Wendy Zhang/ Shanghai Daily news

A growing number of Shanghai's key hospitals have opened branches in rural areas to improve the local health condition and residents' lives.
Shanghai No. 1 People's Hospital has recently opened a Songjiang branch at the opposite side of Songjiang University Town, following the opening of Shanghai Public Health Center in Jinshan District and Shanghai Shuguang Hospital's branch in Zhangjiang of Pudong.
The city suffers from a hefty imbalance in medical services between its urban and rural areas, with nearly all of the quality hospitals gathered in the downtown area.
"Our hospital is located in the downtown area and has limited spaces in our inpatient and outpatient services, so for the sake of rapid development, we must branch out," said Liu Guohua, director of Shanghai No.1 People's Hospital.
With advanced equipment such as a helipad for emergencies and plenty of veteran doctors and experts, the hospital's Songjiang branch has rescued more than 250 critical patients to date and received more than 1,000 emergency and outpatient services a day. Residents from Jinshan and Fengxian Districts also see doctors there.
More of the city's larger hospitals are considering the opening of suburban branches.