Foreigner Patient Guide
How to see a doctor in China as a foreigner: a practical guide for Shanghai and Nanjing.
If you are an expat, business traveler, international student, or family member in China, getting medical help can feel confusing at first. The clinical quality may be strong in major cities, but the process is different: registration, language, payment, hospital navigation, insurance paperwork, and follow-up all need planning.
This guide is for general planning only. It is not medical advice, diagnosis, emergency support, insurance advice, or a substitute for a licensed medical professional.
If it is urgent, start with emergency help
For emergencies in China, the UK government travel advice says to call 120 and ask for an ambulance. The U.S. State Department also notes that ambulance services are widely available, but may be slow to arrive and may lack advanced medical equipment in some settings.
If the situation may be life-threatening, do not wait for a concierge service or online reply. Contact local emergency services, go to the nearest major hospital, or ask hotel staff, colleagues, campus staff, or local contacts for immediate assistance.
- Keep your passport, phone, payment method, and insurance details with you.
- If you do not speak Chinese, ask a trusted local contact to help explain symptoms and location.
- Contact your travel or medical insurance provider quickly if you are referred for treatment.
For non-emergency care, decide what kind of hospital pathway you need
Foreign patients in large Chinese cities usually choose between several pathways. The best choice depends on urgency, budget, language needs, insurance, and the type of care.
International or private clinics
Often easier for English-speaking patients, with appointment-based service and more familiar billing. The tradeoff is that prices can be higher and complex cases may still require referral to a larger hospital.
Large public hospitals
Often strong for specialist care and complex departments, but the process can be harder to navigate: registration, queues, app-based systems, payment windows, report pickup, and language barriers.
VIP or international departments
Some major hospitals have international, VIP, or special-service departments. They may be easier to use than the general outpatient system, but availability, language support, and pricing vary.
Specialist clinics
Dental, eye, rehab, and health checkup providers may be easier to schedule directly. Always ask what is included, who performs the service, what records you receive, and how follow-up works.
Prepare these items before the appointment
A little preparation can save hours at the hospital. Before you go, organize the basic information a coordinator, interpreter, receptionist, or doctor may ask for.
- Passport name and passport number.
- Current symptoms, when they started, and what makes them better or worse.
- Medication list, allergies, chronic conditions, and past surgeries.
- Previous test reports, imaging, discharge summaries, and prescriptions.
- Insurance card or policy details, if you plan to request reimbursement.
- Chinese address, hotel address, and a local phone number if available.
- Payment method, including mobile payment, bank card, or cash backup.
Plan for language support
Even if a hospital has English-speaking staff, the person you need may not be available at every step. Translation is not only about the doctor conversation. You may also need help with registration, department directions, payment, pharmacy pickup, lab instructions, imaging, and follow-up scheduling.
A medical interpreter or bilingual coordinator can help you ask practical questions:
- What is the working diagnosis or concern?
- What tests are being ordered, and why?
- When and how will results be available?
- What are the next steps after the visit?
- What costs should be paid today, and what may be billed later?
Understand payment and insurance before treatment
Government travel advice from both the U.S. and the UK warns that healthcare in China is not free and that travelers should have appropriate medical or travel insurance. The U.S. State Department also notes that hospitals and doctors may require payment before service or admission, even in emergencies.
Before agreeing to non-emergency care, ask for a clear explanation of expected charges, what is included, what is not included, and what documents you will receive for reimbursement. For planned care, ask whether the provider can issue invoices, medical reports, prescriptions, and English summaries if needed.
After the visit, organize your records immediately
Do not leave the hospital without understanding what you received and what happens next. Ask for copies of reports, prescriptions, imaging files if relevant, receipts, and follow-up instructions. If you are traveling soon, ask whether you need a follow-up visit before departure or a written note for your home doctor.
For dental, cataract, rehab, orthopedic, or surgery-related care, follow-up planning matters. Ask what symptoms should trigger urgent review, what activity limits apply, and who to contact if you have questions after leaving China.
When a medical concierge can help
A medical concierge cannot replace a doctor, hospital, emergency service, or insurer. But for planned care, a non-clinical coordinator can make the process easier by organizing appointments, interpreters, transport, hotel logistics, document collection, daily schedule, and follow-up communication.
CareBridge China focuses on planned medical visits in Shanghai and Nanjing. We coordinate non-emergency support around the medical visit, including hospital navigation, medical interpreter scheduling, private transport coordination, arrival and departure support, recovery planning, and appropriate China experience planning when medically suitable.