Short answer: Judge a hospital in China on five things, in this order: its national grade, its accreditation, its volume and experience with your exact procedure, its international patient services, and whether it gives you a written, itemized quote plus a follow-up plan for when you are home. If a hospital or coordinator cannot answer these five checks clearly, walk away. This checklist explains each one, the questions to ask, and the red flags to watch for.
Step 1: Check the Hospital’s Grade — What Is Grade 3A?
China grades its hospitals in three tiers, each divided into sub-grades. Grade 3A is the top grade. Grade 3A hospitals are the largest, best-equipped teaching and research hospitals, usually affiliated with a medical university, with the full range of departments and intensive care capability.
Grade 3A is a necessary check, but it is not sufficient on its own. A hospital can be Grade 3A overall while a particular department is average. Always ask about the specific department and surgeon for your procedure, not just the hospital’s overall grade.
Step 2: Check International Accreditation — What Is JCI?
JCI stands for Joint Commission International, an international body that accredits hospitals against patient-safety and quality standards. A JCI-accredited hospital has been inspected against those standards, which is a plus — especially for international patient wings.
One caution: many of China’s best public hospitals do not hold JCI accreditation, because they answer to the national accreditation system instead. The absence of JCI alone is not a red flag. Treat JCI as a positive signal, not as the only signal, and weigh it together with grade, volume, and reputation.
Step 3: Check Volume and Experience for Your Procedure
For surgery, volume matters more than almost anything else. Ask how many cases of your exact procedure the surgeon and the department perform each year, what their complication rates are, and whether they have intensive care backup for your type of operation. A team that performs your procedure every week will have smoother routines than a team that does it a few times a year.
Also ask who exactly will operate. A hospital’s reputation is not the same as your surgeon’s experience, and you are entitled to know the name and background of the surgeon responsible for your case.
Step 4: Check International Patient Services
Ask whether the hospital has an international patient department or wing, English-speaking medical staff, and professional medical translators. Even where doctors speak English, consent forms, discharge instructions, and medication labels need to be in a language you fully understand. A medical translator is strongly advised for consent discussions and discharge instructions, even if you speak some Mandarin.
Also confirm practical matters: how billing works, whether you pay the hospital directly, what happens if you need extra days, and who your contact person is on the ground.
Step 5: Get a Written, Itemized Quote
Never travel on a verbal price. A proper quote states what is included (surgeon fee, anaesthesia, operating room, hospital nights, standard medications), what is excluded (flights, hotels, companion costs, extended rehabilitation), how complications are billed, and how many intensive care and ward days the price covers. If the quote is vague, or if the price changes without explanation, treat that as a warning sign.
Questions to Ask Any Coordinator — Including Eternity
A good coordinator welcomes these questions. Ask them of anyone, including us:
- Which hospital and which surgeon, by name, are you recommending, and why?
- How many cases of my procedure does this team perform each year?
- What is included in the quote, what is excluded, and how are complications billed?
- What is the written plan if something goes wrong during or after surgery?
- Who is my translator and my local contact, and how do I reach them?
- What records will I receive in English, and how will they reach my Canadian doctor?
- What does follow-up look like once I am home?
Red Flags
- A guaranteed result, a promised cure, or a specific weight loss or outcome number.
- A price quoted without reviewing your medical records.
- Pressure to decide or pay immediately, or a “today only” discount.
- A vague hospital identity — no named hospital, no named surgeon.
- No plan for complications or for follow-up back in Canada.
- Refusal to put the quote and the treatment plan in writing.
Follow-Up Once You Are Home
Good treatment does not end at discharge. Before you travel, agree on the follow-up plan: a complete set of records in English (operative report, discharge summary, imaging, medication list), a handover to your Canadian family doctor and any relevant specialist, a schedule for bloodwork or check-ins, and a named contact for questions in the first weeks after you return. Remote check-ins with your surgical team in China can continue alongside your Canadian care.
A Shortcut: Eternity’s Medical Facilities List
If you would rather start from a vetted list than research hospitals from scratch, see Eternity’s Medical Facilities page — 14 hospitals across Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hainan that Eternity works with, with their specialties and backgrounds. Use this checklist against any hospital on that list, or any hospital another coordinator suggests to you.
Eternity China Medical Tour is led by Dr. Heung-Wing Li, a physician with 47 years of medical experience. If you would like help applying this checklist to your case, start with a free case review at Eternmedtour@gmail.com or 1-942-388-2888.
Related guides: Heart Bypass Surgery in China: A Canadian Patient’s Guide | Bariatric (Weight Loss) Surgery in China: A Canadian Patient’s Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Grade 3A hospital in China?
Grade 3A is the top grade in China’s hospital grading system. Grade 3A hospitals are the largest, best-equipped teaching and research hospitals. It is a necessary check, but always ask about the specific department and surgeon for your procedure as well.
What is JCI accreditation?
JCI is Joint Commission International, an international body that accredits hospitals against patient-safety and quality standards. It is a positive signal, but many excellent Chinese public hospitals do not hold JCI because they answer to the national system — so its absence alone is not a red flag.
Do I need a translator for medical treatment in China?
Yes, in most cases. Even where doctors speak English, consent discussions, discharge instructions, and medication labels need to be in a language you fully understand. A professional medical translator is strongly advised.
What should a hospital quote include?
A written, itemized quote: surgeon and anaesthesia fees, operating room, hospital nights, standard medications, what is excluded, how complications are billed, and how many intensive care and ward days the price covers.
How do I arrange follow-up back in Canada?
Agree on the plan before you travel: records in English sent to your Canadian doctor, a schedule for bloodwork or check-ins, and a named contact for the first weeks after you return.
This guide is general information only and is not medical advice. Your treatment decision should be made with your own doctor.