Shanghai Hospital, China: Best Hospitals for Patients 2026

1 day ago

9 min read

Medically reviewed by Dr. Wang, Medical Editor, ChinaCureLink

Key Takeaways

Shanghai is one of China's main destinations for international patients. Its public hospitals treated 73,200 foreign patients in 2025, up more than 8% on the year before.
22 public medical institutions are official international medical tourism pilots. They include Ruijin, Zhongshan, Huashan and Renji hospitals, which are building dedicated international departments.
The right hospital depends on the condition. Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center specialises in cancer, Ruijin and Renji offer CAR-T therapy, Huashan is known for neurology and neurosurgery, and Zhongshan leads in heart and liver disease.
A specialist review before travel avoids wasted trips. Patients who arrive without one can face language barriers, booked-out experts and a treatment plan that differs from what they expected.

Introduction

Shanghai is home to some of China's largest and most experienced hospitals, and more international patients now travel there specifically for treatment. A senior doctor at Ruijin Hospital's international department has described the shift: foreign patients who once came mainly for check-ups now come for specialised expertise.

This guide explains which Shanghai hospitals suit which conditions, what each is known for, how international patients are received, what to expect when going directly, and how to get a specialist's review before travelling.

Shanghai as a Destination for International Patients

Shanghai's public hospitals served 73,200 foreign patients in 2025, an increase of more than 8% on 2024. Since September 2023, 22 public medical institutions have been approved as international medical tourism pilot units, and in 2024 the city issued China's first standards for international medical services.

The pilot hospitals are setting up dedicated international departments. Ruijin Hospital is creating intensive care units for international patients, and Renji Hospital's north branch is establishing an international outpatient department. The city aims to become a leading international medical centre during its 2026–2030 development plan.

Table of Content

Best Shanghai Hospitals by Condition

Condition	Shanghai hospitals known for it
Solid tumours and cancer surgery	Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center; Zhongshan Hospital (liver cancer); Ruijin Hospital Cancer Center
Blood cancers and CAR-T therapy	Ruijin Hospital (hematology); Renji Hospital
Proton and heavy ion radiotherapy	Shanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Center
Brain, spine and nerve conditions	Huashan Hospital (neurology and neurosurgery)
Heart and blood vessel disease	Zhongshan Hospital (Shanghai's clinical centre for cardiovascular disease); Ruijin Hospital
Liver disease and transplant	Zhongshan Hospital (Liver Cancer Institute); Renji Hospital (liver surgery and paediatric liver transplant)
Digestive and rheumatic disease	Renji Hospital
Diabetes and hormone disorders	Ruijin Hospital (endocrinology)
Children's complex conditions	Children's Hospital of Fudan University; Shanghai Children's Medical Center

Leading Public Hospitals in Shanghai

Shanghai's leading public hospitals are large Grade 3A teaching hospitals affiliated with Fudan University or Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. Most of the hospitals below are official international medical tourism pilots.

Ruijin Hospital

Ruijin Hospital, founded in 1907 and affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, is a Grade 3A general hospital with about 1,700 beds. Its specialties include hematology, endocrinology, cardiology, neurology, gastroenterology and a dedicated cancer centre, and it is one of Shanghai's main centres for CAR-T cell therapy. Its international medical department offers English-language service.

Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University

Zhongshan Hospital opened in 1937 and has about 2,000 beds, treating around 100,000 inpatients a year. It is Shanghai's designated clinical centre for cardiovascular disease and liver cancer, home to the Liver Cancer Institute of Fudan University, and also strong in kidney and lung disease. International patients are served in English, French and Japanese.

Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai

Huashan Hospital, Fudan University

Huashan Hospital was founded in 1907 by the Red Cross Society of China. Its neurology, neurosurgery and infectious diseases departments are recognised as national key clinical specialties, making it a first choice for brain and nerve conditions. Its International General Practice department serves patients in English.

