With a focus on traditional Chinese medicine, the international medical department of Shuguang Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, has officially kicked off operations, a hospital executive said during an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the ongoing ninth China International Import Expo held in Shanghai.
Such efforts aim to provide medical services to an increasing number of expats residing in Shanghai and foreign patients hailing from overseas for the hospital's renowned expertise, said Lin Xun, president of the Shanghai-based Shuguang Hospital, on Sunday.
"Shanghai has strong capabilities in Western medicine, and what Shuguang Hospital aims to do is to leverage its strengths in TCM, insisting on the integration of Chinese and Western medicine to focus on areas such as chronic diseases, complex illnesses and postoperative rehabilitation," said Lin.
He said the hospital will continuously expand its medical service capabilities, and strengthen its talent pool, ensuring that doctors, nurses and staff in testing and examination roles possess international competencies to make it more convenient for foreign patients to seek treatment.
He also stressed that the international medical center serves as an integrated platform where specialists from departments, including orthopedics, internal medicine, pediatrics and gynecology, can provide diagnosis and treatment to international patients.
Shuguang Hospital signed a cooperation agreement with the National Medical Research Center for Rehabilitation and Balneology, Russia, at the CIIE. Lin said that besides utilizing large platforms like the expo for exchanges, the hospital also plans to expand internationally, sharing experiences and broadening the scope of countries and services offered.
"We also hope to promote the dissemination of TCM culture abroad, and encourage mutual learning and exchange between different traditional medicines. TCM is a part of traditional medicine, and we can engage in exchanges with traditional medicines from various countries," Lin said.
The hospital reported that recently, some patients from overseas have proactively sought medical services from them. These individuals have encountered complex medical conditions and received treatment in their home countries, but with unsatisfactory results, they hope to seek TCM treatment.
"This shows us that our influence is gradually increasing, and the awareness of TCM among overseas populations is rising. When Western medical approaches have limited efficacy, TCM solutions are considered," said Xu Shifen, director of the international medical department of Shuguang Hospital.
Xu explained that TCM has advantages in treating conditions like sleep disorders, anxiety and depression, joint pain, muscle injuries, and digestive and metabolic diseases. Also, a rising number of people hope to lose weight and regulate blood lipids through acupuncture.
Many patients have previously tried various medications and therapies, but their conditions have been recurrent, with side effects, leading them to try TCM's natural therapies, she said.
