The number of foreign doctors who registered to practice medicine in Shanghai grew 40 percent between the first and second quarters of 2012.

The Shanghai Health Inspection and Supervision Institute announced earlier this week that 193 foreign doctors have either registered or renewed their licenses to practice medicine in the city over the period.

The increase in foreign doctors practicing reflects expatiates' growing demand for healthcare in the city, as well as their reluctance to go to public hospitals due to language and cultural barriers.

There were 143,000 foreigners living in Shanghai in 2010, according to the sixth national population census. That's up from roughly 133,000 in 2007, according to a report in local media.

Kowa Dental, a private medical institution, has hired two more expat physicians this year to meet the extra demand, said a member of its marketing staff, who asked not to be named.

Of the 390 foreign doctors registered with the Shanghai Health Inspection and Supervision Institute as of last October, more than half worked at private medical institutions.

The Sun-Tec Medical Center, a private medical institution in Changning district, has not increased its staff of foreign doctors over the last few years, but its doctors have seen an increase in patient loads, said Dr Michael Ong, a Filipino physician in the center's expat department.

"I see more patients now than I did two years ago," he told the Global Times. "I see more than 20 patients on a busy day now."

There are about seven foreign doctors practicing at the center, which primarily serves expatriates, who prefer foreign doctors to Chinese physicians, Ong said.

"Foreigners are prone to ask a lot of questions and want to know exactly what doctors are doing to them. There could be problems if expats go to local public hospitals because of the language barrier, and also because the doctors in public institutions might not provide as much information," Ong said.

There has also been an increase in demand for foreign doctors from locals. "In our hospital, Chinese who have studied or worked aboard, as well as overseas Chinese, prefer to consult foreign doctors rather than local doctors," he added.

Public hospitals also employ foreign doctors, but their numbers are growing at a much slower pace, according to an official from the Shanghai Health Inspection and Supervision Institute, who asked not to be named.