Hospital companions ease seniors' access to treatment

Before Chinese New Year's Eve in February, Wang Yuzhu went to Baotou for a checkup and learned that his tumor had recurred.

His daughter, who had been searching for information online, saw that there was a famous doctor of traditional Chinese medicine in Yiwu, Zhejiang, but a face-to-face consultation was necessary. So on March 12, she took her father to Yiwu, more than 2,000 kilometers away, to see the practitioner.

However, just after landing in Hangzhou, Zhejiang's capital, Wang Yuzhu was rushed to the hospital with unbearable abdominal pain and underwent emergency surgery. It was his third operation.

The doctor at the hospital said the cause of the pain was an intestinal obstruction, which was probably related to problems with the original operation.

"Our hospital is not as good as those in Beijing or Shanghai. If you're seeking treatment in the north, you can go to Beijing. In the south, you can go to Shanghai," he told Wang Yuzhu.

Complicated procedures

Wang Yaru was the 500th customer to connect with Zhao after the companion opened his Taobao platform in August.

Zhao often travels between a wide number of hospitals in the capital.

"Xuanwu Hospital is good for neurology, mainly for seniors' conditions such as Alzheimer's, strokes and Parkinson's disease. More patients go to the Tiantan Hospital for neurosurgery. Out-of-towners are mostly familiar with two other facilities as general hospitals," he said.

Zhao charges 240 to 260 yuan ($35 to $38) for each visit, with an average hourly rate of around 60 yuan, but the online contact, consultation and guidance in the early stages are provided free of charge. "This service requires individual payment as it's not covered by medical insurance, but the fee is not expensive," he said.

When communicating with clients online, Zhao usually asks about their general health and suggests the most suitable hospital and best expert. He checks if the patient has medical insurance and the type of coverage. Then, he provides suggestions about things such as how to make an appointment and claim reimbursement of fees to provide greater convenience for clients who are unfamiliar with the procedures.

"Take a very simple example, such as a thyroid nodule biopsy: before the procedure can be performed, an examination is required, including blood checks and an electrocardiogram, and a written report is required to make an appointment," he said.

"Many out-of-town patients do not understand this process and come to Beijing to do the examination, but they may not have time for the biopsy after that. However, I have been to many hospitals, so I can directly provide this knowledge to help them plan their journey better. Being able to give clients relevant information based on experience, saving time and alleviating anxiety, is one of a companion's most important values."

Wang Yuzhu made an appointment for a consultation at Peking University Cancer Hospital on April 25. Zhao arrived promptly at 1:30 pm and accompanied him to the hospital, helping with security check-in, card registration, number pickup, scanning codes and settling Wang Yuzhu in the waiting area.

"The procedures in Beijing's hospitals are very reasonable, and with online registration and other functions, seeking medical treatment is becoming easier. However, seniors may not be familiar with smartphones and using apps for registration, machine number retrieval, and payment," Zhao said.