Before Sending Medical Records Across Borders: How Can You Protect Your Privacy and Help the Hospital Receive Them?

When preparing to send medical records from your region to China, or from China to a hospital, translator, or coordinator elsewhere, first verify the recipient and purpose, then ask which documents they need and how to send them. Keep the originals and a record of what you send. After sending, confirm that the recipient received the files and can open them, and ask how copies will be stored and how to request deletion.

Key points

• For an initial inquiry, you can start with your general needs. Provide full medical records and identity documents only after confirming that they are needed, who will receive them, and which channel to use.
• Doctors need complete clinical information and reliable patient identification for their assessment. Remove only information confirmed to be irrelevant, and tell the receiving team what you have redacted.
• Hospitals, translators, insurers, and family members use information for different purposes. Confirm separately who needs what, and do not share patient account passwords or verification codes.
• A delivery receipt does not mean the files are readable or that a doctor has reviewed them. An expired link does not mean downloaded copies have been deleted.

Verify the recipient and where your information will go

Independently verify the department, contact person, and receiving address using the main switchboard or contact details published on the hospital’s official website. Do not rely solely on an unsolicited message or a link in it. Ask who will view the information, what decisions it will be used for, whether it will be passed to other departments, coordinators, translation providers, or cloud services, and in which country or region the recipient will process it. If the recipient cannot explain clearly, pause before sending sensitive files and verify with the hospital’s patient services or privacy contact.

If translation or coordination is involved, you can ask the provider: “Do you use third-party machine translation or AI? Who will handle any subcontracted work, and where will the information be processed? Will it be used for model training or other purposes? How will it be returned or deleted when the service ends, and whom should I contact if there is a problem?” Verify the answers and applicable rules for the specific service.

Make a separate list of documents for each recipient. For example, someone translating a discharge summary usually needs only that document; someone arranging transport can first confirm the timing and any mobility assistance needed. The treating team should decide which clinical documents are needed, while required supporting documents for insurance should be confirmed with the insurer. If a family member is helping, first confirm with the patient which information they may see and whether they may communicate or pass on information on the patient’s behalf. Check the hospital’s authorization procedures. If permissions need to change, update them with the relevant hospitals, folders, and contacts.

A patient sending medical records they hold is a different situation from a hospital or service provider transferring them across borders on the patient’s behalf. If an organization handles the transfer, ask it to explain the specific recipients, purpose and location of processing, retention period, onward transfers, and applicable notice or authorization arrangements. Also clarify whether authorization can be withdrawn and how to make a request. Ask separately about use for clinical assessment, research, and publicity. If you do not understand an authorization, ask for an explanation before signing; do not assume one signature covers every use. The organization must determine its specific legal obligations based on applicable law and the actual arrangements.[1][2]

If contacting EastMedGo, initially provide your contact details and general needs, without sending medical records, passports, or bank card information. If medical information is needed later, first confirm the documents, purpose, recipients, and submission method. Give preference to an official document channel confirmed by the hospital. See Privacy and Data Handling for EastMedGo’s specific practices and privacy request channels.[3]

Prepare the copies needed this time

Ask the receiving department: “Which reports, images, medical history, and identity details are essential to answer my question? Which can I provide later?” Prepare copies based on the answer and store the complete originals separately. See the medical records package guide for ways to organize a medical summary and original reports. A summary cannot replace original documents requested by a doctor.

If a translator or administrative staff member needs only certain pages, provide copies of those pages. Do not edit your only original. If irrelevant information needs to be redacted, keep an unchanged original and use a redaction function that actually removes the content, rather than simply covering it with black boxes. Check the redacted text, comments, attachments, and file properties, and tell the receiving team what you have redacted. If you cannot confirm that the redaction is reliable, ask the organization that provided the file or a professional for help.[4]

Renaming a file does not make it anonymous: documents may contain hidden information, and internal fields and images in medical imaging files may also contain identifying information. For diagnosis and treatment, first ask the hospital how to securely match the files to a name, date of birth, or patient number. Do not remove identifying fields from imaging files yourself. De-identification for research or teaching should be handled by a capable organization following its own procedures.[4][5]

For particularly sensitive genetic, mental health, reproductive, or other records, first ask whether they are needed for this assessment and who will view them. Also check whether the files contain information about relatives. Do not remove information that could affect diagnosis or treatment on your own; ask the receiving doctor to decide whether the full report is needed.

Confirm the channel and send

Give preference to a patient portal or controlled file transfer channel independently verified with the hospital. Ask whether a login is required, who can open the files, how long the link will remain valid, and whether forwarding or downloading is allowed. Where available, restrict access to named recipients, enable multifactor authentication, and set an expiry period long enough for receipt without leaving access open unnecessarily. Do not give anyone your portal login or one-time verification codes.

If the recipient requests encrypted files, first confirm an encryption method both sides support, and send the password through a separate channel.[6] Before sending, check the address, attachments, patient identity, file version, and access permissions. For large files, check the file count or checksum as required by the hospital. If ordinary email or chat is the only option, first ask how the recipient verifies identity and controls forwarding and storage. If you cannot confirm the channel or requirements, pause and check with an official hospital contact.

