Planning treatment abroad looks intimidating, but the process is mostly sequencing. If you handle the five steps below in order, a two-week medical trip to China is manageable even without prior experience of the country.
Step 1: Decide what you actually need
Write down three things before contacting anyone: your diagnosis (with the date and the hospital that issued it), the specific decision you are trying to make, and your budget ceiling including flights and accommodation. Vague enquiries produce vague answers. A patient who writes "L4-L5 disc herniation, MRI from March 2026, considering disc replacement, budget €15,000 all-in" gets a useful reply the same day.
Step 2: Shortlist hospitals by specialty, not by city
Chinese hospitals are not uniformly strong. A hospital famous for cardiology may have an ordinary orthopaedic department. Grade 3A (三级甲等) is the baseline filter — it is the top accreditation tier — but within that tier you should match the department to your condition. National referral centres exist for oncology (Beijing), haematology (Tianjin), hepatobiliary surgery (Chengdu, Chongqing) and orthopaedics (Beijing, Tianjin).
Step 3: Send records in advance
Chinese specialists are used to reading imaging from outside institutions, but they need it early. Send: the radiology report plus the DICOM files or original films, pathology reports, current medication list, and a one-page summary in English. Most hospitals can arrange a pre-travel remote opinion within three to five working days. This is the single highest-value step — it tells you whether the trip is worth making.
Step 4: Sort the paperwork and the money
For a medical visit you will generally need an appointment confirmation and an invitation letter from the hospital or your coordinator to support an M (medical) visa application. Policies change — check with your nearest Chinese embassy or visa application centre. Budget in two parts: the coordination package fee (paid before travel) and hospital fees (paid directly at the hospital by card, cash or international transfer). Keep a card that works internationally; many Chinese hospitals accept UnionPay, Visa and Mastercard but not every foreign debit card.
Step 5: Build in recovery time
A common mistake is booking a return flight too early. For a consultation-only trip, four to five days is enough. For surgery, plan on ten to fourteen days in China, and ask explicitly how many days post-discharge the surgeon wants you to stay locally before flying. Airlines have their own fitness-to-fly rules after surgery, particularly for abdominal, thoracic and ophthalmic procedures.
What to pack
Bring original imaging on disc or film, not only PDFs; a printed copy of your medication list with generic names; your passport with at least six months validity; a card that works internationally; and a power adapter (China uses 220V, type A/C/I sockets). Leave space in your luggage for translated records on the way home.
A realistic timeline
From first enquiry to arrival, most patients take three to six weeks: one week to gather records and get a remote opinion, one to two weeks for visa processing, and one to two weeks for flights and hospital scheduling. Urgent oncology cases can compress this considerably — say so in your first message if time matters.
This site provides medical travel coordination services only. We are not a hospital, clinic or medical provider, and we do not diagnose or treat. All clinical decisions are made by licensed physicians at the treating hospital. Cost figures are indicative and not a quotation. Patient stories reflect individual, self-reported experiences and are not a guarantee of outcome.