Healthcare in Beijing is largely hospital-based, which can be a real hassle if you have a non-urgent medical complaint. As many of our readers will know, it is not always easy to find the time to go and see a doctor.
Unfortunately, this means that those with minor conditions or simple health queries often put off treatment or rely on self-diagnosis. But a new online doctor service, launched this month, could make life a great deal easier, cheaper, and healthier for busy Beijingers.
The new Beijing Health Portal aims to provide access to fast and professional medical advice. What’s more, you don’t need take time off work or fork out for medical bills to take advantage of the service. Simply post your query on the forum in English, Chinese, or Japanese and one of the specialists from Puhua International Hospital in Shuangjing will get back to you within 48 hours.
With recent user queries ranging from itchy eyes to asthma, the site may save families a trip to the hospital or, at the very least, let you know when face-to-face attention is necessary.
The hospital has reassured beijingkids that the advice dispensed will be entirely objective and the medical specialists will adhere to strict rules on soliciting business or advertising services on the forum. Doctors from other hospitals are also encouraged to sign up in order to reassure patients that they’re getting unbiased advice and that all-important second opinion.
And as well as looking at existing discussions or posting your own medical queries, you can also use the forum give feedback about your experiences with any Puhua service. They want to hear patients’ experiences, good or bad, which they will publish uncensored and respond to where appropriate.
Easy access to care and transparent patient feedback are crucial to improving healthcare, so we think the new portal has a lot of potential. We would love to hear readers’ experiences of the service so get in touch and let us know your thoughts!
Photo courtesy of Puhua International Hospital
