Visiting the Doctor in Beijing

It is not a secret that locals in Beijing would prefer to see a Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor, who skillfully practices acupuncture, acupressure and herbal medicines to treat their patients instead of hospital doctors. But many have embraced modern science and the development of hospitals in the city.

Modern hospitals in Beijing are open to the public, and expat patients are welcome, too. Hospitals in the city include the Xiehe Hospital also known as Peking Union Medical Hospital, Hong Kong International Medical Clinic, Beijing International SOS Assistance, Beijing Asia Emergency Assistance Clinic, Beijing International Medical Center, Beijing United Family Hospital and Clinic (BJU) and the Beijing Children's Hospital (BCH). These hospitals follow the standards of the most top-notch hospitals in the world when it comes to quality treatment and facilities.

In Beijing, as is also normal in some other parts of Asia, anyone can visit the physician's clinic as a walk-in patient whenever they feel the need to without having a pre-set scheduled appointment. The average doctor's consultation fee for the unscheduled meeting is about 200-300 RMB.

Although most hospitals in Beijing do not usually acknowledge international health insurance, there are hospitals like the International Medical Center in Beijing and Beijing United Family Hospital that accepts expat patients with an international health coverage plan. There are also international health insurance providers in Beijing like the Globalsurance, who provide coverage tailored for expats.