Interpretation of Cutting-edge Technologies of the Department of

Introduction

As a benchmark medical institution in gastroenterology and rheumatology in China, the Department of Gastroenterology of Shanghai Renji Hospital has ranked first in the country in the Fudan University Specialty Ranking for 12 consecutive years, and its Department of Rheumatology has consistently ranked among the top 3 in the country. The two specialties receive over 2,000 international patients annually on average, and have become one of the preferred destinations for patients with digestive system and autoimmune diseases in the global cross-border medical field.

I. Interpretation of Cutting-edge Technologies of the Two Core Specialties

Department of Gastroenterology: World-leading Precision Diagnosis and Treatment System

The Department of Gastroenterology of Renji Hospital has reached international first-class standards in the fields of inflammatory bowel disease, early gastrointestinal cancer, and end-stage liver disease, with multiple technologies being pioneered in China:

Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD) for Early Gastrointestinal Cancer: The team has completed more than 30,000 operations cumulatively. For early gastrointestinal cancer with a diameter of <5cm, the complete resection rate reaches 98.7%, and the 5-year survival rate is 99.2%, which is much higher than the average level of 92% in European and American countries. The surgical trauma is only 1/10 of that of open surgery, and patients can be discharged 3 days after the operation.

Multidisciplinary Diagnosis and Treatment Model for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): It integrates the teams of gastroenterology, general surgery, nutrition department, and pathology department, and adopts personalized regimens combining biological agents with immunomodulation, which enables the clinical remission rate of patients with moderate to severe Crohn's disease to reach 76.3%, and the surgical intervention rate is 22% lower than that of conventional regimens in Europe and the United States.

Optimized Anti-rejection Regimen for Liver Transplantation: For patients with end-stage liver disease, the 5-year postoperative survival rate reaches 82%, ranking among the top in Asia, and the incidence of rejection is 14 percentage points lower than the international average level.

Department of Rheumatology: The "Chinese Regimen" for the Treatment of Autoimmune Diseases

The diagnosis and treatment regimens of the Department of Rheumatology of Renji Hospital for systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis have been included in international guidelines:

Targeted Therapy Regimen for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE): The low-dose hormone combined with biological agent regimen independently developed by the team enables the 10-year renal survival rate of patients with lupus nephritis to reach 89.4%, which is higher than the average data of 85% of international authoritative centers, and the infertility risk of patients is reduced by 47% compared with traditional regimens.

Immunomodulatory Therapy for Refractory Rheumatoid Arthritis: For patients with poor response to biological agents, the innovative regimen combining immune cell regulation with small molecule drugs is adopted, with a clinical remission rate of 63.2%, which is 18 percentage points higher than that of conventional regimens in Europe and the United States.

Whole-course Management of Rheumatic Diseases in Pregnancy: It has provided services for more than 12,000 pregnant patients with rheumatic diseases cumulatively, with a fetal survival rate of 96.7%, which is one of the highest levels in the world.

II. Comparison of Treatment Costs between Shanghai and Europe, the United States, and Japan

For international patients, the cost-effectiveness advantage of choosing to seek medical treatment in Shanghai is extremely significant. The following is the cost comparison of diagnosis and treatment of the same level (unit: RMB):

Diagnosis and Treatment ItemShanghai Renji Hospitalthe United StatesJapanGermany

ESD Surgery for Early Gastrointestinal Cancer30,000-50,000300,000-450,000120,000-180,000150,000-200,000

Annual Standardized Treatment for Inflammatory Bowel Disease20,000-80,000200,000-500,00080,000-150,000100,000-180,000 Annual Treatment Cost for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus15,000-100,000180,000-600,00070,000-150,00080,000-180,000 Annual Cost of Biological Agents for Rheumatoid Arthritis30,000-60,000250,000-400,000100,000-180,000120,000-200,000 Liver Transplantation Surgery600,000-800,0003,500,000-5,000,0001,800,000-2,500,0002,000,000-2,800,000

On the whole, the cost of treatment of the same level in Shanghai is only 1/6 to 1/10 of that in the United States, and 1/3 to 1/4 of that in Japan and Germany. Moreover, there is no need to wait for a 3-6 month appointment period as in European and American countries, which can greatly reduce the waiting cost for patients.

III. Full-process Guide for International Patients to Seek Medical Treatment

Renji Hospital provides a full range of supporting services for cross-border medical patients, so there is no need to worry about language, visa, accommodation and other issues:

1. Pre-arrival Preparation (1-2 Weeks Before Consultation)

Submit medical record materials: Translate past examination reports and medication records into Chinese/English, and send them to the International Medical Department for pre-review. Expert evaluation feedback and consultation appointment can be obtained within 3 working days.

Visa processing: With the invitation letter issued by the hospital, you can apply for a Shanghai medical visa. The processing cycle for ordinary patients is 5-7 working days, and critically ill patients can apply for expedited processing, and the visa can be issued within 2 working days.

2. Post-arrival Supporting Services

Airport pick-up and drop-off: After international patients arrive at Pudong/Hongqiao Airport, there are exclusive vehicles to pick them up and send them to the hospital or cooperative hotels.

Translation service: The hospital is equipped with full-time medical translators in multiple languages such as English, Japanese, Korean, French, etc., who will accompany the whole process of consultation, examination, and communication of treatment plans, so there is no need to worry about language barriers.

Direct insurance billing: It has reached direct billing agreements with more than 200 mainstream commercial insurance companies around the world. There is no need for patients to pay fees in advance, and the insurance company can directly settle the accounts with the hospital.

Accommodation arrangement: There are hotel-style apartments in the hospital, and more than 10 cooperative hotels of different grades within 3 kilometers around the hospital, which can meet the needs of different budgets, and the longest walking time to the hospital is no more than 15 minutes.

3. Medical Treatment Process

First face-to-face consultation with experts: 1 hour of exclusive communication time, complete relevant examinations, and most examination results can be issued within 24 hours.

Determination of treatment plan: For complex cases, multidisciplinary consultation will be completed within 3 working days, and a personalized treatment plan will be issued.

Implementation of treatment: Elective surgery can generally be arranged within 3-7 working days, which is much faster than the 3-6 month waiting period in European and American countries.

Follow-up service: 1 year of free online follow-up is provided after patients return to their home countries. Experts will regularly evaluate the recovery status and adjust the medication regimen.

IV. Notes for Medical Treatment

Please try to provide complete medical record materials, including imaging reports, pathological slices, and medication details in the past 6 months, which can reduce the cost of repeated examinations.

If you need to carry special drugs into the country, please inform the medical service team in advance to assist in handling the drug customs clearance procedures.

It is recommended to reserve 3-5 days for the first visit to facilitate the completion of all examinations and plan confirmation.

Conclusion

As the core advantage specialties of cross-border medical treatment in Shanghai, the Department of Gastroenterology and Department of Rheumatology of Renji Hospital have solved diagnosis and treatment problems for tens of thousands of patients around the world with leading technologies, higher success rates, and lower treatment costs. If you or your family members are suffering from digestive system diseases or autoimmune diseases and want to access the top expert resources of Renji Hospital, you can add the WeChat of the medical consultant: RenjiMed2024 to obtain free full-process services such as case evaluation, appointment consultation, and visa processing.