Shanghai has a reputation for having the best medical facilities in all of mainland China, and expats should have no worries in finding quality healthcare when needed Western-style clinics and hospitals have been especially set up to serve the ever-expanding expat population. Facilities at these institutions are improving every year, and some include 24 hour care and accident and emergency departments with trained international staff at hand. A good number of public hospitals have set up VIP clinics, which cater specifically to expats. Foreigners are technically required to go to either a western-operated clinic or one of these VIP clinics, although some expats go to their local neighborhood hospital. VIP perks include English-speaking staff, a nurse that will escort you around the hospital, and no waiting. See http://www.sinoaid.cn/General%20Medical%20Care.html for more details.