All guides
16 guides for international patients, grouped by where you are in the process.
急诊Emergency
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Emergency care in China: what to do in the first hour
How foreigners get emergency medical help in mainland China: calling 120, getting to an emergency department, what to bring, and how paying works.
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What happens when a foreigner has a medical emergency in China?
What really happens when a foreigner has a medical emergency in China — where patients go, registration and payment, language, what to bring, documents to collect and discharge logistics — drawn from patient accounts.
门诊Seeing a doctor
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How to see a doctor in China as a foreigner
Public hospital, international department or private hospital? How foreigners choose where to go in China, book, register with a passport and get through a visit.
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Public, VIP or international hospital? How foreigners should choose in China
How foreigners should choose between a standard public hospital, a public hospital's VIP or international department, a private international hospital, and Hainan's Boao Lecheng zone.
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How to book a Chinese hospital appointment without a Chinese ID or phone number
A seven-step method for foreigners to book a Chinese hospital appointment with a passport and no Chinese phone number: international departments, WeChat booking, Beijing and Shanghai services, walk-ins and coordinators.
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Fast tests, confusing system: what patients really say about Chinese hospitals
What foreign patients consistently praise and struggle with in Chinese hospitals — fast tests, low prices and expert specialists, but multi-step visits, Chinese-only apps, privacy and language gaps — and how to reduce the friction.
体检Health checkups
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China's $100 full-body checkup: good value or too many tests?
What a "full-body checkup" in China includes, why viral US$100 prices vary so much, when screening helps, when more tests cause harm, and six questions to ask before you buy a package.
缴费Paying & insurance
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Paying for healthcare in China: mobile payment, cards, deposits and insurance
How foreigners pay hospital bills in China: Alipay and WeChat Pay with foreign cards, card acceptance, inpatient deposits, insurance direct billing and the receipts you need to claim.
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The real cost of medical treatment in China, beyond the viral TikTok prices
Why viral prices for Chinese hospital care can be genuine but misleading, what costs they leave out, how insurance really works, and how to get a useful written quote.
出入境Visas & entry
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Visas and entry for medical travel to China
Which entry route fits a medical trip to China: 30-day visa-free entry, 240-hour visa-free transit, or a visa for planned treatment — and what to do if treatment runs past your permitted stay.
药房Medicines
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Medicines in China: pharmacies, prescriptions and bringing your own
How foreigners buy medicine in China, how to ask for the right drug by its generic name, and the rules for bringing prescription and controlled medicines into China.
用语Hospital Chinese
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Hospital Chinese: phrases and signs to show staff
Mandarin phrases for Chinese hospitals and pharmacies — registration, symptoms, allergies, emergencies and paperwork — set large enough to show on your phone, plus the hospital signs you'll need to recognise.
医疗旅行Medical travel
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Why foreign patients are going to China for MRIs, checkups and specialist care
Why some foreign residents and visitors use Chinese hospitals for MRIs, checkups and specialist care — what is driving it, who it suits, and where the system still falls short.
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Medical tourism in China: 15 things to arrange before you fly
A 15-point checklist for planned medical travel to China: clinical suitability, doctor verification, case acceptance, records, visas, estimates, payment, insurance, interpreters, scheduling, companions and follow-up.
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Your Chinese medical report may be useless at home, unless you collect these records
The ten records to collect before leaving a Chinese hospital so a doctor at home can continue your care: clinical summary, generic medication list, lab results, DICOM imaging, pathology, procedure notes and more.
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Is China the next medical-tourism hub, or is social media exaggerating the trend?
What the evidence says about China as a medical-tourism destination: rising visa-free travel, viral patient videos and new city services — versus missing data, fragmented service and stronger competitors.