How Good Is China's Healthcare System?

I'm Mark, originally from Germany, and I moved to Shanghai three years ago for a job transfer. As an internet professional who frequently works overtime and with my parents in their seventies living with me, I've had more frequent interactions with healthcare services than the average foreigner. I once expected to encounter the stereotypes of “difficulty booking appointments,” “long queues,” and “high costs.” However, over the past three years, the convenience, efficiency, and warmth of China's healthcare system have completely reshaped my perception.

I. From “Afraid to Get Sick” to “Accessible Care Anytime”: Healthcare Within Reach

When I first arrived in China, my greatest worry was how to handle my parents' sudden illnesses. But after signing up for a family doctor at the community hospital, my anxiety vanished. My 68-year-old mother has hypertension, and her general practitioner proactively visits her home every quarter to check her blood pressure, adjust her medication, and even provides detailed dietary recommendations. My father has knee issues, and the community rehabilitation department has a dedicated physiotherapist who gives him acupuncture every Wednesday, with 70% of the cost covered by medical insurance. “Back in Berlin, you had to book a GP appointment two weeks in advance, and each physical therapy session cost 30 euros (about 230 yuan) out-of-pocket. Here, I just walk downstairs to the community hospital five minutes away, get same-day registration and treatment, and pay only a few dozen yuan,” my mother often remarks.

This convenience of “minor ailments treated locally” stems from China's densely woven primary healthcare network. Data shows over 970,000 grassroots medical institutions (community health centers, township hospitals, village clinics) cover 99% of urban and rural communities nationwide. More crucially, these grassroots facilities maintain close collaboration with top-tier hospitals through medical consortia and remote consultations. Last year, when my father suddenly developed kidney stones, the community hospital confirmed the diagnosis via ultrasound and immediately transferred him by ambulance to Huashan Hospital's urology department. With seamless information sharing, his surgery was scheduled within two hours.

II. Technology and Human Touch: Upgrading from “Treating Disease” to “Treating People”

Last year, my hospitalization for acute appendicitis completely transformed my perception of top-tier hospitals. Arriving at the emergency room at 1 a.m., a nurse completed triage within five minutes. CT scan results were ready in 15 minutes. The lead surgeon reviewed the images while explaining my condition to me (though his English was a bit stiff, his patience was immense). The laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery allowed me to be discharged in three days. The total cost was 12,000 yuan, with personal out-of-pocket expenses reduced to 3,000 yuan after insurance reimbursement—a procedure that would likely cost at least 30,000 euros (approximately 230,000 yuan) in Germany, with a potential two-month wait for surgery.

What surprised me most was the human touches: the ward had a companion bed for family members, nurses delivered warm water three times daily, and a post-op rehabilitation specialist personally taught my wife wound care techniques. The attending physician stated, “We aim not only to cure diseases but also to make patients feel cared for.” This “bio-psycho-social” medical model is evolving from concept to practice in China.

III. Universal Healthcare Safety Net: Ensuring No One Falls into Poverty Due to Illness

In China, “access to medical care” is not just a slogan. My Chinese colleague, Xiao Li, faced a challenge when his father was diagnosed with lung cancer. The targeted therapy medication costs 18,000 yuan monthly. However, through medical insurance negotiations, this drug was included in the reimbursement catalog. After coverage, the monthly out-of-pocket expense dropped to 3,000 yuan. Combined with secondary reimbursement from critical illness insurance, the actual burden fell below 1,000 yuan. Xiao Li remarked, “I used to hear European friends say ‘cancer equals bankruptcy.’ Now I understand what true security feels like.”

Data speaks volumes: China's basic medical insurance covers 1.36 billion people, with enrollment rates consistently above 95%. The deductible threshold for critical illness insurance has been lowered to 50% of per capita disposable income, with reimbursement rates increased to 60%. In 2022, the rate of county-level treatment within poverty-stricken areas reached 98.1%, continuously reducing the risk of falling back into poverty due to illness. This system design—ensuring basic coverage, strengthening grassroots healthcare, and ensuring sustainability—empowers ordinary people to seek medical care without fear of financial ruin.

IV. Traditional Chinese Medicine: The Perfect Fusion of Ancient Wisdom and Modern Needs

As a foreigner, my perception of TCM has evolved from “mysterious” to “trustworthy.” When my wife suffered from qi and blood deficiency after childbirth, Western medicine suggested dietary supplements, while TCM prescribed Astragalus and Angelica Decoction combined with moxibustion. Within two weeks, her complexion visibly improved. My chronic neck and shoulder pain from prolonged sitting was largely resolved after four sessions of massage and cupping therapy at a community health center, costing only 50 yuan per session. Today, 98% of community health centers and township hospitals nationwide offer TCM services, with TCM hospitals seeing over 1 billion annual visits. This approach—characterized by simplicity, convenience, effectiveness, and affordability—has become a vital supplement to primary healthcare.

V. The Pandemic Test: Proof of Systemic Resilience

The most immediate test, of course, was the COVID-19 pandemic. During Shanghai’s lockdown in 2022, my mother suffered a sudden asthma attack. After dialing 120, an ambulance arrived within 15 minutes. Community volunteers had prearranged an emergency hospital pathway, ensuring closed-loop management throughout the process without delaying treatment. The nationwide free nucleic acid testing and vaccination campaigns (with over 3.4 billion doses administered in China) further demonstrated the system's mobilization capacity to “pool resources for major undertakings.” As WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated: “China's epidemic control measures bought precious time for the world.”

VI. Final Thoughts: A More “People-Centered” Medical Philosophy

After three years away from Germany, friends often ask me: “What exactly makes China's healthcare system so good?” I believe it's not about any single advanced technology, but rather its “people-centered” design logic—from community doctors proactively following up with patients to healthcare insurance prioritizing vulnerable groups; from the accessibility and affordability of traditional Chinese medicine to the life-first decisions made during the pandemic. Every aspect answers one question: How can healthcare return to its fundamental purpose of saving lives and healing the sick?

Now, not only do I feel at ease myself, but I can confidently tell my foreign friends: “Come live in China—you really won't have to worry about healthcare.” This isn't blind praise, but the genuine warmth and strength of China's healthcare system as experienced by a foreigner over three years. (Mark, German national, internet professional in Shanghai)

Document dated 2025-11-21 10:21 Modify