Healthcare is often criticized as being subpar compared to America and the West—at least, that's what I frequently hear in my YouTube comments. But is this actually true? Healthcare is a fundamental aspect of any society, reflecting not only the overall well-being of its population but also the effectiveness of its governance. One of the biggest questions I get is about healthcare in China and how it compares to that in the West. Having lived in China for three years, I've had the opportunity to experience healthcare on numerous occasions. So, let's take a look at how it compares, the differences, and the common misconceptions surrounding it.

中国的医疗体系经常被批评为不如美国和西方国家——至少,这是我在YouTube评论中经常听到的说法。但这是真的吗?医疗是任何社会的基本方面,不仅反映了其人口的整体健康状况,也反映了其治理的有效性。我经常被问到的一个最大的问题是中国的医疗系统与西方国家相比如何。由于我在中国生活了三年,有机会多次亲身体验医疗服务。那么,让我们来看看它与西方国家的差异,以及围绕它的一些常见误解。


The first misconception I often hear is that healthcare in China is only for the rich or at least for a certain subset of the population. Many in the West seem to believe that quality healthcare in China is only accessible to the wealthy. While it's true that private hospitals in China, like in any other country, can be expensive, China's public healthcare system provides affordable care to the general population—a population of 1.4 billion people, let's not forget. China's healthcare system has evolved rapidly over the past few decades. Where it was once perhaps lagging behind the West, China has undergone a significant transformation in this sector, much like in other areas of the country.

我经常听到的第一个误解是,中国的医疗只为富人服务,或者至少是为某些特定群体服务。许多西方人似乎认为,在中国,优质的医疗服务只有富人才能享受。虽然确实如其他国家一样,中国的私立医院可能很昂贵,但中国的公共医疗体系为广大民众提供了可负担的医疗服务——这一庞大的人口有14亿人,不要忘了。中国的医疗体系在过去几十年中迅速发展。曾经可能落后于西方,但中国在这一领域(如同其他许多领域)已经经历了显著的转变。
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But has this evolution made healthcare too expensive for the average person? From my own experience, I can say no. Recently, I paid around 30 RMB (about $4) to be seen at a public hospital. This wasn't some obscure hospital either; it was the best hospital in China for that specific field of medicine, located in downtown Shanghai, the country's largest city. Considering that the average salary in Shanghai is around 13,500 RMB per month, spending 30 RMB to see a doctor seems affordable for many people. And this doesn't even factor in whether the person has insurance, which many people in China do.

但这种转变是否让医疗变得对普通人来说过于昂贵了呢?根据我的亲身经历,我可以说并非如此。最近,我在一家公立医院看病,花费了大约30元人民币(约4美元)。这可不是一家偏僻的小医院,而是中国在该特定医学领域最好的医院,位于中国最大的城市上海的市中心。考虑到上海的平均月薪约为13,500元人民币,花30元人民币看病对于许多人来说是可以负担的。这还不包括是否有保险的问题,因为中国很多人确实有医疗保险。

In contrast, healthcare in the US is on a completely different level. Americans often criticize their healthcare system for its high out-of-pocket costs, even for those with insurance. Deductibles and other expenses can lead to significant financial strain, a point frequently discussed by politicians. In the UK, while healthcare is free at the point of use, it's indirectly funded through taxes—by some estimates, 40% of all income tax in the UK goes to the NHS. Despite this, the NHS is often criticized for being poorly run, with long wait times and operational inefficiencies.

相比之下,美国的医疗体系完全是另一种水平。美国人经常批评他们的医疗体系自付费用过高,即使对于有保险的人来说也是如此。高额的免赔额和其他费用会导致巨大的经济压力,这也是政治家们经常讨论的话题。在英国,虽然医疗服务在使用时是免费的,但它是通过税收间接资助的——据一些估计,英国40%的所得税都用于国家医疗服务(NHS)。尽管如此,NHS经常被批评为管理不善,等待时间长,运作效率低。

However, even without comprehensive insurance, out-of-pocket expenses for treatments, consultations, and medications in China are often affordable, at least in my experience. And contrary to what some might believe, getting an appointment to see a doctor isn't particularly difficult either. In fact, appointments are relatively easy to secure, and the wait times are minimal compared to what I was used to in the UK. This efficiency is partly due to the digitization of healthcare services in China, where appointments, prescxtions, and payments can all be managed through a single app—WeChat. This integration of technology into healthcare has made the entire process much smoother and more patient-friendly.

