Medically reviewed by Dr. Wang, Medical Editor, ChinaCureLink
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Introduction
Beijing is home to some of China's most respected hospitals, and many of them now run international departments for foreign patients. Choosing between them is the hard part: the best hospital for a heart problem is not the best one for a brain tumour or a blood cancer.
This guide explains which Beijing hospitals lead in each specialty, which ones offer full English-language service, how foreigners book and pay, and how international patients can access treatment in Beijing.
Why Is Beijing a Leading Hospital City in China?
Beijing concentrates national-level hospitals, research and specialists. Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) has been rated China's top hospital in Fudan University's annual national ranking every year for more than a decade, and several Beijing hospitals serve as national centres for heart, brain and other specialties.
The city has also built services for foreigners. As of mid-2025, Beijing had:
52 medical institutions with dedicated international medical departments
156 institutions offering full-process foreign-language services
167 institutions accepting international bank cards
18 pilot hospitals for international medical services
Beijing also continues to open new international hospital projects, including Beijing GoBroad Hospital in Zhongguancun Life Science Park.
Hospital | Best known for | On Beijing's official list of full foreign-language service? |
Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) | Complex and rare diseases, multidisciplinary care | Yes (International Medical Services) |
Fuwai Hospital | Heart and vascular disease | Yes |
Beijing Tiantan Hospital | Neurosurgery and stroke | Yes |
Xuanwu Hospital | Neurology, including Parkinson's disease | Yes |
Beijing Jishuitan Hospital | Orthopaedics and trauma | Yes |
Peking University Third Hospital | Sports medicine and reproductive medicine | Yes |
Peking University People's Hospital | Haematology (blood diseases) | Yes |
China-Japan Friendship Hospital | Respiratory medicine and integrative medicine | Yes |
Beijing Friendship Hospital | Digestive and liver disease | Yes |
Guang'anmen Hospital | Traditional Chinese medicine | Yes |
Beijing Cancer Hospital | Cancer surgery and oncology | No; interpreter support advised |
Beijing Tongren Hospital | Eye and ear, nose and throat | No; interpreter support advised |
Table of Content
Best Hospitals in Beijing by Specialty
Complex and Rare Diseases: Peking Union Medical College Hospital
PUMCH is China's top-ranked hospital and a national referral center for difficult diagnoses. Its International Medical Services department offers English-language care and a 24-hour emergency line.
Heart Disease: Fuwai Hospital
Fuwai Hospital is China's leading cardiovascular hospital, covering cardiology, cardiac surgery, arrhythmia and structural heart disease. Its International Medical Department is on Beijing's official list for foreign patients.
Brain and Nervous System: Tiantan and Xuanwu Hospitals
Beijing Tiantan Hospital is a national centre for neurosurgery and stroke, and opened China's first brain-computer interface clinical ward in 2025. Xuanwu Hospital specialises in neurology and launched an AI management platform for Parkinson's disease in 2026. Both have international departments.
Bones and Joints: Jishuitan Hospital and Peking University Third Hospital
Beijing Jishuitan Hospital is one of China's best-known orthopaedic and trauma hospitals. Peking University Third Hospital is strong in sports medicine. Both offer international services.
Blood Cancer and CAR-T
Peking University People's Hospital is a leading centre for haematology and runs an international medical services department. Beijing is also home to a top hematology hospital in China with one of the country's largest CAR-T programmes, and the newly opened Beijing GoBroad Hospital. ChinaCureLink's guide to CAR-T treatment in China explains eligibility and costs.
Case study: CAR-T for an Italian patient with multiple myeloma. After nine years of relapsing multiple myeloma, a 64-year-old woman from Italy travelled to a top hematology hospital in China in the Beijing region in September 2019. She joined a BCMA-targeted CAR-T clinical trial and received her infusion on 23 October 2019, becoming the 700th patient in the hospital's CAR-T trial programme. Full story: Nine Years, One Leap.
