PRACTICAL GUIDE / RECORDS & DOCUMENTS

How to get an English medical report in China

Hospital records in China are issued in Chinese. This guide sets out what to ask for, when to ask, and what we do with the result so your doctor at home can actually use it.

COORDINATION GUIDEPLAIN LANGUAGEUPDATED 2026-11-09

What normally makes up the record

A complete set usually spans several systems inside the hospital: the outpatient system, imaging, laboratory, pharmacy and, for admissions, the inpatient record. Asking for "the report" often returns only one of these.

  • Outpatient consultation note and prescription
  • Imaging: the written report and the original image files
  • Laboratory results with dates and reference ranges
  • Pathology report and, where relevant, the original slides
  • Operative note and anaesthesia record, if a procedure took place
  • Discharge summary, medication list and follow-up instructions

Request English documents before you leave

Ask whether an English summary can be issued with the formal Chinese report, and who signs it. Some hospitals issue a bilingual summary, others only translate specific documents. We put this question into the written scope before you travel, not at the discharge desk.

Whatever the hospital issues, we provide a written English explanation of what was said in the consultation and what the discharge instructions require, in plain language. That explanation is a coordination document, not a medical report and not medical advice.

Handing over for follow-up at home

We collect the documents, check that names and dates match your passport, and deliver the set to you before departure. After you return home we arrange remote follow-up with the treating team and help request any missing item.

Keep both the original Chinese documents and the English explanation. A physician at home may need the original imaging files rather than a translated summary.

HOW WE HELP

What our coordinators actually do

This guide explains the system. The work below is what we carry out for you.

  • We read and translate your records, then name the department we would approach.
  • We request a written scope from the hospital before anything is booked.
  • We arrange appointments, interpretation, accommodation and transfers.
  • We accompany you on site and stay reachable for follow-up after you return home.
QUESTIONS

Questions about this topic

Are English reports guaranteed?
No. We request them in writing in advance; if a hospital cannot issue one, we say so before you commit to travel.
Can you translate a report I already have?
Yes. Send it with your other records and we will include a written English explanation in your case file.
Do hospital reports replace my doctor at home?
No. They are reference documents for your own physician; clinical decisions remain with licensed clinicians.
Prepared by the ClearCare China coordination team from public clinical guidance and our own intake workflow. Coordination information, not medical advice. Channels, fees and document rules differ by hospital — confirm the current position in writing with the hospital international department. Updated 2026-11-09.

What we do not promise

We do not publish prices, promise shorter waits, guarantee outcomes, or claim hospital endorsement. Clinical decisions belong to the hospital physicians. A directory match is a data cross-match, not an accreditation: we request written confirmation from the hospital international department before any travel is booked.

NEXT STEP

Send us your records. We will tell you what is realistic.

Tell us your condition, your preferred city and what you have already been diagnosed with. A coordinator will reply in writing with the departments we would approach, the records still needed, and the limits of what can be arranged.