Seeing a doctor in China

How to use this: read it once before travel to understand the basic expectations for "how to see a doctor in China"; if something happens, match your situation to the relevant scenario. ⚠️ This article is for travel reference, helping you understand the medical visit process and practical information. It does not constitute medical advice; if you feel unwell, seek medical care promptly and let a doctor assess you.

1Read This First

China does not have a GP and referral system. Medical care usually follows a "go directly to a hospital and register" model. This is very different from Europe and North America, and it is the part most likely to confuse foreign visitors.

• You do not need to make an appointment with a GP first and then get referred; go directly to a hospital, register on site, choose a department, and see a doctor.
• Medical care is generally pay first, then receive service: you pay first for registration, tests, and medicines.
• Foreign visitors do not have Chinese public medical insurance and pay out of pocket throughout. This is why travel medical insurance and keeping all invoices and receipts are very important (you will need them for reimbursement after returning home).

2Three Scenarios by Urgency

Scenario One | Emergency / Life-Threatening

• Call 120 for an ambulance. Note: a 120 ambulance usually requires payment, and the dispatcher may not speak English. The safest approach is to ask your hotel front desk to call for you and clearly state the address.
• Or go directly to the 急诊科 (Emergency / ER) of a major hospital, which is open 24 hours.
• In China, it is common to pay 押金 (deposit) before treatment, so prepare a usable bank card / mobile payment method.
• In a real emergency, you may not have time to type into a translation app. You can directly show / point to Help Card — Point to These, Ask a Stranger for Help (asking a passerby to call 120 for you).

Scenario Two | Non-urgent Illness (Cold, Stomach Upset, Minor Injury, etc.)

For short-term visitors, it is recommended to choose foreigner-friendly medical options first. There are two main routes:

• The "国际部" (International Department) of a large public hospital. It has English-speaking doctors and a smoother process. Prices are slightly higher, but it is the most foreigner-friendly option in public hospitals.
• Foreign-invested / private international clinics. These offer the best English-language environment, and many can provide direct billing with international insurance. Prices are higher, and the experience is similar to private clinics in Europe and North America.
• Ordinary outpatient clinics in public hospitals can also treat you and are cheaper, but the whole process is in Chinese, requires registration on self-service machines, involves queues, and may have no English-speaking staff. For short-term visitors, the barrier is higher.

For specific options by city, see City-by-City International Medical Services and Hospitals.

Scenario Three | Pharmacy & Minor Issues

• Pharmacies, called "药房" (pharmacy) or "药店" (drugstore) in Chinese, are common and easy to find. Convenience stores usually do not sell medicine.
• However, China has stricter prescription medicine controls than Europe and North America, and many medicines that are OTC abroad may require a prescription here.
• For how to find a pharmacy, communicate with a pharmacist, and buy medicine safely, see How to Buy Medicine in China: A Guide for Foreign Visitors.

3Step by Step at a Hospital

This is the typical process for ordinary outpatient care at a public hospital. Once you understand this "loop", it is less stressful:

1. Register: register at a self-service machine or counter, choose a department first (such as Internal Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics), and pay the registration fee. If you are not sure which department to choose, ask at the 导诊台 / 分诊台 (guidance desk / triage desk).
2. Wait: go to the waiting area for that department and wait for your number to be called.
3. See the Doctor: meet the doctor and explain your symptoms (you can show a translation or health card).
4. Pay -> Tests: if the doctor orders lab tests / imaging, you must pay first at the payment counter / self-service machine, then do the tests. After receiving the results, return to the doctor for follow-up.
5. Prescription -> Pay -> Pharmacy: after the doctor prescribes medicine, pay first, then collect the medicine at the 药房窗口 (pharmacy window / medicine pickup counter).
6. Keep all registration slips, invoices, and test reports throughout the process. For self-paid care, these are reimbursement documents.

💡 Key difference: many steps are "pay first, then proceed", and after tests you usually need to bring the results back to the doctor. The visit is not necessarily finished after one consultation. The process at an International Department / private clinic is more streamlined and guided.

4Good to Know for Foreign Visitors

• Registration system: you must first "挂号" (registration) and choose a department before seeing a doctor; walk-in registration is possible, but you need to use a self-service machine or counter.
• Pay before treatment: in most cases you pay first / pay a deposit first. Bank cards, WeChat Pay, and Alipay are the main methods; cash is less common.
• Medical insurance is not shared: foreign visitors do not have Chinese public medical insurance and pay fully out of pocket; be sure to buy travel medical insurance and keep all invoices and receipts.
• Language barrier: outside International Departments / private clinics, English services are generally not available.
• Mobile payment: if you do not have a mainland Chinese phone number / bank card linked, WeChat Pay or Alipay may not work. It is recommended to set up foreign card binding in advance or prepare a usable payment method.
• Foreign prescriptions cannot be filled directly: a Chinese doctor must issue a new prescription. For chronic-condition medicines, it is recommended to bring enough with you.

5Before You Travel

• Buy travel medical insurance, and write down your policy number and 24h assistance phone number.
• Prepare your own Chinese-English health card. If you have chronic conditions / long-term medicines, also prepare an English prescription or doctor's letter and check whether ingredients are restricted see Health Preparation Before Travel: Emergency Card and Prescription Medicines.
• Save Help Card — Point to These and the destination city's International Medical Services and Hospitals List on your phone.
• Confirm one payment method that works in China.

6Key Numbers