The Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, has become the first on the mainland to be awarded the Joint Commission International (JCI) certificate for quality healthcare.

And John Meny, an English professor at the city's Shuren University is delighted with the news.

Meny, who has used the hospital, which is affiliated to the medical school of Zhejiang University, on several occasions since coming to China more than three years ago, said he was pleased to see its high standards had been rewarded.

"My doctor (in the United States) said that things could get complicated if I had a serious problem here and that it would be better for me to return to the United States or Hong Kong for treatment," Meny said.

But now things are very different, he said.

"The certificate shows the hospital meets international standards," Meny said.

Established in 1997 by Joint Commission Resources Inc, the JCI aims to improve the safety and quality of healthcare around the world. It has worked with international healthcare organizations, public health agencies, health ministries and other associated bodies in more than 80 countries.

He Chao, the hospital's president, said the award was evidence of the high-quality healthcare it provided and that it would aid its future development. He said he was also pleased to have reached the end of the three-and-a-half-year application process.

As well as confirming the quality of services the hospital provides to local people, who make up 90 percent of its patients, He said that the accreditation would help attract more foreign patients, such as executives working in the region. About 800-1,000 expat outpatients visited the hospital last year. There are 50,000 foreign permanent residents in the province.

He projected that the number of foreign patients would grow by 20 percent annually.

Wen Ching Niou, director of human resources development at Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corp, said: "The accreditation gives me more confidence that their services meet international standards."

Niou is responsible for helping find quality healthcare services for her 900-plus colleagues and their families.

Celine Zhang, managing director of Global Benefits Group, a specialized medical insurance provider, agreed. "Our clients feel more confident receiving medical care from hospitals that have the JCI certificate," she said.

(China Daily May 23, 2007)