Preparing for an Emergency in Shanghai

Expats encounter certain challenges when living abroad, particularly when faced with an emergency. The following is a set of suggestions to help you prepare:

•Register at one or more hospitals (can do this as a precaution, free of charge);

•Get health insurance and make sure you understand your coverage (including whether medical evacuation is included in your plan). But remember that most hospitals will not be able to offer direct billing outside of office hours in case of an emergency, so no matter how comprehensive your health insurance plan is, you should always have cash on hand;

•Emergency kit – first aid kit, copy of passport, copy of insurance card, copy of a valid credit card, a list of any known allergies and pertinent medical information, copy of hospital contact details (including address, contact number, and map if available), and cash (many local hospitals will demand cash up front before beginning treatment). If an emergency strikes, call the hospital while you’re on your way so that they can properly prepare for your arrival. Keep one kit at home, one at work, and one in your car;

•Identify 2-3 bilingual interpreters or friends to contact if needed. (secretary, Chinese teacher, China Helpline – paid translation service). Even if you speak Chinese, you may have difficulty articulating your thoughts in the heat of the moment;

•Identify emergency facilities and tour hospitals in your area (not all hospitals treat children!!);

•Make an Emergency Action Plan and share it with your ayi, driver, and emergency contacts;

•Get trained in first aid and CPR, along with your driver and ayi;

•Call 120 for an ambulance only if the patient must be immobilized. Ambulances are frequently not the fastest way to get a patient to the hospital. Ambulance drivers will need to be paid in cash upon arrival at the hospital. In most cases, you can request the ambulance take you to a specific hospital;

•Specify a legal guardian for your child who is empowered to make medial decisions if both parents will be away;

•Have your consulate’s emergency number on hand;

•Walk through a sample scenario, noting length of time of commute to hospital, location of entrance, etc.

SEIMC offers:

•First aid kits for purchase from our clinic for 250RMB;

•First aid classes in English and in Chinese, run regularly;

•Emailing care@seimc.com.com or calling 5879-9999 to confirm whether your insurance provider has a direct billing relationship with SEIMC;

•Registering and taking a free tour of our facilities.