Features 2009

by Jennifer Lee
June 2009

As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. And it really couldn’t be truer when it comes to medical emergencies – especially in Shanghai where you might not know the language or emergency response procedures.

While handling an emergency in Shanghai involves the same basic steps as anywhere else – stabilize the patient, administer first aid, get to the emergency room – it does present the expat with a different set of questions and obstacles. For example, you’ll need to consider factors such as having a translator you can call day or night and a transportation plan.

Hopefully you’ll never need to visit the emergency room, but making some key preparations beforehand will help you respond quickly, calmly and effectively if the unexpected happens.

Download the plan and fill it out with your family

Emergency Preparation

Get health insurance. If you don’t have health insurance, get it. Many foreigners prefer to use hospitals or clinics that cater to foreigners and medical care at these facilities can be costly.

Understand your coverage. Getting health insurance is the first step. Even more, you need to make sure you understand the details before an emergency occurs and make adjustments, if necessary. Ask questions such as where the insurance is valid; up to what amount; how payment works; and whether or not it includes emergency evacuation. (See “Emergency Evacuation Insurance” sidebar.)

Create an emergency contact list. An emergency isn’t the time to go rifling through the desk drawers for phone numbers. So create a list in advance with all the information you or someone helping you might need. (See “Emergency Contact List” sidebar.) Make multiple copies and keep it in convenient places – by the telephone, on the refrigerator, in the car, in your child’s backpack, in your wallet.

Establish a transportation plan. You should be prepared beforehand with a transportation plan, i.e., using your own car/driver or enlisting help to get a taxi quickly. Shanghai does have ambulances, but they are often not the fastest option. (See “Ambulance Service” sidebar.)

Pack an emergency bag. Keep a bag near the door with clothing for each member of the family, towel, some toiletries and snacks in case a medical emergency requires hospitalization.

Review basic first aid and maintain supplies. Know how to handle basic emergencies – choking, shock, handling fractures, CPR – and keep up-to-date medications and first aid supplies appropriate for your family.

Keep emergency cash on hand. When you arrive at an emergency room in China you’ll be asked to make a deposit before the patient is checked in. Experts recommend you keep an envelope with 10,000 to 20,000 RMB on hand that you can take with you in an emergency situation.

Tip
Keep your emergency contact sheet in a zipper-lock plastic bag or laminate it to prevent damage. Don’t just rely on having the numbers programed into your cell phone!

Get to know your hospitals. Before an emergency occurs, familiarize yourself with the hospitals in your area. Take note of their operating hours and after-hour procedures and pre-register (if available). Some hospitals may not have an emergency room, but will still accept pre-registered patients in case of emergency. For hospitals with emergency rooms, find the ER entrance and scope out the layout and emergency procedures.

Tips：
Get to know multiple hospitals–you never know wher e you’ll be when faced with an emergency.

Locate the nearest first aid substation. In case of heavy traffic or a serious emergency, a first aid substation may be able to temporarily sustain a patient. Shanghai Medical First Aid Center (which runs ambulances) has first aid substations around the city. Locate yours at www.sh120.gov.cn/cn/about/detail. Determine whether the center carries oxygen or a defibrillator.

Prepare those around you to respond. Everyone in your household should know what they need to do in case of an emergency and they should practice – just as you might practice fire drills. For ayis and drivers, make sure they have a copy of your emergency contact list and understand the information on it – who to call, what hospitals to go to. If you have school-age children, understand their school’s health and emergency procedures. Make sure teachers and administrators know of any existing health concerns (e.g., food allergies) and how
to respond.

Tip
Enroll your ayi/driver in or encourage them to attend a first aid class.

Emergency Response
We know we don’t need to tell you (but we will anyway). First and foremost, remain calm, stabilize the patient and administer first aid.
Then:
Contact your source of transportation. If you take a taxi, use the words “Quick! Emergency!” Qing nin kai kuai xie! 您快些!
Grab your emergency contact list and cash.

Make key phone calls. If you have time, call your translator and call ahead to the hospital to give them an idea of the patient’s condition.

