It is hard for Chinese people to imagine spending 400 yuan (US$ 48.4) to sign into a hospital or 50,000 yuan (US$ 6,048) for maternity care. However, foreign-funded hospitals with such charges do exist around us.
So far, 25 foreign-funded hospitals, including five or six comprehensive clinics, have been granted legal business licenses in Beijing. Hospitals like the International Medical Center, International SOS and Beijing United Family Hospital have succeeded in entering the city’s medical market.
According to the International Medical Center, Chinese now make up over 50 percent of patients compared with 10 percent in the center’s early days when most patients were foreign nationals and their households. Many Chinese doctors acknowledge that foreign-funded hospitals have taken away a great number of higher-income patients from Chinese hospitals.
As for the price, Zhang Yan, the head nurse of Hong Kong international clinic, said, "It costs 500 yuan (US$ 61) for flu treatment, 100 yuan (US$ 12) for medicine and 400 yuan (US$ 48) for registration."
The cost of dental treatment in the International SOS clinic is as high as that in the United States. For example, the cost of filling a tooth is from US$ 50 to US$ 100.
According to Chinese doctors, the price of medicine is where most Chinese hospitals make a profit. However, the cost of medicine in most foreign-funded hospitals makes up only 7-8 percent of all the treatment. Doctors of foreign-funded hospitals believe that they should make a profit through their services rather than medicines.
Most Chinese doctors in foreign-funded hospitals can earn as much as 10.000 yuan (US$ 1,210) a month. They are well-educated in China or have overseas educations. Chinese authorities admit that the competitive salaries of the foreign-funded hospitals bring much pressure on Chinese hospitals but the pressure and competition will hasten Chinese medical reform in the end.
(Beijingnews.com.cn on December 3, 2001, translated for china.org.cn by unisumoon on December 10, 2001)
