欲来越多的中国富人热衷海外就医

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.

越来越多需要获得先进医疗护理的富裕国人正奔赴海外，特别是美国，前去就医。他们是全球医疗旅游业的消费者。

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年以来，全球这样的消费者数量在六年内翻了一番，达到4000万人。2013年，他们的消费总额达到了4386亿美元，占全球旅游业的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.

根据斯坦福研究所的一项调查显示，明年这一数字预计将达到6785亿美元，占全球旅游业的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.

中欧国际工商学院医疗管理与政策研究中心主任蔡江南将这一趋势归结于以下三个原因：国外更好的医疗环境和服务，使用最先进的技术以及最新医学的可用性。

"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.

高特佳投资集团执行合伙人汤衡接受《第一财经日报》采访时表示：“2011年，仅有3%的中国富人能到海外就医，2015年，这一数字就跃增至40%。相较2015年年初，该年第四季度时，寻求海外医疗服务的中国人的数量增长了三倍。”

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.

目前并没有海外就医的中国消费者的官方数字。但是，相当多的外国医疗人员将他们的业务扩展到了中国市场。

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.

美家海外医疗总经理范泰来表示，2013年至少有3000名中国消费者从上海离开，前往美国接受现代医疗服务。

"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.

范泰来说：“实际数字可能会更高。由于新的签证有效期为10年，人们可以进行一次医疗旅行，即使他们的签证是纯粹的旅行或访问。”

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.

在美国，治疗一场重病的平均花销约为15万美元。大部分赴美的中国病患都来自北京、上海等大城市。