US doctor joins local public hospital

Renji South Hospital, one of top public hospitals in Shanghai, has bolstered its medical team with the recruitment of a US doctor who specializes in neurosurgery and spine surgery.

Dr John G Hsiang, who graduated from the Pritzker School of Medicine at the University of Chicago, also holds a doctorate in pathology from the same university.

He was previously the director of spine surgery at the Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, and chief medical officer at Shanghai Jiahui International Hospital.

The move has been hailed by medical professionals as a good example of how the city's public medical institutions can explore international development, as well as how the city's gradual loosening of policies regarding the recruitment of foreign medical talent has yielded positive results.

Wang Yu, executive vice president of Renji South Hospital, said that Hsiang's arrival will help boost the development of academic studies in his two areas of expertise.

She added that the hospital has in recent years been working hard to promote international development and some of its efforts include organizing academic exchanges with overseas leading medical institutes and professionals, as well as sending top Chinese medical talents to foreign countries to further their studies.

"This is an ambitious attempt by the hospital to seek further development on an international level. Hsiang's addition to the team will help us accelerate the pace of development," said Wang.

"It is still very rare for foreign doctors to come to China to practice medicine. As such, we want to introduce more international leading medical professionals to our hospital. Many details are still being discussed but it is an important step for our hospital's further development," she said.

According to the hospital, foreign professionals like Hsiang will, just like their Chinese peers, provide outpatient services and those interested to schedule a consultation can do so via the usual ways.

"We have already arranged assistants who will help translate if needed. The communication between patients and this foreign doctor will not be a problem," Wang explained.