Shanghai reports wider implementation of its international medical service standard
The city describes common arrangements for clinical coordination, multilingual care, appointments and commercial-insurance settlement.
Published by CareAtlas · Editorial policy
Shanghai has reported implementation of its local International Medical Service Specification, DB31/T 1487—2024, across all private providers mainly offering international care and all pilot public hospitals. The December 7, 2025 municipal report describes the standard's practical scope and changes in service use.
A common framework for participating providers
Shanghai introduced international medical tourism pilots for private providers in 2020 and public hospitals in 2023. As services expanded, inconsistent procedures became a problem for participating institutions.
The international medical centre at Huashan Hospital, affiliated with Fudan University, led the development of the local standard. It formally took effect on October 1, 2024, providing operational guidance for the city's pilot programme and institutions delivering international medical services.
Linking general practice with specialist care
The specification proposes a general-practice-plus-specialist clinical model for general hospitals. It also addresses clinical service arrangements and identification and signage systems, giving participating providers a common framework for organizing the patient's route through care.
The municipal report identified improvements in multilingual services, appointment-based care, direct settlement with commercial insurers and procedures connected with international medical travel after implementation. These are service areas covered by the standard's rollout across the specified providers.
Service figures use different patient groups
For 2024, Shanghai reported a 25 percent year-on-year increase in discharges involving foreign patients and patients from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan combined. That figure concerns the stated discharge category, rather than foreign nationality alone.
Huashan Hospital separately recorded a 25 percent year-on-year rise in international outpatient visits from January to November 2025. The figures refer to different services and periods.
The report also noted that Shenzhen's international medical tourism pilot, launched in July 2024, had drawn on Shanghai's standard. Health authorities from Zhejiang, Guangdong and Yunnan had studied the framework as well.