Patient Services

Patient Services

Our Patient Services officers work as advocates for you and your family to ensure that your experience at the hospital is pleasant and comfortable. The Shanghai United Family Hospital Patient Services officer can help to answer your questions, provide information, facilitate problem solving and coordinate communication between you and your family and the appropriate hospital staff.

Our Patient Services officers are on duty 9 hours from 8:30 am to 5;30 pm, Monday to Saturday, to answer specific questions and help when needed.

Coming to the hospital can be an unsettling experience. You have to adapt to new surroundings and routines at a time when you are not feeling your best. We go to great lengths to make sure you are as comfortable as possible during your stay. To this end, we provide you with the conveniences you would expect, including fresh linens, nightwear, robes, disposable slippers, bath and hand towels, and toiletries.

If you are taking any medications or if you regularly use any auxiliary devices and equipment, please bring these with you and hand them to the nurse in charge to ensure the continuity of your medical care.

For security reasons, we ask that you do not bring large amounts of money or valuables into the hospital.

Services to make you more comfortable

The hospital offers a number of entertainment options to help patients feel more relaxed. These include:

• Daily newspapers
• A selection of DVDs
• Books
• CDs

Amenities such as toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, slippers, housecoats, and towels are provided upon admission to your suite. Should you require additional amenities, please contact the nurse or the Patient Services Department.

We also have an open visiting policy. This means that you can receive visitors whenever you like as long as it does not interfere with your treatment or recovery.

We can also help you send your clothes out for washing. Please contact your nurse for assistance. Please note that this is a self-pay service, and you will be charged when you are discharged from the hospital.

Valuables and belongings

If you are carrying any valuable items when you are admitted, please arrange for them to be taken home, or hand them to the nurse for safekeeping. The hospital is not responsible for the security of money or valuables left in your room. We do provide safe boxes for you to keep your valuables in while you are at the hospital. Please contact your nurse if you need a safe box.

Preparing for surgery

If you are coming to the hospital for surgery, you must not eat or drink anything during the 4 to 6 hours prior to your surgery or to receiving a general anesthetic. If you are to be admitted on the day of the surgery and have not yet been given specific instructions about your diet, please ask your nurse for advice.

On the day of the surgery, please do not wear any make-up, nail polish, or jewelry. (Wedding rings, however, are permitted.)

After the surgery, we will advise you on the length of your recovery and on what you can do to aid the healing process. It is important that you do not drive on the same day you receive an anesthetic. If you plan to leave the hospital the same day your surgery is scheduled, please arrange for someone to collect you. If you are receiving a general anesthetic, you will not be fit to drive yourself. It is also important that you do not start driving until you have had a full night’s rest. Whoever collects you should stay with you for 24 hours after you have received the anesthetic.

We would be happy to show you around our hospital before your stay. This tour can help familiarize you with where you will be staying. To arrange a visit, please contact our Patient Services Department. We will arrange for a member of our staff to show you around.

Why do SHU services sometimes cost more than local hospitals or other international clinics and hospitals?

SHU costs are priced dierently than that of local hospitals due to our high level of quality control and supportive services oered.SHU is accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI), the worldwide healthcare assessment organization that stringently emphasizes quality and safety at all levels of operation. We oer English-speaking environment, foreign language translators, and complimentary direct billing options with participating insurance companies. We also strive to ensure condentiality, privacy,and cultural sensitivity; to spend more personal time with each patient; and to minimize waiting time.

Services at SHU are priced according to costs congruent with international price levels at similar quality hospitals. These costs can be higher than Western hospitals, as it is often more expensive to procure the same equipments and highly-trained professionals that meet our standards. Other international-standard hospitals in Asia have dierent costs of operations, and these dierences may be reected in their prices. In addition, SHU does not receive any subsidies or funding such as those that lower costs for local academic hospitals as well as other international facilities.

Why is there a consultation fee in addition to the fees for procedures, tests, reatments, etc.?

The consultation fee is the baseline charge to see a doctor. Consultation fees vary depending on several factors. The type of doctor is one factor; it costs more to see a specialist or ER doctor than to see a general practitioner—a normal practice both in China and abroad. The severity of the patient’s condition is also a factor. Complicated conditions result in higher consultation fees.

Consultation fees can also dier depending on the type of patient. New patients are generally charged a higher fee, as a review of medical history is required for the doctor to become familiar with the patient’s current medical state. All rst-time SHU patients are considered “new.” Patients are also considered to be new if they have not been seen in more than three years, are being seen by a specialist for the rst time, or are being seen for a new diagnosis at a dierent clinic (e.g. pregnancy in the OB Clinic). These are general guidelines to classify the type of patient and may not apply in some situations.

More information please download 《Welcome to Shanghai United Family Hospital and Clinics》