A Beijing-based expatriate who becomes severely ill in Singapore may be diagnosed, treated and released after a short visit to a local doctor. On the other hand, if the person suffers chest pains in a hotel room in Tibet Autonomous Region in Southwest China, his prognosis may hang in the balance - unless he or she knows the right number to call.
The medical condition itself may not be the problem compared to the patient's geographic location, ability to speak the local language and inadequate preparation.
Foreigners who live or work in China for an extended time may not think much about planning for emergencies. Medical facilities in large cities such as Shanghai, Beijing or Guangzhou can handle most medical problems adequately. However, expats may not be able to navigate an emergency alone in isolated locations.
Preparation is the key, according to experts who specialize in helping foreigners.
John Williams, the Beijing-based managing director of International SOS in China, a private company that provides medical and security assistance, says every situation is unique. "An emergency can be as small as a cold, depending on the circumstances," Williams says.
"If somebody's appendix is getting worse and worse, an appendectomy may be needed. If the person is in Beijing, it may not be so much of an emergency than if the person was in Urumqi, for example."
Foreigners in China were understandably concerned when news stories about bird flu or SARS swamped the airwaves and took precautions.
