Hospitals & Departments
Which cities and departments fit which conditions. We do not rank hospitals — rankings are usually paid for.
We do not publish a ranked list of hospitals. Most “best hospital” rankings in medical tourism are influenced by who pays for placement, and a ranking that responds to fees is not advice.
What we do instead: explain how the system is structured, so you can ask better questions — and tell you what to check before you commit.
How Chinese hospitals are organised
Public tertiary hospitals (三甲, “Class 3 Grade A”) are the top tier. They hold most of the country’s specialist expertise and advanced equipment. Within a public hospital you will typically find three service levels:
| Level | Chinese | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Standard clinic | 普通门诊 | Government-set prices. The same specialists usually work here. Registration ¥10–50. |
| Specialist / expert clinic | 专家门诊 | Senior physicians. Registration around ¥14–300. |
| International department | 国际医疗部 | Bilingual staff, advance booking, shorter waits, insurance direct billing at partners. Registration ¥300–1,000; tests 1.5×–3×. |
Private and international hospitals set their own prices and can be substantially more expensive, but they are more flexible on service, language, and scheduling.
What the international department does — and does not — give you
Does:
- English-speaking coordination staff
- Appointment scheduling in advance, from abroad
- Shorter waits
- Reports translated on request (sometimes at extra cost)
- Direct billing with partner insurers
Does not automatically:
- Give you a better doctor. The same specialists commonly work both the standard and international clinics.
- Mean the treating physician speaks English. Ask specifically about the doctor, not the department.
- Include translation of your final report at no cost. Ask when you book.
Which city for which kind of problem
Broad patterns, not recommendations:
| City | Relative strengths | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing | Complex oncology, neurology and neurosurgery, rare disease, national referral centres | Highest concentration of top-ranked institutions |
| Shanghai | Broad international infrastructure, oncology, neurology, cardiac | Most mature English-language patient services |
| Guangzhou / Shenzhen | Oncology, cardiac, orthopaedics; closest to Southeast Asia | Strong links to Hong Kong; good for patients flying from Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam |
| Hainan (Boao Lecheng) | The only zone where drugs and devices approved abroad but not yet in mainland China can be used legally | Also has a 30-day visa-free entry that explicitly permits medical treatment |
| Border cities (Hunchun, Suifenhe, etc.) | Traditional medicine, rehabilitation | Established pattern for Russian patients in the northeast |
The 10% limit you should know about
Chinese policy caps special service at public hospitals — including international departments — at 10% of total service volume. This exists to protect domestic patients’ access.
What this means for you: international departments are structurally limited in size, so slots are genuinely finite. Book ahead. It also means you should be sceptical of anyone promising to get you into a specific public hospital’s specialist clinic at short notice — that promise usually means something else is going on.
Questions to ask any hospital or facilitator
- Is this the right department for my specific diagnosis? (Not just the right hospital.)
- Will the doctor treating me speak my language?
- What is the total cost, itemized, including workup and extra days?
- Can you provide my final report in English?
- What happens if I have a complication?
- Who handles my follow-up after I return home?
- Who pays you? — If the answer is “the hospital,” you are not getting neutral advice.
What we do, and do not do
We research options for your specific situation and explain the trade-offs in writing. We do not recommend hospitals and we take no money from any of them. When we say an option is not suitable for you, no commission is affected.
Informational only — not medical advice. We do not rank, endorse, or recommend any hospital or physician named or implied above. Verify all hospital information directly.