Your sending log can contain only the necessary details. Store it securely; there is no need to duplicate the contents of the medical records:

Date: [ ]  Sent to: [organization/contact]  Purpose: [ ]  
Files and versions: [index number/date]  Channel: [ ]  Link valid until: [ ]  
Permitted onward recipients: [confirmed scope]  Receipt/readability confirmed: [date, contact]  
Retention or deletion contact and agreement: [ ]  Next follow-up date: [ ]

Confirm receipt, retention periods, and deletion options

Ask the recipient to check the patient’s identity, the number of files, and whether key reports or images can be opened. Ask whether the files have been passed to the designated team, what is missing, who will follow up, and when to expect a reply. A successful upload only records that a submission was made. Receipt, readability, medical review, and formal acceptance are different statuses. If files cannot be opened, first confirm supported formats, then ask the original organization to export them again. Do not replace complete imaging files with screenshots.

Before sending or when the service ends, ask each recipient to explain what they retain, for how long, who can access it, how to request correction or deletion, and whether they can confirm deletion or return. Retention periods vary by organization and purpose; do not assume one organization’s period applies to everyone. Expiring or revoking a link only closes that access route. You must ask separately about copies already downloaded, forwarded, or backed up.

Stopping optional sharing, revoking access, and deleting copies are different requests. Hospitals may be legally required to retain medical records, so deletion of all records cannot be guaranteed. Ask the recipient to distinguish between the hospital’s official medical records, service providers’ working copies, and shared links, and explain what cannot be deleted and why.[7]

You can copy this inquiry:

Hello, I am preparing to submit [file list and versions] for [purpose]. Please confirm the receiving organization and contact person, the official submission channel, which staff or service providers will have access, whether the files will be passed on, and how long they will be retained. After receipt, please confirm the patient’s identity and whether the files can be opened. Whom should I contact to stop sharing or request deletion of working copies?

What to do if files are sent to the wrong person or a link is exposed

Immediately revoke any links or access permissions you control. If an account or password may have been compromised, change the password and end the relevant sessions. Contact the unintended recipient and ask them to stop viewing or forwarding the files and delete them. Also notify the privacy or security contacts at the sending organization and relevant receiving organizations, explaining when the files were sent, the channel, the files involved, and the recipient, and ask about next steps. Keep relevant records, replies, and incident reference numbers. A deletion request is not confirmation of deletion. Also contact the treating team to reconfirm a secure submission channel and whether the necessary information has arrived. If treatment is urgent, contact your local medical team first; do not let handling the breach delay a necessary handover of care. If identity documents or financial information are also involved, contact the relevant issuing authority or payment provider about protective measures.[6]

Frequently asked questions

Can family members directly collect or view all medical records?

First confirm the patient’s consent and what the family member needs to do, then ask the original and receiving hospitals about authorization or guardianship procedures. Different evidence and permissions may be required to collect records, view reports, or participate in communication on the patient’s behalf.

How should a minor’s information be submitted?

A person with legal authority as a guardian or representative should first confirm identity and authorization documents, the receiving channel, and the scope of information with the hospital. Specific requirements depend on the rules where the patient and organization are located.

Can I use online translation or AI to process medical records?

First check how the service processes, stores, and uses submitted content, and whether other service providers are involved. If uncertain, do not upload information that can identify the patient. You can first ask the hospital which translation methods it accepts, have a professional check key content, and keep the original text. See EastMedGo’s privacy policy for its own practices.[3]

What if the hospital requests my full medical records, but I am concerned about irrelevant information?

Ask the department to explain what is needed for clinical decisions or identity matching, and whether you can submit selected documents first and provide the rest as needed. Do not withhold information on your own that could affect the assessment.

Can I withdraw consent I have already given?

Ask the relevant recipients how to withdraw consent, what the effects will be, and how they will handle the information once withdrawal takes effect. Separately revoke any sharing permissions you control. Withdrawal does not guarantee recovery of all downloaded copies, nor does it necessarily require deletion of medical records that must be retained.

What if I receive no reply to a deletion request?

Keep the request date, recipient details, and any replies. Follow up with the organization’s privacy or patient services contact, asking them to explain what has been done and why anything cannot be deleted. If the issue remains unresolved, ask about complaint channels in the applicable region.

What if I need urgent treatment and do not have time to arrange all authorizations?

Contact local emergency services or your current medical team immediately. Do not delay emergency care to organize documents. The medical staff on site should decide which information is necessary and how it should be received. Other questions can be addressed once you are safe.

Sources

Checked on: November 6, 2026. The scope of official rules varies by country, organization, and processing circumstances. The transfer and file protection advice is intended for discussion between patients and recipients.

1. Gazette of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress: Personal Information Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China: Medical and health information, processing of sensitive information, and individual rights.
2. Cyberspace Administration of China: Provisions on Promoting and Regulating Cross-Border Data Flows: Conditions under which institutional rules for outbound data transfers apply; does not determine applicability to an individual patient’s case.
3. EastMedGo: Privacy and Data Handling: This website’s own processing practices and request channels.
4. UK Information Commissioner’s Office: Hidden Personal Information in Documents: General technical reference on redaction and hidden information.
5. DICOM Standards Committee: De-identification Guidance: Technical information on identifying information in imaging fields and images.
6. UK Information Commissioner’s Office: Personal Data Security: Practical reference for checking recipients, secure transfers, and providing passwords through a separate channel.
7. National Health Commission of China: Provisions on the Management of Medical Records in Medical Institutions (2013 Edition): Medical record retention requirements for medical institutions in China; the institution should verify the specific records and currently applicable rules.