Traveling to Shanghai for Medical Care: From Booking the Right Campus to Handover Before Departure

EastMedGo Nov 6, 2026

First identify the medical issue you need addressed, then contact the hospital to confirm the department, campus, and booking method. Arrange flights and accommodation after you have a specific date and confirmation that the hospital can see you. Before departure, also check your passport, medical records, test arrangements, and the doctor who will take over your care after you return.

Before traveling to mainland China, check with the relevant immigration authority or a Chinese embassy or consulate about the travel documents, visa or other entry permission, and conditions of stay that apply to your nationality, documents, and purpose of travel. A hospital appointment does not replace entry permission. China Consular Service

Key points

One hospital may have several campuses. Ask the department seeing you to specify the campus, building, and check-in location before booking accommodation and planning transport.
Foreign passport holders can register for some Shanghai QR Code services under the Shanghai government’s guidance, but this does not mean every booking channel at every hospital supports foreign passports. If online booking fails, contact the hospital about manual booking and registration.
A doctor’s test order does not mean the test has been booked. Separately confirm payment, the test time, how to access results, and who will explain them.
For a serious or urgent medical problem in Shanghai, call 120 and clearly give your address, symptoms, and contact number. If an emergency occurs before you leave your starting location, contact local emergency services first.

Find a hospital that can see you for this visit

Write down your current diagnosis or main symptoms, the questions you want the doctor to answer, previous tests and treatment, current medicines, and allergies. If you are unsure whether it is safe to travel or wait, ask your current care team to assess this first.

The EastMedGo Shanghai hospital directory lets you search for possible hospitals by condition or specialty. The Shanghai International Medical Services Directory lists some institutions and their contact details. Directories are a starting point for your search; they do not mean a particular doctor has appointments available or has accepted your case.

Discuss three possible routes with the hospital: standard outpatient services at a public hospital, international or special services at a public hospital, and private hospitals or clinics. Compare the specialty you need, available appointment dates, language support, costs, and insurance. If you need complex treatment or admission, also ask whether the campus that will receive you has the necessary testing, inpatient, and emergency facilities, and who will manage the handover if a transfer is needed.

Send a brief medical summary through the secure channel specified by the hospital. Ask which department will see you, whether a clinician has reviewed your records, and whether original imaging, pathology materials, or other information is needed. An appointment or preliminary opinion cannot replace a treatment assessment after an in-person consultation.

Confirm the campus, costs, and language support before booking

Confirm the following with the hospital’s booking office or the department that will see you:

Whether you can be seen: Confirm the doctor or department, whether you are using standard, special, or international services, the date, and the campus. Is this a confirmed appointment, or has the hospital only received your application? If tests need to be repeated, ask why and how they will be scheduled.
Language support and accompaniment: Ask what language support is available separately for the doctor, payment counter, testing rooms, and discussions involving informed consent. If you need an interpreter, ask who will arrange one and how much it will cost.
Costs: Ask the hospital to list known costs for consultations, tests, imaging or pathology review, medicines, inpatient deposits, and any other possible charges, marking anything still uncertain. Budget separately for accommodation, a companion or caregiver, and a potentially longer stay.
Insurance: Check with both the hospital and your insurer whether the specific campus, department, dates, procedures, and service category are covered, whether prior authorization has been granted, whether direct billing is available, and who must pay deposits, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs. Save both parties’ responses.

If you want to use EastMedGo coordination services, first read Services and Fees and ask about the specific hospital, campus, scope of services, and costs. A free initial inquiry is not a confirmed appointment; specific arrangements are subject to written confirmation.

Register with your passport and save your appointment details

The Shanghai government’s guide to visiting a hospital describes registering at the hospital with a passport and using “Healthcare—Appointment Registration” in Suishenban. Its Shanghai QR Code guide states that foreign passports can be used to register for some services and that photos require manual review. Test mobile verification codes and your chosen hospital’s booking channel in advance. Successful registration does not mean you have successfully booked an appointment.

Enter your name, passport number, date of birth, and nationality exactly as shown in your passport, and keep them consistent across all channels. If you have visited the hospital before but cannot log in, first contact the hospital to find your existing medical record number and ask how to restore access. Then ask whether you need to create a new patient profile, to avoid splitting your records. If the platform does not accept your document or overseas mobile number, ask whether you can book by phone, at a counter, or through another official channel, and whether staff can register you manually on arrival.

Save an appointment card that you can access offline: the hospital’s full Chinese name, campus and street address, building and floor, department and service route, appointment date and time slot, booking status, hospital phone number, and medical record number. Carry your original passport and any materials the hospital requires. Before sending identity documents or medical records, confirm the recipient and secure transmission channel.

Plan travel around the actual campus

For example, Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital lists its Xuhui Campus at 600 Yishan Road, Xuhui District, and its Lingang Campus at 222 Huanhu West 3rd Road, Nanhui New Town, Pudong New Area, in its hospital information. This is an example of how to identify campuses; it does not mean both offer the department you need. The Shanghai government’s International Medical Services Directory also lists international medical service contacts for both campuses. Confirm the floor and current booking method with the hospital.

