Choose the service and campus first
Shanghai has public hospitals, international medical departments and private hospitals. Start with the service you need, then confirm the exact campus, appointment channel and whether it accepts a short-term visitor using an ordinary foreign passport. A hospital group can have several locations with different services and hours.
For a medical emergency, call 120 for an ambulance or seek urgent help. For a planned visit, use the contacts below as starting points, not a guarantee of a particular appointment, language or insurance arrangement. Confirm current details before traveling across the city.
Four practical Shanghai starting points
Huashan Hospital’s international medical service is listed by the city at Building 1, eighth floor, 12 Wulumuqi Middle Road, Jing’an. The listed contacts are 021-6248-3986 and 021-5288-9998. Ask the department which specialty is available, how to register with your passport and whether interpretation and English reports are available for your visit.
Shanghai East International Medical Center is listed at 551 South Pudong Road, Pudong New Area, with contact numbers 021-5879-9999 and 150-0019-0899. The city lists outpatient hours daily and emergency/inpatient service around the clock. Confirm the department, appointment and current hours with the center before departure.
Shanghai Jiahui International Hospital, 689 Guiping Road, Xuhui, states that it is open around the clock and has emergency services. The city directory lists 400-8683-000 as its 24-hour contact. Jiahui also provides an international patient inquiry email on its directions page. Ask which service and language are available at the requested time.
Shanghai United Family Hospital, Changning, is at 699 Pingtang Road. Its published appointment center is 400-639-3900 and its 24-hour emergency hotline is 021-2216-3999. The provider lists several Shanghai locations, so state Changning when asking about a booking. Its family medicine team lists multiple languages collectively; confirm the language of your own appointment.
Make an appointment you can actually use
Ask for the department, campus, date, arrival time, consultation fee and cancellation terms in writing. Provide the name exactly as it appears in your passport and ask if a Chinese mobile number or identity verification is needed. Some booking tools require a phone verification code; a facility’s phone or patient service may offer another route. See how to book with a foreign passport for a fuller checklist.
Tell the booking team your preferred language and ask separately about booking assistance, communication with the clinician, interpretation charges and report language. An English website or an international department does not establish that every clinician or document is available in English.
Bring identification, records and payment
Bring your passport, appointment confirmation, insurer details, relevant medical records and a list of current medicines and allergies. Ask the hospital whether translated records are useful. For an accompanying child, check identification and consent requirements in advance.
At some public hospitals you may register, wait at the department, pay for tests or medicines, and return for results. Ask where to go at each step. Confirm accepted payment methods and whether a deposit is required. If you want insurance direct billing, verify the specific policy, campus and service with both hospital and insurer; keep funds available for charges you must pay yourself.
Arrange reports and follow-up before leaving
Ask when results will be ready, how to collect them, whether copies and an English report are available, and what each costs. Check whether a further consultation is needed to discuss results. Request an itemized bill and official receipts and verify your name and dates.
Before booking flights onward, ask how the hospital will contact you if results arrive after departure and how to obtain records for your usual clinician. For broader planning, see the medical care in China guide. Entry eligibility is a separate question; consult the entry rules guide for the checks to make.