Huashan Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai

Renji Hospital

Renji Hospital, founded in 1844, was the first hospital in Shanghai to practise Western medicine. It is known for gastroenterology, rheumatology, liver surgery and paediatric liver transplants, and for CAR-T cell therapy. It offers international service in English, French, Japanese, German, Polish, Ukrainian and Russian.

Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center

Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center was founded in 1931 as China's first specialist cancer hospital. It is a Grade 3A hospital with about 1,100 beds and treats the full range of solid tumours, making it a natural first choice for patients seeking a second opinion on cancer surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

Shanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Center

The Shanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Center treats tumours with proton and heavy ion radiotherapy, which can target some cancers more precisely than conventional radiotherapy. It serves international patients in English, Japanese and German, and works with several international insurers for direct payment.

International Hospitals in Shanghai

Shanghai also has private international hospitals and medical centres built around international patients. They offer English-speaking care, longer consultations and direct billing with many insurers, and all appear on the Shanghai government's international medical services directory.

Jiahui International Hospital

Jiahui International Hospital in Xuhui District runs a Cancer Center that offers CAR-T therapy, alongside surgery, orthopaedics and sports medicine and a health management centre for check-ups. It is open 24 hours and serves patients in English, Korean, Japanese, Arabic, German, Spanish and Russian, with direct billing for a range of international insurers. It suits patients who want cancer care, including CAR-T, in a private international setting.

Shanghai United Family Hospital

Shanghai United Family Hospital has campuses in Pudong and Changning. The Pudong hospital focuses on family medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, orthopaedics and sports medicine, and dentistry, with service in English, French, Japanese and Korean. It has direct-billing arrangements with about 40 insurers, including Allianz, AIA, Bupa International, Cigna & CMB and International SOS, which makes it a common choice for insured patients and families.

Parkway Shanghai Hospital

Parkway Shanghai Hospital in Minhang District focuses on orthopaedics, ear, nose and throat care, ophthalmology and a dedicated nodule centre. It serves patients in English, German, Polish, Cantonese, Spanish, Korean and French, and offers direct billing with international insurers.

Shanghai East International Medical Center

Shanghai East International Medical Center in Pudong offers one of the broadest ranges among Shanghai's international facilities: 24-hour emergency and inpatient care, internal medicine, surgery, oncology, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, ophthalmology, psychiatry and rehabilitation. It serves patients in English, French, German, Japanese, Spanish, Russian and Hindi, with direct billing for international insurers.

Raffles Hospital Shanghai

Raffles Hospital Shanghai in Pudong covers internal medicine, general surgery, orthopaedics and sports medicine, rehabilitation, mental health, gynaecology and paediatrics, with 24-hour emergency and inpatient services. It serves patients in English, German, Japanese and Malay, which can help patients from Malaysia and Singapore, and offers direct billing with international insurers.

Public or International Hospital?

International hospitals make the visit itself easier: English-speaking staff, shorter waits and direct billing. For complex or advanced conditions, though, the deepest specialist experience and the highest patient volumes are usually found in the large public hospitals above, many of which now have their own international departments. Many international patients therefore have their case reviewed by a specialist at a leading public hospital before deciding where to be treated.

CAR-T Treatment in Shanghai

Shanghai is one of the world's leading cities for CAR-T cell therapy, a treatment that reprograms a patient's own immune cells to attack cancer. Ruijin and Renji hospitals offer CAR-T for blood cancers, and Jiahui International Cancer Center offers it for both blood cancers and, since 2026, a solid tumour.

CAR-T for Blood Cancers

In 2025, a former Olympic canoeing team captain from South Africa travelled to Ruijin Hospital with late-stage multiple myeloma that doctors in other countries had called nearly hopeless, and began CAR-T therapy there.