Send the Chinese address on your appointment confirmation to your driver or enter it into a map. Check the campus and specific entrance, then plan your route from the airport, station, or accommodation. If you have limited mobility or need a wheelchair or companion, ask in advance about entrances and assistance on arrival, and discuss suitable transport with your care team based on your condition. If tests and consultations are in different locations, allow time for check-in, payment, and travel between buildings. Do not estimate distance from the hospital name alone.

Reconfirm your appointment, test preparation, and transport the day before departure. The hospital or clinical team must confirm any fasting, medication changes, specimen transport, or other preparation required for the specific test or procedure. Do not stop medicines on your own. If your travel plans change, promptly contact the hospital to reschedule, and notify your insurer and the doctor taking over your care separately. Until a new appointment time is confirmed, do not assume that changing your travel booking has also rescheduled your appointment.

Arrange tests and follow-up after seeing the doctor

The Shanghai government’s description of outpatient care includes registration, consultation, payment, and testing; arrangements may differ between hospitals. Before leaving the consultation room or payment counter, go through each test order and ask:

Where do I pay, and do I need a separate booking? Can I get the test date, location, and preparation instructions now?
When and where should results be available, and which medical record number will they be filed under? Which counter should I contact if I cannot access my account?
Who will explain the results, and do I need to book another consultation? If a result needs prompt attention, how will the hospital contact me, and whom should I contact?

Record the location and confirmed time of each test. If a report will not be ready before your planned departure from Shanghai, first ask the doctor whether follow-up can be rescheduled or who will receive and explain the results, then decide whether to change your travel plans. A consultation in English does not mean the testing room offers the same language support. If needed, save the Chinese test names, locations, and preparation instructions, and arrange an interpreter in advance.

Arrange results and ongoing care before leaving Shanghai

Ask the hospital for your outpatient record or discharge summary, test and pathology reports, original imaging files and reports, procedure records if applicable, an updated medicine list, follow-up instructions, itemized bills, and proof of payment. Check your identity details and dates, as well as any left/right side information or specimen numbers. Ask which reports are final, whether English versions are available, and how to obtain them. Translations given to the doctor taking over your care should match the final versions.

For each pending report, record how you expect to obtain it, the hospital contact, and who is responsible for tracking it. Ask your Shanghai doctor to explain when you need follow-up and which circumstances require prompt medical attention. Confirm with a doctor in your home country or place of residence who will receive your records and continue your care. Before leaving, test whether you can actually open or export your images, so you do not end up with only a link you cannot access later.

Frequently asked questions

How should I choose between public and private hospitals?

First check whether the specialty you need and the specific campus can see you. Then compare timing, language support, costs, insurance, and any necessary inpatient or emergency capabilities. At public hospitals, confirm standard outpatient services and international or special services separately.

Why can’t I book an appointment even though I registered successfully with Suishenban?

Registration and booking with your chosen hospital are separate steps. Check your identity document details, verification code, and patient profile. If it still fails, contact the hospital, explain that you are using a foreign passport, and ask about other booking methods and manual registration. Do not repeatedly create new identities.

If the hospital works with my insurer, does that mean I do not have to pay?

Not necessarily. Ask your insurer to confirm whether this visit has been authorized and which services are covered. Then ask the hospital whether it has received the authorization and confirm the deposit and the amount you must pay yourself. Keep itemized bills and proof of payment.

What if my test results are only available after I leave Shanghai?

Before leaving, confirm with the hospital the expected report date, how to access or collect it, the doctor responsible for explaining it, and contact details. Let the local doctor taking over your care know when to expect it. If the result could affect whether you can leave, the clinical team must assess this first.

What should I do if I have a medical emergency on the way to Shanghai or while there?

Immediately contact emergency services where you are. In Shanghai, call 120, give your exact address, symptoms, language needs, and callback number, and follow the dispatcher’s instructions. Do not delay calling while waiting for an interpreter. You can ask someone nearby who speaks Chinese to help communicate. Do not delay emergency care to reach your originally booked outpatient appointment.

Does receiving a quote or invitation letter mean my treatment has been decided?

No. Ask the hospital whether it confirms receipt of your records, an appointment, a preliminary quote, or another status. The team seeing you must still determine whether treatment is suitable based on an in-person consultation and any necessary tests.

What should I do if the hospital asks me to repeat tests or create a new patient card?

Ask the hospital to explain the clinical reasons for the tests and their costs. If you have an existing medical record number, first ask the hospital to look it up and confirm whether your original record can be used. If anything is unclear or the timing conflicts with your plans, clarify it with the department seeing you before deciding on travel arrangements.

For non-emergency government service inquiries, you can contact Shanghai’s 12345 hotline. For medical emergencies, call 120.

Sources

Sources checked: November 6, 2026. Appointments, costs, and whether you can be seen are subject to confirmation by the hospital and insurer for the specific visit.