Choosing Between General, Specialist, Special-Service, and International Outpatient Clinics in Chinese Hospitals
The doctor named in your referral letter sees patients at a specialist clinic on Mondays and a special-service clinic on Thursdays. If the same doctor sees you at both, you only want your reports reviewed, and you can communicate in Chinese, compare the campus, dates, and consultation fees. If you plan to use insurance, first ask which clinic your policy covers and how payment is handled.
Key Points
- For a first visit, you can start with a general clinic in the relevant specialty. If your condition remains unclear, you still have questions after treatment, or you want an important care decision reviewed, look for a doctor who regularly treats that condition.
- “Specialist” describes who sees you; “special-service” describes the services provided. Before booking an international clinic, ask who will see you and what language will be used during the consultation.
- Booking an outpatient appointment does not confirm dates for tests, a hospital bed, or surgery. Confirm each separately.
Use Your Medical Records to Find the Right Department and Doctor
If you receive an abnormal test report, tell the hospital’s patient guidance staff the conclusion and the patient’s age. Ask which department to book, which campus to visit, and what is required for a first appointment. When booking for a child, confirm that the doctor sees children in that age group. For a follow-up, use your previous visit record to find the same doctor or the designated clinic.
If your referral letter names only a department, you can choose a doctor based on the conditions they specialize in. If you want postoperative imaging reviewed, explain what surgery you had and which scan you want reviewed. Ask whether to bring the original images or a paper report. Then search by the doctor’s name to check where they see patients and the type of clinic. Peking Union Medical College Hospital Clinic Schedule
What Extra Services Does a Special-Service Appointment With the Same Specialist Provide?
If you see “VIP” or “international,” first check which department will see you. Before paying, you can ask directly: “I have three years of reports. Can the doctor review them in advance? Is the appointment time when I should check in, or when the consultation starts? About how long will the consultation last?”
If you need a private consultation room, a separate waiting area, or someone to accompany you to tests, ask the clinic for a list of services and prices. “Which services are included in the consultation fee: interpreting, reviewing records in advance, consultations involving several specialties, or a written summary? How are tests, medicines, and treatment charged?” Shanghai requires nonprofit medical institutions to publish their special-service prices, and patients must choose these services voluntarily. Shanghai Healthcare Security Administration Response
Who Can Arrange Interpreting or Medical Records in English?
If you only need interpreting, first ask whether the general outpatient clinic can arrange it or allows you to bring your own interpreter. If you need help contacting a specialty department, estimating costs, or preparing documents to use when you return home, ask the international medical department: “Who reviews the records first? On the day, will I see an international department doctor, or will a specialist be brought in?”
Ruijin Hospital’s international outpatient clinic in Shanghai is on the basement and ground floors of Building 10, 197 Ruijin Second Road, and provides services in English. If you need another language, email vip@rjh.com.cn, specifying the department and date: “Can you arrange an Arabic interpreter for the consultation, and how much will it cost? Who will write the English summary, and when can I collect it?” Confirm these arrangements before planning your trip. Ruijin Hospital International Medical Services Directory
Does Insurance Cover Special-Service or International Outpatient Care?
Shanghai basic medical insurance does not cover special-service outpatient consultation fees. To find out whether medicines and tests are covered, ask the hospital’s medical insurance desk about the specific items. For other regions, check the benefits where you are insured. Shanghai Healthcare Security Administration Response
If you use commercial insurance, send your insurer the insurance product name, hospital campus, full clinic name, and reason for the visit: “Can the hospital bill you directly? Do I need preauthorization or a deposit? Which costs must I pay myself, including special-service surcharges, interpreting, and room upgrades? If I pay first and claim reimbursement later, which receipts, itemized bills, and medical records should I keep?”
How Do You Continue Care When Moving to Another Clinic or Ward After Your First Visit?
When transferring from the international department to a specialty department, give both service desks your medical record number and appointment details: “Can I keep using my original medical record number? Can the doctor seeing me access the original images and reports that are still pending?” If they cannot, ask the original department for copies. Then confirm who will see you, where you should have tests, and who will notify you of the results.
If you are considering surgery, you can ask the international department to contact the admitting department. Ask the doctor which preoperative assessments are still needed and when you will discuss the plan and sign the informed consent form. Then confirm bed availability and the expected surgery date separately with the admitting department. Before admission or surgery, ask your insurer whether separate authorization is required.
Frequently Asked Questions
The booking page only accepts a Chinese ID card. How can I book a general outpatient appointment with a foreign passport?
At Peking Union Medical College Hospital, you can create a patient record at a staffed payment counter using your original valid passport. For other hospitals, ask the registration desk directly: “Can I create a patient record with a passport at this campus? Once it is set up, where can I book an appointment?” Peking Union Medical College Hospital Patient Instructions
If I registered with the international department using commercial insurance, can I still book a general outpatient appointment?
Peking Union Medical College Hospital requires you to change your registration status to non-commercial-insurance status in the app or at a payment counter before booking a general or special-service outpatient appointment. To use commercial insurance again at the international department, you must have your details reverified at its comprehensive service counter. At other hospitals, ask both departments’ billing desks before canceling an appointment. Peking Union Medical College Hospital Patient Instructions
If a hospital is on my insurer’s direct-billing list, does direct billing also apply to outpatient care?
The ICBC-AXA “Anxin Youxuan” list identifies Ruijin Hospital’s International Medical Department at 197 Ruijin Second Road as “direct billing available, inpatient care only.” If you hold this policy and attend an outpatient appointment at that campus, ask your insurer whether you can claim reimbursement afterward. Check again if you change insurance products or hospital campuses. ICBC-AXA Direct-Billing List, Page 1
If I am only in the area for one day, can I finish the tests and get the results?
The doctor will decide which tests you need. At Peking Union Medical College Hospital, some tests are scheduled automatically after payment; others must be booked separately according to the patient guidance slip. If your stay is short, ask in advance: “If the reports are only ready after I leave, where can I get them? Who can explain the results or pass the information to my local doctor?” Peking Union Medical College Hospital Patient Instructions
Someone guarantees that paying a special-service fee will get me admitted. How can I verify this?
Keep the booking details and do not pay yet. Use the contact information on the hospital’s official website to reach the admitting department. Ask whether a bed is available or whether you have only been added to a waiting list. At Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, patients can join the bed waiting list after an electronic admission order is issued. Admission is processed only when a bed is actually available or an admission notice has been received. Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center Admission Process
What if the specialist I requested cancels their clinic?
Use your booking details to ask the hospital’s outpatient service: “Which doctor or team will see me instead? Can I choose someone else, cancel the appointment, or get a refund?” The “VIP” label alone cannot guarantee treatment results. National Notice on the Management of Outpatient Clinic Names
If my surgery is at another campus, who should I contact about problems afterward?
Before surgery, ask the team: “Who should I contact if a problem occurs at night, and which hospital should I go to? Who will arrange the transfer and handover if I need intensive care?” Before leaving the hospital, ask the department taking over your care how to obtain your discharge records and insurance documents.
Sources
Public information checked on November 6, 2026.