Private Health Care with Chinese Characteristics

PRLog (Press Release) - Mar 17, 2009 -
For the full text of this article go to:

http://www.asiahealthcareblog.com/2009/03/16/privatisation-of-health-care-with-chinese-characteristics/

China's parallel markets are familiar to anyone who's done business here.

For those who haven't been on that adventure, China's rural market is characterized by small mom and pop shops, outside bazaars where farmers sell all manner of goods,  local made products such as three wheeled vehicles fitted with tractor motors, and back-room electronics brands that  imitate the design of famous best sellers like Ipods.  In short, its a combination of neighborhood businesses with few further aspirations for growth, and ambitious businesses with hopes of one day going international.

The other market is the international one where China's top business ventures compete with Fortune 500 companies from all over the world.  Clearly segmented from the rural markets, the dealers of these international quality services tend to bunch together in centers of wealth like expansive malls, and glassed-in car dealerships - if all the people and Chinese signage were to disappear from these places it would be impossible for a person to guess what country she was in.

From marketing houses to coffee houses, this partitioned competition is everywhere and can spell trouble for businesses that don't understand it well - just ask Wal-Mart.  Meanwhile, some of the most succesful businesses in China, Yum! Foods, and 7-11 come to mind right away, are able to offer international market standard service and product, at local market prices, operating at or near the 'middle of the parallel', thus cashing in on both expat and rich Chinese dollars, who tend to shop international; as well as lower middle class Chinese, who tend to shop local.  When it comes down to it, these innovative businesses are what travelers write home and facebook about, "Facebook Sweetpee is... Whoaah! 7-11 is so much better in Beijing than in Durham!  It's really crazy guys, you gotta come out here!"

If this is the case, then where are the 'middle of the parallel, health industry innovators? China has the high end hospital chains - (Parkway Health and United Health Systems); it has the private clinics offering proven international standard outpatient care (International SOS); and, it has the private clinics that offer services specialized to the needs of the local high income populations, like vamped up physician and OBGYN services.

But,  why is there nowhere I can go for a basic consultation that offers me local health care rates (20-100 RMB per consultation) yet provides me with a clean environment and an english speaking medical staff ?   If scaling up 50RMB (about $7) check ups to a profit is possible anywhere in the world, it should be possible in China.

For the sake of example, here is a brief outline for how it could be done:

For the full text of this article go to:

http://www.asiahealthcareblog.com/2009/03/16/privatisatio...