Case study: a Canadian patient's second opinion for a rare lymphoma. A 76-year-old man from Canada with MEITL, a rare intestinal T-cell lymphoma, could not access a targeted drug for his tumour type at home. Specialists at a top hematology hospital in China reviewed his records remotely and, within two weeks, delivered a stage-by-stage plan combining chemotherapy with a targeted drug, with transplant and CAR-T options. Full story: Rare MEITL Diagnosis.
Cancer: Beijing Cancer Hospital
Beijing Cancer Hospital covers cancer surgery, medical oncology and radiation oncology. It does not appear on Beijing's official list of full foreign-language service, so international patients usually need interpreter support or a facilitator. ChinaCureLink's cancer cure China guide covers the newest approved cancer treatments.
Lungs, Digestion and Traditional Chinese Medicine
China-Japan Friendship Hospital is a national centre for respiratory medicine and integrative care. Beijing Friendship Hospital is strong in digestive and liver disease. Guang'anmen Hospital is one of China's leading traditional Chinese medicine hospitals and has an international department.
Public International Departments vs Private International Hospitals
International patients in Beijing usually choose between two kinds of care.
International department of a public hospital | Private international hospital | |
Examples | PUMCH, Fuwai, Tiantan, Jishuitan, Peking University Third Hospital | Beijing United Family Hospital, Sanfine International Hospital, Peking University International Hospital, Raffles Hospital Beijing |
Best for | Complex, specialist or high-risk treatment | Routine care, family medicine, check-ups, maternity |
Specialists | China's most experienced specialists | Smaller specialist teams; complex cases may be referred to public hospitals |
English | International department staff | Throughout the hospital |
Cost | Higher than standard public departments | Highest |
For serious illness, the international department of a top public hospital usually gives access to the most experienced specialists. Private hospitals offer a more familiar experience for everyday needs.
How Much Do Beijing Hospitals Cost, and How Do Foreigners Pay?
International patients pay the same standard prices as Chinese residents in standard departments. Under Beijing's public hospital fee schedule, an outpatient visit at a top-tier hospital costs ¥50 (about US$7) with a junior doctor and ¥80 (about US$11) with a senior doctor, before tests. International departments and private hospitals charge more.
Accepted payment methods include:
RMB cash
Credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club and JCB
UnionPay debit cards
WeChat Pay and Alipay
Direct billing: international patients with high-end health insurance can often skip upfront payment. Insurers with direct-billing agreements at Beijing hospitals include MSH China, Ping An, AIA, Cigna & CMB and Allianz Partners. Patients should check each hospital's list of signed insurers.
What to Do in a Medical Emergency in Beijing
Dial 120 (or +86 10 120 from a foreign phone) for an ambulance. Almost all Beijing hospitals have emergency departments. Three international services run 24-hour emergency lines:
Hospital | 24-hour emergency line |
International Medical Services, Peking Union Medical College Hospital | +86-10-69155288 |
United Family Healthcare, Beijing | +86-10-59277120 |
Raffles Hospital Beijing | +86-10-87937999 |
How International Patients Can Access Treatment in Beijing
Through ChinaCureLink (dedicated international patient pathway): after a free advisory call, ChinaCureLink compares up to three suitable Beijing hospitals or specialists for the patient's condition and coordinates records, the video second opinion, travel and in-China support.
Directly through a hospital's international department: the patient sends records, arranges a consultation and manages translation and logistics independently.
Through a clinical trial: some Beijing hospitals run trials that accept international patients, subject to each trial's rules. See How to Join a Cancer Clinical Trial in China.
Travel planning is covered in the China Medical Visa Guide and Travelling to China for Medical Treatment.
How ChinaCureLink Can Help
The safest way to choose the right Beijing hospital is to contact Chinese hospitals directly through a trusted facilitator who works for the patient, so the patient's records reach the right specialists before any travel.
