欲來越多的中國富人熱衷海外就醫

More and more Chinese from well-to-do quarters in need of advanced medical care are going abroad, particularly to the United States. They are the consumers of the global medical tourism industry.

越來越多需要獲得先進醫療護理的富裕國人正奔赴海外，特別是美國，前去就醫。他們是全球醫療旅遊業的消費者。

The number of such consumers globally doubled to 40 million in six years since 2006. In 2013, their total spending reached $438.6 billion, or 14 percent of the global tourism industry.

自2006年以來，全球這樣的消費者數量在六年內翻了一番，達到4000萬人。2013年，他們的消費總額達到了4386億美元，佔全球旅遊業的14%。

Next year, it is projected to reach $678.5 billion or 16 percent of the global tourism industry, according to a survey by the Stanford Research Institute.

根據斯坦福研究所的一項調查顯示，明年這一數字預計將達到6785億美元，佔全球旅遊業的16%。

Cai Jiangnan, director of the Center for Healthcare Management and Policy with China Europe International Business School, attributed the trend to three reasons: better medical environment and service abroad, state-of-the-art technology and availability of latest medicine.

中歐國際工商學院醫療管理與政策研究中心主任蔡江南將這一趨勢歸結於以下三個原因：國外更好的醫療環境和服務，使用最先進的技術以及最新醫學的可用性。

"Only 3 percent of the wealthy in China could go abroad for medical treatment in 2011. That figure jumped to 40 percent in 2015. The number of Chinese seeking overseas medical services increased threefold in the October-December quarter of 2015 compared to the early part of the year," Tang Heng, executive partner of GTJA Investment Group, told China Business News.

高特佳投資集團執行合夥人湯衡接受《第一財經日報》採訪時表示：“2011年，僅有3%的中國富人能到海外就醫，2015年，這一數字就躍增至40%。相較2015年年初，該年第四季度時，尋求海外醫療服務的中國人的數量增長了三倍。”

There are no official figures for Chinese medical consumers overseas. Yet, quite a few foreign medical players are extending their business to the Chinese market.

目前並沒有海外就醫的中國消費者的官方數字。但是，相當多的外國醫療人員將他們的業務擴展到了中國市場。

According to Fan Tailai, general manager of MEGA Healthcare, at least 3,000 Chinese may have availed of modern healthcare services in the US by flying out of Shanghai in 2013.

美家海外醫療總經理範泰來表示，2013年至少有3000名中國消費者從上海離開，前往美國接受現代醫療服務。

"The actual number could be higher. As new visas are valid for 10 years, people can go on a medical tour even if their visas are for pure travel or visiting reasons," Fan said.

範泰來說：“實際數字可能會更高。由於新的簽證有效期爲10年，人們可以進行一次醫療旅行，即使他們的簽證是純粹的旅行或訪問。”

The average cost of medical treatment for a serious illness is about $150,000 in the US. Most of the Chinese patients visiting the US come from major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai.

在美國，治療一場重病的平均花銷約爲15萬美元。大部分赴美的中國病患都來自北京、上海等大城市。