然而,即使没有全面的保险,在中国,治疗、咨询和药物的自付费用往往是可以负担的,至少根据我的经验是如此。与一些人的想象相反,预约看医生其实并不难。实际上,与我在英国的经历相比,中国的预约相对容易,等待时间也很短。这种效率部分归功于中国医疗服务的数字化,在这里,预约、处方甚至支付都可以通过一个应用程序——微信来完成。这种技术与医疗的结合使整个过程更加顺畅和以患者为中心。

For example, in the UK, you have to call at exactly 8:00 a.m. to try and secure an appointment. If you need prescxtion medicine, you must visit the doctor in person, get a signed paper, and then take it to a separate location to buy the medicine. In China, it's much simpler: you book an appointment, pay, and order medicine—all through your phone. I'm not entirely sure what the process is like in America, but I can't imagine it being as straightforward as it is in China.

例如,在英国,你必须在早上8点准时打电话,才能尝试预约看医生。如果你需要处方药,必须亲自去看医生,拿到签名的纸条,然后到另一个地方去买药。而在中国,这要简单得多:你在手机上预约、支付、订购药品。我不完全确定美国的流程是什么样的,但我无法想象它会像中国这样简单明了。

Another common misconception is that Chinese hospitals are dirty. But in my experience, the hospitals I've visited in China have been clean and well-maintained. I understand this might not have always been the case, but modern Chinese hospitals appear to be quite clean.

另一个常见的误解是,中国的医院很脏。但根据我的经验,我去过的中国医院都很干净,维护得很好。我理解这可能并不总是如此,但现代中国医院看起来相当干净。

When comparing the healthcare systems of China, the US, and the UK, several key differences stand out. The US, with its private market-driven system, offers high-quality care for those who can afford it but leaves many struggling with the financial burden of medical expenses. The UK's NHS, while providing free healthcare, struggles with efficiency and access, leading to long wait times and varying quality of care. China, on the other hand, seems to offer affordable, accessible healthcare to its population while using technology to streamline services. China's system, while not perfect, represents a balanced approach that combines government oversight with market-driven innovation. The integration of tech in healthcare significantly improves access and efficiency, something both the US and the UK could learn from.

在比较中国、美国和英国的医疗系统时,几个关键的差异非常明显。美国以私人市场驱动的系统为那些能负担得起的人提供高质量的医疗服务,但许多人因此负担沉重的医疗费用。英国的NHS虽然提供免费的医疗服务,但在效率和获取方面存在问题,导致长时间的等待和质量参差不齐的服务。另一方面,中国似乎为其人口提供了可负担、可获取的医疗服务,同时利用技术来简化服务。中国的系统虽然并不完美,但代表了一种结合政府监管与市场驱动创新的平衡方法。医疗领域的技术整合显著提高了服务的获取和效率,这是美国和英国都可以借鉴的。

So, while the US may excel in certain areas of specialized care, its lack of universal coverage and high costs are significant drawbacks. The UK's NHS, though admirable and deeply ingrained in the culture, is struggling to maintain the level of care expected by the public. In contrast, China's healthcare system, with its affordability, accessibility, and technological integration, seems better equipped to handle the needs of its population. Based on my experiences and observations, I would say that China's healthcare system stands out as perhaps the most effective among the three. While it has its challenges, it seems to work well for the majority of its population, unlike the systems in the US and UK, which are burdened by inefficiencies and inequalities. Healthcare will always be a critical issue, so any lessons we can learn from other countries doing better are incredibly beneficial. Hopefully, we can take a lesson or two from China's approach and implement it in our own systems.

因此,虽然美国在某些专科护理方面可能表现得更好,但其缺乏普遍覆盖和过高的费用是重大缺陷。尽管英国的NHS值得称道,并深深植根于文化中,但它正挣扎于维持公众期望的护理水平。相比之下,中国的医疗体系凭借其可负担性、可获取性和技术整合,似乎更能满足其人口的需求。根据我的经验和观察,我认为中国的医疗体系可能在这三个国家中最为有效。虽然它也有挑战,但它似乎对大多数人来说运作良好,不像美国和英国的体系,负担着低效和不平等的问题。医疗始终是一个至关重要的问题,因此从其他做得更好的国家学习经验非常有益。希望我们能从中国的做法中借鉴一些经验,并将其应用于我们的体系中。