ChinaCureLink represents the patient, not any specific hospital. There is no fee to apply to hospitals, only a moderate fee for on-site support in China. After a free advisory call, ChinaCureLink identifies and compares up to three suitable hospitals or specialists. The patient chooses a preferred option and joins a video second opinion with that specialist. If the patient proceeds, ChinaCureLink coordinates the appointment, medical records and translation, hospital communication, treatment planning, travel and in-China support. More on how ChinaCureLink matches each case.
Questions about which Beijing hospital fits a diagnosis? Chat with the ChinaCureLink team on WhatsApp.
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Get a Second Opinion Before Fly to China
For suitable cases, ChinaCureLink can then coordinate an online consultation with the specialist to discuss the technical treatment details directly. The purpose is to help the patient understand which treatment option and which specialist center may be most appropriate before making an international treatment decision.
What Patients Say About ChinaCureLink & Medebound HEALTH
China CureLink operates under Medebound HEALTH — an internationally recognized healthcare navigation company incorporated in New York, with operations across North America and Asia-Pacific.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Foreigners Go to the Hospital in Beijing, China?
Yes. Foreigners can be treated at any public or private hospital in China. In Beijing, 52 institutions have international departments and 156 offer full foreign-language service. Patients need a passport to register and usually pay before treatment unless their insurer offers direct billing.
What Is the Best Hospital in Beijing?
Peking Union Medical College Hospital is Beijing's and China's top-ranked hospital overall. The best choice still depends on the condition: Fuwai for heart disease, Tiantan and Xuanwu for neurological conditions, Jishuitan for orthopaedics, and specialist centres for blood cancer and CAR-T.
What Is the Best Hospital in Beijing, China for Foreigners?
For complex treatment, the international departments of top public hospitals such as PUMCH in Beijing offer China's most experienced specialists with English-language support. For routine care, private international hospitals such as Beijing United Family Hospital offer a more familiar experience at a higher price.
Do Foreigners Get Free Healthcare in China?
No. Visitors are not covered by China's public health insurance and pay out of pocket or through private insurance. In Beijing, international patients pay the same standard prices as residents, and many hospitals accept direct billing from international insurers.
Is Beijing Hospital the Same as Peking Union Medical College Hospital?
No. Beijing Hospital (北京医院) is a separate Grade 3A hospital in Dongcheng District under the National Health Commission, known for geriatric medicine. Peking Union Medical College Hospital (北京协和医院) is a different hospital and China's top-ranked overall.
About ChinaCureLink
ChinaCureLink helps patients across the world access the best cancer treatment at China's top hospitals, without the delays, language barriers, and administrative confusion that typically come with seeking care abroad.
We connect patients directly with China's top cancer hospitals, ensuring that from the first case submission through to treatment and follow-up, every step is guided, translated, and coordinated by a team experienced in cross-border patient care.
ChinaCureLink is proudly affiliated with Medebound HEALTH — founded by US physicians, with over 10 years of experience and more than 3,000 patients served worldwide, Medebound HEALTH is recognized by Forbes and it is one of the most trusted patient cross-border concierge service company across North America and the Asia Pacific.
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical or financial advice. Treatment eligibility, protocols, and costs vary by individual case — confirm specifics with a coordinator and treating physician before making any decisions.
References
Beijing Municipal Government. Medical Guide for Foreigners in Beijing. Updated October 2025.
Foreign Affairs Office of Beijing Municipal Government. Full-Process Foreign-Language Services Available at 156 Medical Institutions in Beijing. July 29, 2025.
Beijing Municipal Government. Beijing Further Enhances Multilingual Healthcare Services. November 10, 2025.
Wikipedia. Beijing Hospital.
Narrative review of major hospital ranking systems in China. Scientific research competitiveness in hospitals. PMC, 2022.
Wikipedia. Beijing Tiantan Hospital.
Wikipedia. Xuanwu Hospital.
Wang X. et al. Containing medical expenditure: lessons from reform of Beijing public hospitals. BMJ, 2019.
The Commonwealth Fund. International Health Care System Profiles: China. May 1, 2026.
