A growing number of international patients are bypassing lengthy wait times in their home countries by seeking medical treatment in China, where they report receiving high-quality, efficient care at significantly lower costs. This emerging trend, highlighted by the experience of a British content creator named Amie, demonstrates China’s evolving position in the global healthcare landscape.
Amie’s case exemplifies this phenomenon. Facing a two-week wait for a general practitioner consultation in Britain for persistent stomach pain, she instead booked a flight to Beijing. Within five days of arrival, she consulted a gastroenterologist at Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, completed comprehensive diagnostic tests including a sedated endoscopy, and received a definitive diagnosis of chronic gastritis with prescribed medication. The entire process cost approximately £300 for medical services—just one-tenth of what she would have paid through Britain’s National Health Service.
Even including £1,500 in travel expenses, Amie reported the overall experience remained cost-effective while providing exceptional efficiency. “It feels like a well-oiled machine here. The efficiency and quality of care are outstanding,” she noted in social media posts that garnered significant attention.
This medical tourism trend primarily attracts expatriates and former long-term residents familiar with China’s healthcare system. While China’s visa-free policy doesn’t specifically cover medical visits, many foreigners arrange treatment during permitted stays for tourism or business. Currently, travelers from 55 countries can utilize China’s 240-hour visa-free transit policy at 65 entry ports.
Medical experts attribute China’s healthcare efficiency to sophisticated interdepartmental coordination and digital integration. “When a gastroenterologist orders a procedure, the lab quickly runs blood tests, the cardiology department performs an electrocardiogram, and anesthesiology handles preoperative assessment. The whole process is seamlessly integrated,” explained Lin Siyong, head of medical affairs management at Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital.
Foreign patients typically seek care at either private hospitals or international medicine departments within public hospitals. Wang Yiqun, deputy director of Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital’s international medicine department, emphasized that while public hospitals prioritize domestic patients’ basic healthcare needs, they’ve established international divisions to support Beijing’s development as a global exchange hub. National guidelines cap international medical services at approximately 10% of total capacity.
The trend extends beyond Beijing to other major cities. Di Yue, an ophthalmologist at Shanghai Children’s Hospital, has noticed a significant increase in overseas patients, particularly overseas Chinese from Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia. Specializing in treating trachomatous trichiasis, he notes that even including travel and accommodation expenses, treatment in China often proves more cost-effective than abroad.
This influx of international patients not only provides revenue for hospitals but also reflects China’s growing medical capabilities. With the expansion of telemedicine and social media, healthcare professionals anticipate continued growth in medical tourism to China.