China

The Chinese government, which assumes responsibility for funding the public health system, provides healthcare to its citizens and operates all the major medical facilities. The major facilities are primarily located in big cities and often have long wait times, burdened by the country’s immense, densely packed population. However, Chinese healthcare does have one thing that is increasingly in demand: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Even as technology has advanced to microscopic, hyper-advanced levels, some patients are looking for old-style remedies to long-term problems. Russian health tourists have been tracked coming to China’s Hainan area looking for traditional remedies. The growth in international interest in TCM has spurred Beijing to designate 15 model zones that are intended to attract curious medical travelers in the future. China ranks in the bottom third of the MTI. Its scores for Patient Care and Culture are adequate, but the overburdened Chinese healthcare system is reflected in low scores in Reputation (32nd) and Medical Tourism (33rd).

*Based on the 2020 – 2021 Global MTI (Medical Tourism Index) Report published by the Medical Tourism Association.*