals.” The first batch included 13 tertiary general hospitals and specialized hospitals, known for their innovative awareness, high technical levels, and significant disciplinary advantages, to lay a solid foundation for international medical tourism.
On May 28th, the International Medical Department of the Seventh People’s Hospital in Pudong, Shanghai, was launched. This newly upgraded department offers integrated medical services from outpatient visits to hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, and health management, meeting the diverse and high-quality medical needs of foreign patients living and working in Pudong. The department supports international commercial insurance and offers multilingual services, providing a high-quality medical experience.
“We will leverage the resources of the Pudong Health Commission and Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, introducing advanced medical technology, equipment, and management experience to continuously improve our service capabilities and technical levels. We will also enhance medical innovations and improvements through international and domestic cooperation, striving to enhance the international influence of Pudong,” said Jiu Cheng, the party secretary of the Seventh People’s Hospital.
The launch of this international medical department will better serve the medical needs of foreign patients and individuals with international commercial insurance in Pudong, including emergency medical care, health maintenance, comprehensive lifecycle health management, and remote consultation services, significantly improving the level of international medical services and building a high-quality medical service system.
The growing number of foreign patients choosing to come to China for cutting-edge medical treatments highlights the successful promotion of cross-border academic exchanges and cooperation in the medical field. It also reflects the rapid development of China’s medical capabilities, offering new opportunities for patients from around the world.