How to Prepare Medical Records Before Coming to China for Treatment

If you're planning to come to China for medical treatment — surgery, cancer care, a specialist consultation, or any condition requiring hospital-level attention — the medical records you bring will significantly shape what's possible when you arrive.

Chinese hospitals can only work with what they have in front of them. An incomplete or poorly translated record set can mean repeat testing, longer wait times, incorrect treatment planning, or a first appointment that accomplishes less than it should.

This guide is for foreign patients doing pre-planned treatment in China — not for emergency situations. It covers what to gather, how to get it translated and formatted correctly, and what to do if your records are incomplete or come from systems that use different standards.

Who This Guide Is For

This guide fits you if:

You're planning a medical trip to China for a specific condition (cancer, orthopedics, cardiology, specialty surgery, diagnostics, etc.)
You have existing medical history in your home country that the Chinese hospital will need
You're in the early preparation phase and want to get your records in order before your appointment

This guide is a partial fit if:

You're a recent diagnosis case with minimal prior treatment — you'll have less to organize, but the core document types still apply
You're considering China but haven't decided yet — knowing what records are required helps you assess whether your case is well-documented enough to proceed

This guide is not for you if:

You're dealing with a medical emergency and need care now — focus on getting to a hospital, not gathering records
You're a tourist who got sick unexpectedly — see our What to do if you get sick in China as a foreigner guide instead

Why Medical Records Matter More for Treatment in China

When you see a doctor in your home country for a follow-up or referral, your records transfer electronically. The new doctor can pull your history from a shared system. That network doesn't extend across international borders.

When you arrive at a Chinese hospital, you start from scratch — unless you bring your records.

What Chinese hospitals will typically request before or at your first appointment:

Your diagnosis history (病历摘要 / bìnglì zhāiyào): the core summary of your condition
Imaging results: CT scans, MRI, X-rays, ultrasound — ideally the actual image files, not just reports
Lab results: blood panels, tumor markers, biopsy results, pathology reports
Prior treatment records: surgery summaries, chemotherapy records, radiation reports, medication history
Current medication list
Vaccination history (for some specialties or inpatient admissions)

Missing any of these doesn't necessarily block your visit — but it may mean the hospital orders repeat tests, which adds cost and time. In some cases, a missing pathology report can delay treatment planning by weeks.

Step 1: Identify What Records You Have

Start by listing everything you know exists:

Diagnosis documentation

Initial diagnosis report from your treating physician or specialist
Any second opinion reports you've obtained
Discharge summaries from any hospitalizations

Imaging

CT, MRI, PET-CT, X-ray, ultrasound — both the image files (DICOM format on CD or USB) and the written radiology reports
Note: Chinese radiologists strongly prefer to review the actual image files, not just the written interpretation. If your imaging was done in a hospital, contact their radiology department and request the DICOM files on physical media.

Lab and pathology

Blood test panels (CBC, metabolic panels, tumor markers if applicable)
Biopsy or tissue pathology reports — these are especially important for cancer cases
Genetic test results if applicable (e.g., EGFR, ALK, HER2, BRCA mutations)

Treatment history

Surgical operative reports (what was done, what was found)
Chemotherapy or immunotherapy treatment records (drugs used, doses, dates, cycles)
Radiation treatment records (dose, area, dates)
Any clinical trial records if you've participated in one

Current medications

A complete list with generic drug names, doses, and frequency
Reason for each medication

Step 2: Request Records You Don't Already Have

You have a legal right to your own medical records in most countries, though the process varies by jurisdiction.

From your primary care physician: Request a summary letter covering your diagnosis, treatment history, and current status. Ask them to use generic drug names (not just brand names) and to avoid regional abbreviations where possible.

From hospitals or treatment centers: Contact the medical records department. For imaging, ask specifically for DICOM files on CD or USB — hospitals often have this ready or can produce it in a few days. Don't accept "we'll send the report" without also requesting the images.

Timeline: Allow at least 2–4 weeks to gather a complete record set, especially if you're contacting multiple providers. Don't leave this until the week before your trip.

What to do if records are old or incomplete: Older records (5+ years) may no longer be available from the original provider. If you can't recover them, document the gap clearly — note when you were treated, where, and for what, even if you can't produce the original reports. Chinese doctors can work with incomplete records if the gap is explained. What they can't work with is missing records that you didn't flag.

Step 3: Get Records Translated to Chinese (or Structured in English)

Chinese hospitals operate in Chinese. A 20-page English pathology report handed to a Chinese oncologist who has limited English will slow things down.

What needs translation:

Your diagnosis summary / case history (priority 1)
Pathology reports and biopsy results
Surgical operative reports
Current medication list
Any letters from your treating physician

What doesn't strictly need translation:

Imaging files (DICOM format is universal — radiologists read the images directly)
Standard blood test panels with internationally recognized reference ranges
Genetic mutation reports using universal nomenclature (EGFR, ALK, etc.)

Translation options:

Professional medical translation service — the most reliable option. Look for services that specialize in medical documents, not general translation agencies. Medical terminology is precise; a mistranslation in a pathology report can have real consequences.
Your coordinator or support service (like ChinaEasey) — if you're working with a medical coordination service, this is typically part of what they handle
AI translation tools (DeepL, Google Translate) — acceptable as a rough preparatory reference, but not sufficient as a standalone translated document for clinical use

Practical tip: Even if you don't have full Chinese translations, creating a structured English summary (one-page case overview with your diagnosis, treatment history, current status, and questions for the Chinese team) helps enormously. A clear English summary is often easier for a Chinese clinician to work with than a wall of English clinical prose.

