Shanghai, December, 2025 — At the annual meeting of the Shanghai Medical Association’s International Medical Specialty Branch, it was announced that in 2024, the city’s medical institutions recorded a 25% year-on-year increase in discharged patients from foreign countries, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. This surge follows the implementation of the Shanghai local standard *“International Medical Service Specifications”* (DB31/T 1487—2024), which has now been adopted by all private institutions primarily focused on international medical services and all pilot public hospitals, significantly enhancing the patient experience.

As China’s “first stop for entry,” Shanghai launched pilot programs for international medical (tourism) services in non-public and public hospitals in 2020 and 2023, respectively. However, despite growing service demand, the lack of unified service standards had long hindered sustainable development. With no national reference framework available, establishing a clear standard became a crucial priority.

Compiled by the International Medical Center of Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, the *“Shanghai Standard”* officially took effect on October 1, 2024. It provides normative documentation and technical guidance for the city’s international medical tourism pilot work, offering clear, actionable instructions for medical institutions engaged in international healthcare. The standard has rapidly become a benchmark in the greater health sector.

As China’s first local standard in the field of international medical services, the *“Shanghai Standard”* innovates both clinical models and identification systems. Notably, it proposes that general hospitals adopt a “general practitioner + specialist” clinical model. Since its implementation, international medical service institutions across the city have markedly improved patient experiences in multilingual services, appointment booking, direct settlement with commercial insurance, and international medical tourism procedures. For instance, Huashan Hospital reported a 25% year-on-year increase in international medical outpatient visits from January to November 2025.

The influence of the *“Shanghai Standard”* is expanding nationwide. Shenzhen launched its international medical tourism pilot in July 2024, drawing on the Shanghai model. Health commissions in Zhejiang, Guangdong, and Yunnan provinces have also conducted research and inquiries about the standard.

At the annual meeting, the initiative *“Sailing Far—Shanghai International Medical Brand Promotion”* was officially launched, signaling a new phase of integrated “medical + cultural” communication. This campaign aims to showcase China’s rich medical heritage and the appeal of Shanghai’s service brand to a global audience. Wu Jinglei, Vice Chairman of the Shanghai Association for Science and Technology and President of the Shanghai Medical Association, emphasized that serving the medical needs of expatriates in China and attracting foreign patients specifically for treatment are the two key market focuses for the future. He added that the medical association will continue to leverage its platform to advance medical progress and build Shanghai’s international healthcare brand.

Editor: Chen Qing @ ShanghaiDoctor.cn