Global Healthcare Accreditation (GHA) announced on November 13 that The Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine (SAHZU), located in Hangzhou, China, has received the GHA Certification of Excellence in International Medical Travel Patient Experience with the rank of Distinction. The honor acknowledges the hospital’s impressive performance in delivering a coordinated, patient-centered experience for individuals seeking care across borders. SAHZU is the first hospital in China to receive this recognition.
The recognition marks an important milestone in a broader improvement journey undertaken by SAHZU in collaboration with GHA. Building on its significant strength in clinical and academic excellence, the partnership between SAHZU and GHA involved a series of structured activities designed to examine the international patient experience, show opportunities for improvement, and support the hospital’s continued development of patient-centered services, especially for those seeking care across borders.
Founded in 1869, SAHZU is a major nonprofit, university-affiliated tertiary hospital in Hangzhou, China. It has earned an A++ rating in China’s National Tertiary Hospital Performance Evaluation for seven consecutive years, placing it among the top 1% of over 1,500 hospitals evaluated nationwide. In interviews with GHA surveyors, patients spoke about what that experience meant to them. “I felt at home here,” one patient said. Another told a surveyor, “I think I might not be alive today if it weren’t for this hospital.” A third patient said they had already recommended SAHZU to several family members.
SAHZU’s engagement with GHA included a patient experience assessment complemented by targeted advisory services addressing priority areas shown during the process. The work examined practical aspects of the medical travel journey of its entirety. The hospital proved a sustained commitment to examining its processes and continually improving the experience of its international patients. The Recognition with the rank of Distinction for Excellence reflects this wider journey of diligence, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
“SAHZU’s achievement reflects more than a moment in time; it represents a deliberate journey of engagement, reflection, and improvement,” said Renée-Marie Stephano, CEO of GHA. “Through assessment activities and advisory discussions, the hospital showed a willingness to examine the international patient experience in depth and find meaningful ways to strengthen it. We are pleased to recognize that commitment with Distinction and look forward to seeing the hospital continue building on this success.”
“Our engagement with GHA has been an important part of our ongoing commitment to improving the experience of international patients,” said Professor JianAn Wang, president of The Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine. “The patient experience assessment and advisory services gave our teams an opportunity to examine the patient journey in greater depth, reflect on our practices, and find meaningful opportunities for improvement. This Recognition with the rank of Distinction is both an honor and a motivation to continue strengthening communication, care coordination, and the quality of the experience we provide to patients and their families.”
浙公网安备33010502011796号
