Editor's note: No one likes getting ill, especially if you're in a foreign land. What is it like going to a Chinese hospital? jiewei798, one of our bloggers from the US, talks about her recent experience in a hospital in China.
Jiewei798 (US)
I am by no means an expert in healthcare systems; I am only speaking from my experience in my home country and in Beijing. So in America, when you see the doctor, or even go to an emergency room, they put you in a stationary location, whether it be an examination room or a hospital gurney. You stay put and everyone comes to you - the nurse to record your height, the doctor to speak to you about your problem, and the follow up nurse to administer whatever test the doctor prescribed. Since the doctor is very busy, sometimes you have to wait a while, but at least you are in a comfortable room with magazines to read.
Chinese hospitals are the exact opposite. The doctor stays put and you have to run around getting tests and waiting in lines to pay for the services.
