My Journal

Health services in China are really cheap and good.  You might not believe it since the hospitals are usually really crowded. But, if you go to the right hospitals, the doctors are really good, professional, and smart. To meet doctors only cost 1-2 yuan (2010). As in other places, doctors can be wrong too :(  So if had doubt, go check to antoher doctor.

To pick up lab result: You need to do it yourself instead of passed automatically to your doctor. (2010)

I was still an expat in China when I gave birth in Beijing. I went to a local hospital instead of an expensive international hospital (costs the same as in the USA $10k). We only spent 5000 yuan for a VIP room.  They have many levels of rooms with different prices. The procedures are the same: meeting doctors every month, then becomes 2 weeks, weekly, and so on with all kinds of test and ultra sound. They won't tell the baby's genre, however. At that time (2007), we used Haidian Maternity Hospital. They also have online reservation. When you deliver your baby, be sure to take clothes, plates, spoon, soaps, and other personal belonging with you to the hospital. They won't have those for you. Seems a hassle? Probably, but I think that's a great way to cut cost. We also needed to buy ouw own diaper and other hygiene stuffs. By the way, not all hospitals in Beijing have OB-GYN, they need to get a certain license. Initially we went to all women hospital, very nice, quiete and clean, but they had not had the license, at that time.

VACCINATION: To vaccine babies, we also go to a local community hospital. Each community hospital serves certain area. There's a special hospital for children in downtown (Children hospital). A big hospital, 8 levels and keeps growing and super crowded. After a while we gave it up, not to mention the road that's always jammed!

ETC: I fell one time and totally believed that my leg was broken.  We went to 309 military hospital to check and found it's okay. The doctor was smart and professional. All costs only 2 yuan. We go here to fix teeth too. We fix our son skin problems, my mom's broken foot when she came to visit us here too and more...

All in all, I think health services are cheap and costs usually 2 yuan to meet a doctor. We never go to any international hospital (expensive and far from us). But be careful: go to a good one! Don't go to a small hospital/clinics, usually they are meant only to route us to an appropriate place. The staffs are not doctors, I think, they don't have doctors training/knowledge. For example, you can take a health test, but they don't know how to interpret the data. Sometimes, I think, even the result numbers are wrong. Someone did a test and the result show kidney failure. I'd never forget that. So be sure to go to the right hospital.

I used to take medicine from the USA but after a while they are running out and I start to use medicine available here. They are surprisingly good and I heard they are herbal not chemical. These are my favorites. NOTE: I am nota doctor :) I wrote this just to share with you about what we're using here. If you had any input please share it with us.

For cold:

感冒清热颗粒 gan mao qing re ke li : color GREEN. this is for cold from cold weather (say in the winter/windy day/rainy day)

板蓝根颗粒  ban lan gen ke li: color BLUE. this is for cold from hot weather (say in the summer)

ke li means granules. This medicine needs to be diluted in a VERY HOT water: put boiled water in a cup, then put a bag (follow instruction) in the water, stir.  Drink when the temperature is suitable. These two medicine work surprisingly good for me.

Bandage    创可贴 

Hydrocortisone 丁酸氢化可

Ointment for wounds, say kid fell, bleeding because of knife cut, etc  莫匹罗星

Tylenol 泰诺林

Kids have cold: To prevent them from being cough all night long, I give them a cup of warm water whenever they cough. Seems tiring but worths it.  A common Chinese practice. In the year of 2008 pediatricians in the US argue no cold medicine for kids under 6. I was stunt about that, but hey, no big deal- to give them water works. Usually it takes only about 20 mins then the cough would subside and kids sleep. Natural and no chemical.