Shanghai at a Glance

Health Care and Hospitals in Shanghai

At night, colorful lanterns illuminate the streets of Shanghai.

So you’re about to join the ranks of the many expats living in Shanghai? While a fascinating time awaits you, living in Shanghai can be challenging for newcomers to the country and its culture. Let InterNations guide you through what to expect of living in Shanghai, from transport to education!

Metro and Tram

Apart from city buses, the SPTC covers several other means of transport as well. The newly opened Zhāngjiāng tram has its terminal near Zhāngjiāng High-Tech Park in Pudong, where quite a few foreign-invested enterprises from the field of technology, e.g. SAP, operate a branch office. Another showpiece of Shanghai’s modernized public transport system is the Maglev / Transrapid train from Longyang Road Station near the 2010 Expo Center to Pudong Airport.

Of course, Shanghai has an underground network as well. The eleven lines of the Shanghai Metro boast the distinct advantage of having English announcements and bilingual signs at their various stops. On the downside, the metro can become almost as crowded as the buses. Like the latter, it also attracts a lot of “wandering hands”, i.e. passengers that grope and feel up women standing next to them in the throng. To avoid such frequent instances of sexual harassment, expat women may prefer taking a taxi. With the sole exception of the odd unlicensed cab, Shanghai taxis are mostly reliable, safe, and still comparatively cheap.

Health Precautions

First of all, a good health-care plan is essential for life in China because the government-funded health-care system, which was introduced in the late 1990s and expanded to include foreign employees as of October 2011, will not meet expatriate needs. Therefore, expats need either an international health insurance policy or cover for private medical care from a Chinese insurance provider.

Also make sure that you know which diseases are prevalent in the Shanghai area before you leave and get familiar with their symptoms. At the moment, such diseases include hand-foot-mouth-disease among infants, toddlers, and smaller children, hepatitis, and – though to a far lesser degree than you might fear – SARS and avian influenza. You should also take a first-aid kit, a supply of prescription medication and contraceptives with you when packing your bags for Shanghai.

Hospitals and Doctors

If you are looking for a doctor or dentist in Shanghai, you should know that it is customary in China to go and see a doctor at a clinic, not at their individual practice. Your local consulate will have a list of hospitals as well as dental clinics with Western standards and medical staff fluent in English or your own national language. Some consulates may invite a doctor from your home country for regular office hours about once a week.

Recommended hospitals include, among others, the Shanghai East International Medical Center, the Shanghai United Family Hospital, the Parkway Health Medical Center, or the Huashan Hospital ER. You can find a more detailed list of recommendable clinics with English-speaking staff and Western-style pharmacies here.

In the case of serious illness, major surgery, prolonged treatment, or pregnancy complications, however, it might be advisable to go to Hong Kong or to make use of a repatriation insurance policy and return to your home country.

In an emergency, you should call 110 (police), 119 (fire) or 120 (ambulance). For such situations, it will come in handy to enquire at your consulate for an emergency form with Chinese translations of important phrases such as xuyào y liàng jiùhùche (we need an ambulance) or xinzàngbìng (heart attack). If you are unable to communicate in Chinese, you can also phone the 24/7 Shanghai Call Center (96 22 88), whose staff can help as an interpreter over the phone.