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Sign up with Google Sign up with FacebookQ: Does Hong Bao really work when you see doctor in China?
And how much a Hong Bao should be?
12 years 44 weeks ago in Health & Safety - China
It depends on the doctor and the hospital. But yes, hong bao to the doctor (and candy/flowers sent to the nurses) works wonders.
The amount really depends on what you need. If it is surgery, then the amount should be around 10-20% of the cost. But, bring a local with you since they are much more used to the particulars of this... tradition.
If you dont give a hong bao to the Doc, he will F you up in surgery! Just sayin!
This is an open practice. My chinese colleague had his throat operated twice because he did not "Hong Bao-ed" his first surgeon the first time round......... dont suppose anyone wants to do the same surgery twice?
Doctors in China are low salaried (comparatively speaking) but high income.
There have been stories about Chinese doctors allowing patients to die because they couldn't afford a hong bao. Of course, there have been stories about bad things happening to Chinese doctors (and hospitals too) just so people can get money from them.
Well, let's put it this way.
They are grossly underpaid for the services they do. Basically, the government knows this and obviously supports the whole corruption system of their doctors (since they don't pay them a higher salary). So would you want an underpaid, overworked doctor, now feeling extremely bitter working on you?
A lot of them assume that if you don't offer up a Hong Bao then you are poor and if they mess up on your surgery... what are you going to do? Get a lawyer?
My advice: Don't have surgery in China period! If you have to, don't be cheap! It's your health we are talking about here!
In big city like Beijing , patients from all around the China come to see doctors for some complicated cases, thus makes the demands are way over the supplies, thus Hongbao things become an unconsciouse activity in the patients, even though it's illegal...
Many ppl such as pregnants some of them gave hongbao, some of them didnt. They got all same treatment by the end....so you can decide if you should really want to do it...
Gossiping in China is really bad...it doesnt mean all truth...You gotta have a well-rounded mind to understand all these situations...Truth or False...we are alive VERY OK....
I believe this is just another example of ludicris, acceptable behaviour. Being expected to bribe a doctor so he does a good job should be viewed as a criminal act. The idea that the Chinese even have a word for this corrupt activity is beyond comprehension. We are dealing with real lives here. But I guess, who cares about that?