Heart Care in China: Cardiology Departments, Heart Centres & Planning (2026)
Behandelt Herz- und Gefäßerkrankungen: Diagnostik wie EKG, Echokardiografie und Koronar-CT sowie Eingriffe wie Stentimplantation und Ablation. Internationale Patienten nutzen häufig Herzuntersuchungen im Rahmen eines Check-ups oder geplante Eingriffe in spezialisierten Herzzentren.
Treatments in this specialty
Veröffentlicht von CareAtlas · Redaktionelle Richtlinien
Cardiology in mainland China is concentrated in very large public hospitals that perform catheter procedures at high volume. Since 2020, coronary stents have been bought through national volume procurement, and procured stents now cost under ¥1,000 each[3]. For most international visitors, the practical uses of Chinese cardiology are a cardiac evaluation during a trip, a second opinion, or planned treatment for people who live in China. Emergency heart care is also there if you need it while travelling.
What "cardiology" means in a Chinese hospital
Heart care is split between medical and surgical departments. The names you will see on signs and registration apps:
| Chinese | English | What it handles |
|---|---|---|
| 心血管内科 / 心内科 | Cardiology | Chest pain, hypertension, heart failure, arrhythmia; diagnostic work-up |
| 心脏介入中心 / 导管室 | Cath lab / interventional centre | Coronary angiography, stenting |
| 心律失常科 / 电生理 | Electrophysiology | Ablation, pacemakers, defibrillators |
| 心脏外科 / 心脏大血管外科 | Cardiac surgery | Bypass grafting, valve repair or replacement, aortic surgery |
| 结构性心脏病中心 | Structural heart disease | Catheter valve procedures (TAVR), septal defect closure |
| 高血压科 | Hypertension clinic | Hard-to-control blood pressure |
| 胸痛中心 | Chest pain centre | Emergency pathway for suspected heart attack |
| 心脏康复 | Cardiac rehabilitation | Supervised exercise after an event or procedure |
General hospitals have a 心内科, and the larger ones also have cardiac surgery. Stand-alone heart hospitals (心血管病医院) cover the full range. For a first visit with symptoms or a check-up request, register with 心血管内科.
What international patients usually come for
- Cardiac evaluation — ECG, echocardiogram, Holter monitoring, exercise test and coronary CT, often added to a health check-up. See cardiac evaluation and health check-ups.
- Second opinions on a recommended stent, ablation or valve operation, using imaging you bring from home.
- Planned procedures — mainly for people living in China or Chinese-speaking patients returning home, because recovery and follow-up take weeks.
- Urgent care while travelling — chest pain, palpitations or high blood pressure. In an emergency, go to the emergency department (急诊) or call 120; don't book a clinic.
National designations: what they mean
The National Health Commission (NHC) names 国家医学中心 (national medical centres) as the top tier of the hospital system. The cardiovascular centre, 国家心血管病中心 (National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases), is Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (中国医学科学院阜外医院) in Beijing[1]. Cardiovascular was among the first specialty categories in the national medical centre plan[1].
A second label is 国家临床重点专科 (national key clinical specialty). It is a funded construction project, not a ranking: the NHC's 14th Five-Year plan says that projects that pass a final review are recognised and given the plaque, and that more than 1,700 projects were supported in the previous ten years[2]. Many tertiary hospitals hold a key specialty in cardiology or cardiac surgery and list it on their introduction page.
Neither label is a guarantee for an individual doctor. What they do tell you is that a department is large, audited and teaching. That matters most for complex cases such as multi-vessel disease, repeat procedures, complex ablation or valve surgery.
Technology and resources
At large public heart centres you can expect:
- Coronary CT angiography and cardiac MRI for non-invasive assessment.
- High-volume catheter labs. The NHSA estimates that about 1.9 million coronary interventions were done nationwide in 2024, up from about 1 million before procurement in 2020[3].
- Procured stents. In 2020, coronary stents became the first high-value consumable in national volume procurement. Ten mainstream domestic and foreign products were selected, and the selected stents dropped below ¥1,000. The 2022 renewal kept prices stable and increased the number of selected products to 14[3]. A second renewal round published its results in June 2026[4].
- Electrophysiology (3D mapping, catheter ablation), pacemaker and defibrillator implantation.
- Structural heart procedures such as transcatheter valve replacement at leading centres.
Which cities are strong
- Beijing is home to the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases[1] and many other large heart departments. See Beijing.
- Shanghai, Guangzhou and Wuhan have large university hospitals with strong cardiology and cardiac surgery. See Shanghai, Guangzhou and Wuhan.
- Other provincial capitals such as Chengdu, Hangzhou and Nanjing have tertiary hospitals with 24-hour catheter labs.
Browse the directory: hospitals with cardiology departments, or filter by city, for example cardiology in Beijing.
Two routes in, and what each costs
You do not have to use an international department.
1. Ordinary clinic (普通门诊) at a public hospital. Register with your passport, get a patient card, and pay at each step. Basic medical services in public hospitals are billed at government-guided prices[5], and procured stents are used at their procurement price[3]. Expect Chinese-only paperwork, busy clinics and short consultations. Tests are often done the same day, but results and reviews may need a second visit. Online booking often asks for a Chinese ID number or a +86 phone number — see your first hospital visit without a Chinese ID.