Step 4: Organize and Format Everything Clearly

A disorganized record set is almost as unhelpful as an incomplete one. When you hand materials to a Chinese doctor, they may have 10–15 minutes with you. Make it easy to navigate.

Recommended organization:

One-page case summary (English + Chinese translation)
Current medication list (English generic names, doses, frequency)
Pathology / biopsy reports (most recent first)
Imaging reports (most recent first) — keep DICOM files on separate USB/CD
Treatment records (surgery reports, chemo/radiation summaries in chronological order)
Lab results (most recent complete panel, plus any specialty labs)
Physician letters or referral letters

Physical vs digital: Bring physical copies of key documents. Also carry a USB drive with digital versions of everything, including DICOM files. Chinese hospital systems aren't always configured to receive external file transfers easily, but they can read from USB.

Copies: Make two full sets of physical copies — one for the hospital, one for yourself to retain. Do not hand over your only copy of any original document.

The Fit Check: Is Your Case Well-Suited for Treatment in China?

Not every case is a good fit for traveling to China for treatment. Before finalizing your plans:

Potentially good fit:

Conditions where Chinese hospitals have documented expertise (oncology, orthopedics, TCM-integrated treatment, certain surgical specialties)
Cases where cost differential justifies travel (major surgery, multi-cycle chemotherapy)
Cases where your home country treatment options are limited or you've exhausted local options
Patients in generally stable condition who can manage long-distance travel

Requires careful evaluation:

Rapidly progressing conditions where the travel delay could affect outcomes
Cases requiring highly specialized post-treatment monitoring that can't easily be done remotely
Patients with complex comorbidities that complicate travel

Likely not a good fit:

Active emergencies or acute critical conditions
Cases requiring treatment within days
Conditions where continuity of care with a specific provider is essential and can't be transferred
Patients who are medically unable to tolerate long-haul travel

If you're unsure whether your case is a fit for traveling to China, that's exactly what ChinaEasey's case assessment process is for.

Risks of Arriving Unprepared

Risk 1: Repeat testing costs you time and money. If you don't bring imaging files, the Chinese hospital will order their own. A PET-CT scan in China costs 10,000–20,000 RMB. That's not catastrophic, but it's avoidable if you bring your DICOM files.

Risk 2: Incomplete pathology delays treatment planning. For cancer cases especially, the treating oncologist may not be willing to proceed with a treatment plan until they have complete pathology data. Missing a biopsy report can push your consultation back to a second visit.

Risk 3: Medication management becomes complicated. Chinese hospitals will need to know what you're taking before any treatment decision. An incomplete medication list — especially for patients on blood thinners, immunosuppressants, or specialty biologics — can create safety risks.

Risk 4: Misunderstanding your own records. Some patients bring records they've never carefully read themselves. Your doctors in China may ask you questions about your history that you can't answer. Spend time with your records before you travel. Understand what your diagnosis means, what treatments you've received, and what your current status is.

Follow-Up: What Happens to Your Records After Treatment

If you receive treatment in China and return home, your follow-up care will depend on having complete records from your Chinese hospital visit.

Before you leave China:

Request a full discharge summary in Chinese and ask for an English translation or summary
Collect all lab results, imaging reports, and imaging files from your treatment period
Get a typed medication list if any medications were prescribed or changed
Ask about follow-up contact — who to reach if you have questions after returning home

Your home country doctor will need these records to manage your ongoing care. Don't leave China without them.

Where ChinaEasey Fits

ChinaEasey helps foreign patients navigate the practical and logistical side of seeking medical treatment in China.

We help with:

Assessing whether your case is a reasonable fit for treatment in China
Guidance on which records to gather and how to organize them
Coordinating with hospitals on your behalf, including communication before your first appointment
Helping you understand what to expect from the process, the timeline, and the costs
Supporting the translation and document preparation process

We don't provide:

Medical advice or second opinions on your diagnosis
Guarantees about treatment outcomes
Services that replace your treating physician's judgment

If you're preparing for a medical trip to China and want support through the record preparation and hospital coordination process, submit a case assessment request via our medical page. We'll review your situation and let you know how we can help.

Summary Checklist

Records to gather:

[ ] Diagnosis summary / case history
[ ] Pathology and biopsy reports
[ ] Imaging files (DICOM on USB/CD)
[ ] Imaging reports (written radiology interpretations)
[ ] Surgical operative reports (if applicable)
[ ] Chemo / radiation treatment records (if applicable)
[ ] Current complete blood panel
[ ] Specialty lab results (tumor markers, genetic tests, etc.)
[ ] Complete medication list (generic names + doses)
[ ] Physician letters / referral letters

Preparation actions:

[ ] Translate priority documents to Chinese (or brief a coordinator)
[ ] Create a one-page case summary (English + Chinese)
[ ] Organize records chronologically (most recent first per category)
[ ] Make two complete physical copies
[ ] Load everything onto a USB drive
[ ] Read through your records yourself; know your history

Planning medical treatment in China and not sure where to start? Reach out to ChinaEasey's medical coordination team — we'll tell you honestly whether your case is a fit and what preparation looks like.