Private hospitals begin to nurse big ambitions(2)

Better service, higher cost

However, more and more Chinese patients are now using private hospitals and clinics, as private healthcare providers have developed a reputation for having a better service than public hospitals for those that can afford to use them.

Sharon Liu, 34, who lives in Canada but wants to deliver her baby in Beijing so she has the support of her family, said her experience of a public hospital was so unpleasant that she burst into tears as soon as she got outside.

In order to make an appointment with one of the top doctors, Liu said that she got up at 6 am. "But there were still 20 or more patients waiting, and less than 10 seats were available for those waiting."

Liu only needed to do a regular health check on that day and the doctor only saw her for 10 minutes. "But in Canada, even for a regular checkup, doctors will spend at least 20 minutes with a patient and they will provide very detailed information to patients."

The public maternity and children's hospital Liu attended receives more than 5,000 patients a day, and there is a line stretching back 200 meters from the window where patients have their blood tested every morning. A one-hour wait to have a blood test is normal.

According to the Ministry of Health, there are 1.5 times more public hospitals than private ones, however, waiting times at public hospitals are 30 times longer than private hospitals.

Although many patients believe private hospitals provide more efficient service and have more experienced doctors they are too expensive and thus, out of reach for patients. Only six of the 1,000 private hospitals in Beijing are covered by the medical insurance system, and although private hospitals account for one-third of the hospitals in Beijing, they only cater to 12 percent of patients.

According to the Ministry of Health, China had more than 8,800 private hospitals in March this year, a 21 percent increase on the same period last year, while the number of State-owned hospitals fell by 3 percent during the past year.

The National Development and Reform Commission issued policies in May and December encouraging private domestic and overseas investors to set up medical institutions, including hospitals, clinics and health service centers at various levels.

Yet even though the government is showing a positive attitude towards private hospitals and clinics - State-owned hospitals can outsource some of their services to them - there are few official policies to support them.