Dr Timothy Stephens examines an international patient in Haikou, South China's Hainan province, March 20, 2023. [Photo/VCG]

When Dr Timothy Stephens arrived in South China's Hainan province in 2013, he didn't expect patients there to bring him mangoes from their gardens, fish their husbands had caught, or mooncakes they had baked at home, to express their gratitude.

"It's very endearing," said the 46-year-old physician from the United States. "They want me to participate in the local culture."

Known in China as Shen Yiyang, Stephens works at the International Clinic of the Haikou People's Hospital in the provincial capital. He left a comfortable practice in Boston to help build Hainan's nascent primary care system.

"I saw the opportunity because China was looking to start developing primary care, and as a family doctor, that's my specialty," he recalled. "I could come and share my experience in the US and how we do primary care, and also help with developing the training of local doctors."

Speaking four languages, he is the go-to doctor for international patients in Hainan. But it is his bond with local families that defines his practice.

"I could say that I symbolize being a bridge between the US and China," he said. "By coming here, and by being a part of things here, we have a chance to connect in ways that wouldn't happen if we were in separate countries."

China speed and scale
Having lived and worked in Hainan for more than a decade, Stephens still marvels at how efficient the local hospitals are. Patients here can see a doctor, get blood tests, or book a CT scan all within the same day.

"Patients here are easily able to access their doctors," he said. "This really changes the way that we provide care, because in the US, most of the time we provide care by appointment only."

The doctor also highlights the role of the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone in Hainan in introducing the newest diagnostics and treatments.

A special medical area within the Hainan Free Trade Port, the zone has become a regional hub for international pharmaceutical equipment manufacturers and innovative small and medium-sized pharmaceutical and medical enterprises.

The zone offers patients access to overseas-approved medical devices and pharmaceuticals that are not yet available elsewhere in China. Additionally, it provides Chinese doctors with the opportunities to explore the latest international medical technologies without leaving the country.

In 2025, the zone recorded a total of 865,300 medical tourism visits, a remarkable 109-percent surge from the previous year.

Earlier this year, Stephens helped a lung cancer patient from Hong Kong access a new targeted therapy. The patient's symptoms stabilized, and the quality of life improved dramatically.

Medical exchange and cooperation
Stephens said he believes both China and the US can learn from each other.

He observed that in terms of medical education, the US has done a good job with standardized training and credentials. Yet he warned against current pitfalls in the US healthcare system, such as unsustainable cost increases and insurance coverage gaps.

Stephens praised China's universal health coverage efforts, noting that the Chinese government has expanded insurance, free elderly screenings, and chronic disease management.

Dr Timothy Stephens discusses medical cases with his colleagues in Haikou on March 20, 2023. [Photo/VCG]

"One of the great aspects of China's healthcare development is that the government is looking at the needs of the whole population," he said.

Stephens speaks highly of Hainan, which began island-wide special customs operations in December 2025. New policies in the island province now recognize foreign physicians' credentials without local exams, he said, adding that the Haikou hospital he works in recently hired a Sierra Leonean pediatric specialist.

"Medicine is an international field," he said. "When we're able to have international teams of clinicians working together, we can have a much better and more solid framework for understanding how to meet patients' needs."

Looking ahead, the US doctor is expecting greater exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.

"Whereas people often want to emphasize the differences, I think there's so much more that we actually have in common," he said.

"I just really hope that there will be more opportunities for dialogue and visits in both directions scientifically, clinically, and culturally, so that we can learn together and come to some new solutions that we wouldn't have thought of otherwise," he added.