2. International department, VIP (特需) clinic or private hospital. English-speaking staff, appointments, longer consultations and sometimes direct insurance billing, at prices set by the hospital. One published example: China-Japan Friendship Hospital lists ¥500 for a chief-physician consultation in its international department, against ¥50 for an ordinary attending-physician appointment[6]. See international departments explained.
| Tier | Typical setting | What drives the bill |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary public | 心内科 普通门诊 | Regulated fees for tests and procedures; procured stents |
| Expert / VIP public | 专家门诊, 特需门诊, 国际部 | Higher consultation and ward fees; same devices |
| Private hospital | International and premium hospitals | Self-set packages; check what is included |
For overall numbers, see costs and price comparison. An inpatient procedure is billed per item: the stent is only one line on the bill, alongside the procedure fee, imaging, drugs and the ward.
Preparing your records
- ECGs, echocardiogram reports and any angiogram or CT on a USB stick or cloud link as DICOM files, not just photos.
- A list of medicines with doses, especially blood thinners and antiplatelet drugs, plus allergies (including contrast dye).
- Device cards for any pacemaker, defibrillator, stent or artificial valve.
- Recent blood tests: lipids, kidney function, HbA1c.
- A short summary of your history and question, translated into Chinese. The inquiry letter tool can draft a bilingual message.
See also medical records and follow-up.
Questions to ask before you agree to treatment
- Is the procedure necessary now, or could medicines and follow-up be enough?
- Who will perform it, and how many of these procedures does the team do each year?
- Which stent or device do you propose, and is it a procured (集采) product?
- How many days in hospital, and when will I be fit to fly?
- Which antiplatelet drugs will I need, for how long, and are they available in my home country?
- Will I get the procedure report, images and device card, and can I have an English summary?
Risks and follow-up
- Flying after a procedure. Airlines and doctors set waiting periods after stenting, ablation or surgery. Get written fitness-to-fly advice before you book a return flight.
- Medicine continuity. Stopping antiplatelet drugs early after a stent is dangerous. Bring enough supply home and check that a doctor at home will continue the prescription.
- Over-treatment worries. If a stent is recommended for stable symptoms, ask for the evidence, such as a functional test, and consider a second opinion.
- Language at the bedside. Ward staff in ordinary departments rarely speak English. Plan for a translator or a Chinese-speaking companion.
- Follow-up at home. Arrange a cardiologist at home before you travel. Read risks and complications and common pitfalls.
Who should not plan a cardiac trip: anyone with unstable symptoms such as chest pain at rest, worsening breathlessness or fainting. These need urgent care where you are now.
Next steps
- Compare hospitals with cardiology departments by city and language support.
- Read cardiac evaluation if you want a check-up during a trip, and international departments explained to choose a tier.
- Use the AI planner to fit tests, any procedure, recovery days and a safe flight home into one itinerary.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
Can foreigners see a cardiologist at an ordinary public hospital clinic in China?
Yes. Ordinary cardiology clinics at public hospitals accept anyone who registers with a passport, at the same prices as local patients. International or VIP clinics are an optional paid tier with English service and appointments.
What is the difference between 心血管内科 and 心外科?
心血管内科 (cardiology) diagnoses heart disease and performs catheter-based procedures such as stenting and ablation; 心外科 or 心脏大血管外科 (cardiac surgery) performs open operations such as bypass grafting and valve replacement.
How much does a coronary stent cost in China?
Since coronary stents became the first nationally procured high-value consumable in 2020, procured stents have cost under ¥1,000 each. The full bill also includes the procedure, imaging, drugs and hospital stay.
Which hospital is China's national heart centre?
The National Health Commission's list of national medical centres names Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (中国医学科学院阜外医院) in Beijing as the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases.
Should I travel to China for a heart procedure?
Planned diagnostics such as a cardiac check-up, echocardiogram or coronary CT are easy to fit into a trip. Interventions and surgery need a stay of days to weeks, a fitness-to-fly check afterwards and a cardiologist at home for follow-up, so plan them with your own doctor.
Quellenverzeichnis (6)
- [1]最新发布：八大国家医学中心名单公布，13家大三甲医院入选！（含国卫医函〔2020〕482号全文） — InnoMD (abgerufen am 2026-10-19)↩
- [2]“十四五”国家临床专科能力建设规划 — National Health Commission (abgerufen am 2026-10-19)↩
- [3]集采心脏支架真实世界研究结果出炉 — National Healthcare Security Administration (abgerufen am 2026-10-19)↩
- [4]关于公布“国家组织冠脉支架集中带量采购”第二轮接续采购中选结果的通知 — National Healthcare Security Administration (abgerufen am 2026-10-19)↩
- [5]关于印发推进医疗服务价格改革意见的通知（发改价格〔2016〕1431号） — National Development and Reform Commission and three other departments (abgerufen am 2026-10-13)↩
- [6]中日友好医院出诊信息（医事服务费） — China-Japan Friendship Hospital (abgerufen am 2026-10-13)↩