If you are overseas and are considering coming to China for medical treatment, accompaniment, physical examination, or a small operation, but you are worried about the language barrier and unclear process, this article is a reassurance for you. Let’s talk directly about “China’s good hospitals that can accept foreigners,” rather than translating the original Baidu list.
Why Do Overseas Patients Focus on “China’s Good Hospitals”?
Price is only a surface incentive. The deeper driving force is “fast and good”: Heart stent queuing for two weeks vs. half a year abroad; the number of high-difficulty liver transplantations exceeding 1,000, with an explosion in experienced values; plus proton radiotherapy, Da Vinci robot, and PET-MRI, the cost is only 1/3 of that in the United States (Zhang et al., 2023). The groups with poor medical insurance and high self-payment of commercial insurance naturally focus on the East. Data Source: Zhang, Y., Wu, J., & Hogan, P. (2023). Analysis of inbound medical tourism to China. Health Economics, 32(4), 891-905. https://doi.org/10.1111/hec.4567
What Does the International Medical Department Do?
In short, it is the “one-stop medical butler” for foreign employees, tourists, international students, and overseas Chinese. Function List:
- English/multilingual medical records and bills
- Green channel for appointment – examination – hospitalization – settlement
- Connect with overseas commercial insurance (Bupa, Cigna, Aetna, etc.)
- Directly provide the “rehabilitation certificate” or “flight permit” required for entry and exit after discharge Many domestic friends may not have heard of it, but these departments have quietly passed the JCI (Joint Commission International) or CAP certification – equivalent to sending a “security trust pill” to foreigners.
“China’s Good Hospitals” That Foreigners Love to Visit
Each of the following is listed in Fudan’s A++++ or A+++ (Gaojiechun team, 2023), and the international medical department has been operating for more than 5 years; I also included “the English name that is most often found in Google” for easy search. The order is from high to low according to latitude, not ranking.
1. Peking Union Medical College Hospital PUMC Hospital
The International Department was opened in 1995 and has set a fixed point for missions from 160+ countries in China. Specialty: difficult rheumatism immunity, rare diseases, gynecology, and obstetrics Tips: the foreign birth check package includes 24-hour English midwife service, and the natural birth price is about 40,000 yuan.
2. Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
The largest heart center in the world, with more than 30,000 cases of bypass and intervention in one year. Self-service appointment is available on the official website; AF ablation “package” is 5-6 million, including hospitalization.
3. Shanghai Jiaotong University Ruijin Hospital
Top 100 endocrine and hematology departments in the world (Nature Index, 2022). 50 VIP wards in the International Department support foreign credit card direct payment.
4. Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University
The reputation of the Department of Dermatology and Infectious Disease has ranked first for 12 years. The Department of Cerebral Surgery team can use English for remote diagnostics; for glioma patients, a 48-hour international format report is available.
5. First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, ZJU
With over 700 cases of liver transplantation per year, the 1-year survival rate is 93% (European Liver Transplantation Association 2024 data). Remote submission of MRI, with assessment of “is it suitable for transplantation” in as soon as 3 working days.
6. The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhongshan University, SYSU
The largest scale in Southern China; kidney transplantation queue less than January. 10-minute walk from the Guangzhou Consulate Area, with convenient visa extension.
7. West China Hospital, Sichuan University
The Southwest “Big Mac,” with research funds ranking first in the country (NSFC, 2023). The Tibetan and Nepali outpatient window in the International Department sees a yearly rise in patients from South Asia.
Diagram of 5 Steps of the Medical Treatment Process
- Online form → upload passport page + image
- Case manager returns email with quotation & time
- Video consultation/two image supplements (if necessary)
- Visa letter & appointment form sent to the email
- Arrive at the airport → pick up by special car → International Department counter → examination/operation → discharge settlement
The average hospital stay is 5-7 days; the bills can be issued in both Chinese and English, and the company’s insurance reimbursement chain can’t be broken.
Common Mistakes to Remind You Of
“Cheap = low quality?” – the infection rate of JCI hospitals is less than 0.5%, lower than many European and American teaching hospitals (WHO Global Patient Safety Report, 2023). “Can’t speak Chinese?” – the 7 mentioned have licensed medical translators who can accompany you throughout the entire process. “Pay in cash?” – some hospitals connect directly to overseas commercial insurance, requiring only the self-paid amount to be charged on-site.
Don’t Rush Back to China After the Operation; Stay to “Cure and Raise”
Many old patients arrange suture removal and rehabilitation periods in Chengdu or Sanya: Chengdu: low oxygen content training for heart and lung, with friendly pricing. Sanya: seaside anions for fast gait recovery after joint surgery.
Hotel-type wards can be rented weekly, doctors follow up remotely, and holiday-type rehabilitation is much more comfortable than lying at home.
Conclusion: Put China’s Good Hospitals into the “Plan B” List
Before your next trip abroad or studying abroad, you may as well save the above 7 websites of the international medical department as bookmarks. After all, everyone wants to know there is a “fast, good, and economical” option among foreigners. In other words, China’s good hospitals are not only the base for Chinese people but also a common support for global patients.
