things can go wrong when you go into hospital in any country. hospitals don't always handle these situations well. look at the NHS for example... removing the wrong kidney, harvesting organs without consent etc. looking at the choices available, i still feel that i made the right choice in going to Richland. maybe with this new 'western clinic' open standards will improve.
The Richland Hospital is a excellent CHINESE HOSPITAL, very modern, with private rooms, translators (which is a great difference) and relatively accessible prices. However IS NOT enough to be an INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL, his doctors do not speak English, are very dependent on translators, and most have never studied outside China. Though polite and courteous the staff and technicians need better training to meet the foreign customer, including to stop commenting about the client in his presence (phrases like "h, he does not speak Chinese" are very common).
The loyalty Program is flawed, since it does not allow reimbursement for foreign. As a foreigner has no stability in China, this prevents many from making the minimum card (of 5000 kuais). Think about, if China does not renew your visa, you lose 5000 RMBs! Nobody will invest for prevention.
In resume, Richland think not so much about the foreign or international, the Hospital was actually made for the growing middle class of Kunming.
None of the Doctors or Nurses are UK,AUS or USA trained, you get a translator, thats all.
Not really a international hospital by any stretch.
On my one and only visit I came away with the impression Richland was a bank (deposits only) but staffed with actors wearing doctors and nurses costumes.
The translator informed me that the doctor could "see something in my ear but was not sure if 'it' should be there or not". As with most other local people they were very nice but I left. I felt much more secure and at ease in Kunming Eye Hospital when I needed emergency eye care and would seek other local solutions in future before I considered returning to Richland as a last resort.
Any 'hospital' should at least pretend to care about why you entered the place before demanding CC details asking you to fill out VIP application forms.
NB This happened shortly after it opened.
Do your homework. Search here for the past threads about this hack hospital. There are plenty of reasons NOT to trust this hospital. You would do better to roll the dice in a local Kunming hospital. Me? I go to Bangkok and just hope I don't encounter any emergency in Kunming.