Ambulance Service
Shanghai has a citywide ambulance system with a 24-hour dispatch center. But ambulance service is often slow, ambulance personnel are not trained to give medical attention and you’re required to pay the driver in RMB for the service upon arrival at the hospital. In general, you can request the ambulance to take you to a specific hospital. To call an ambulance, dial 120 and give the call center your information. It’s best to have someone who speaks Chinese help you. (The system is run by the Shanghai Medical First Aid Center, also called the Shanghai Ambulance Center.)

Emergency Evacuation Insurance
Emergency evacuation insurance allows for evacuation to a good quality treatment location when a medical crisis occurs in a location without adequate healthcare. It also can cover you if you’re traveling in more remote parts of China or need complicated procedures and transplants for which even Shanghai’s medical treatment centers are unprepared. If your existing insurance doesn’t cover emergency evacuation, companies like International SOS provide supplementary insurance packages.

Tips
Keep your passports and travel documents up to date and easily accessible in case emergency evacuation becomes necessary.

Emergency Contact List
1.Names and phone numbers of your primary physicians
2.Names, phone numbers and addresses of hospitals in English and Chinese
3.Names and phone numbers of friends/neighbors who have a car
4.Names and phone numbers of friends/neighbors who can serve as translators
5.Phone numbers for your embassy or consulate
6.Health insurance ID numbers and phone numbers of insurance representatives
7.Contact information for person who has power of attorney for you
8.Contact information for friends or relatives in case further information is necessary
9.A list of existing medical conditions and allergies for each family member in Chinese and English

Medical Emergency Centers

Facilities for patients 14 and older
Ruijin Hospital (affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine)
No.197, Ruijin Er Lu (Near Yongjia Road)
上海交通大学医学院附属瑞金医院, 上海市瑞金二路197号(永嘉路口) , 6437 0045, ext. 668101

Huashan Hospital
12 Wulumuqi Zhong Lu
(山医院)
上海市木中路12号; 8/F, Building No. 1 (1号 8楼), 8am–10pm; 15/F, Building No. 6 (6号 15楼), 10pm–8 am, 6248 9999

Facilities for patients under 14 (pediatric emergencies)

Shanghai Children’s Medical Center (Pudong) 1678 Dongfang Lu
上海儿童医学中心—浦,上海市东方路1678号, 3862 6161, ext. 6032

Children‘s Hospital of Fudan University
(two locations)
183 Fenglin Lu, near Xietu Lu; 399 Wanyuan Lu; 复旦大学附属儿科医院, 林路183号, 近斜土路, 万源路399号, 6416 9809

Shanghai Children’s Hospital
No. 24, 1400 Beijing Xi Lu; 上海市儿童医院,北京西路1400弄24号, 6247 4880 (international clinic)

First Aid/CPR class providers

Shanghai East International Medical Center: 5879 9999, marketing@seimc.com.cn

Shanghai United: 2216 3900 ext. 1711, ask for Sarah Tao

Parkway Health: www.parkwayhealth.cn/first-aid-classes.html, simone.hlavka@parkwayhealth.cn

Sinoaid: www.sinoaid.cn/medical%20training.html, info@sinoaid.cn

First Aid China: www.firstaidchina.com-a.googlepages.com, info@firstaidchina.com

CPR, First Aid and Home Safety Training:For families and ayis in English and Chinese by American Heart Association-qualified instructor; 352 455 0277, Ellen Liu, firstaid999@yahoo.com.cn

Community Center Shanghai: First aid and CPR classes for families, ayis and drivers, www.communitycenter.cn

Poison Control
Shanghai has no Poison Control Center. Carry your country’s Poison Control Center number. Make sure you have the details of the poisonous substance so that the experts can provide you with the right instructions.

Shanghai Emergency Numbers
Police – 110
Fire – 119
Ambulance – 120
Shanghai Lifeline – 6279 8990

Emergency Vocabulary
Help!/ Save me!                                   Where is the nearest hospital?
救命! [Jiùmìng!]                     离这里最近的医院在哪儿? [li zhe li zuijin de yiyuan zai nar?]

Go call an ambulance!                           Go call a taxi!
快去叫救护车 [kuaiqu jiao chuzuche]        快去叫出租车 [kuaiqu jiao chuzuche]

Quickly, please!                                   Emergency room
请您开快些！[qing nin kai quai xie]            急诊室   [jizhenshi]

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