At Jiahui International Cancer Center, a 36-year-old patient from Pakistan with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma that had relapsed after chemotherapy and a failed bone marrow transplant received a personalised CAR-T regimen in April 2026. By his discharge two weeks after the infusion, his pain had eased, his scans showed early shrinkage of the tumours, and his blood markers had returned to normal, with a full response assessment planned at home.

The First CAR-T for a Solid Tumour

On 22 June 2026, China's National Medical Products Administration approved satricabtagene autoleucel (satri-cel), the world's first CAR-T therapy approved for a solid tumour. It is for adults with Claudin18.2-positive, HER2-negative advanced stomach or gastroesophageal junction cancer that has progressed after at least two previous lines of treatment, and it is currently available only in China.

The first international patient to receive it was treated at Jiahui International Cancer Center in Shanghai. A 59-year-old man from New Zealand with advanced gastroduodenal cancer, whose disease had not responded to chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy, had biomarker testing at home confirming he was eligible. He travelled to Shanghai in late June, had his T cells collected on 6 July 2026 and received satri-cel. Before the infusion he needed up to 2,000 mL of fluid drained from his abdomen a day; by day 10 after the infusion the fluid had cleared, and he was discharged home on 16 August 2026 with a follow-up plan agreed between his Shanghai and New Zealand doctors.

The New Zealand patient's journey started at home, with biomarker testing that confirmed his eligibility before he booked travel. CAR-T eligibility depends on the cancer type, biomarkers, previous treatments and current health, so it is assessed from medical records before any trip is booked. Read the full case study: 9,000 Kilometres: How a New Zealand Patient Became the First International Patient to Complete Solid-Tumor CAR-T Treatment in China.

What to Expect When Going to a Shanghai Hospital Directly

International patients can walk into Shanghai hospitals with a passport, but going directly for serious treatment has real limits:

No review before travel: a patient may arrive to learn that the hospital cannot take the case, that more tests are needed or that the recommended treatment differs from what they expected.
Hard-to-get experts: senior specialists at the top hospitals are often booked well ahead, mostly through Chinese-language apps.
Eligibility for advanced treatments: therapies such as CAR-T and clinical trials have strict criteria assessed from medical records.
Language: English support is concentrated in international departments; reports and consent forms are usually in Chinese.
Payment: public hospitals ask for payment before each step and a deposit before admission.
Follow-up at home: records are in Chinese, and coordinating care with the home doctor is left to the patient.

Getting a Specialist Review Before Travelling

The safest route for a serious condition is to have a Shanghai specialist review the case before booking travel.

ChinaCureLink is a facilitator dedicated to international patients. It represents the patient rather than any single hospital, and there is no fee to apply to hospitals; a moderate fee applies only for on-site support. After a free advisory call, ChinaCureLink identifies and compares up to three suitable hospitals or specialists, and the patient has a video second opinion with the chosen specialist before booking any travel. If the patient proceeds, ChinaCureLink coordinates the appointment, records and translation, hospital communication, treatment planning, travel and in-China support.

Other routes include contacting a hospital's international department directly or using an international insurer's assistance service. These suit routine care, but usually leave hospital selection and record translation to the patient. For a checklist that applies to any facilitator, see the guide on how to choose a medical facilitator in China.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Best Hospital in Shanghai?

It depends on the condition. Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center specialises in cancer, Ruijin Hospital in blood cancers and CAR-T, Huashan Hospital in neurology and neurosurgery, and Zhongshan Hospital in heart and liver disease. A specialist review of the patient's records is the best way to choose between them.

Can Foreigners Be Treated at Shanghai Public Hospitals?

Yes. Foreigners can be treated at any Shanghai public hospital, and 22 public institutions are official international medical tourism pilots with dedicated international services. Shanghai's public hospitals treated 73,200 foreign patients in 2025.

Which Shanghai Hospitals Offer CAR-T Therapy?

Ruijin Hospital and Renji Hospital are among the Shanghai hospitals offering CAR-T cell therapy. Eligibility depends on the cancer type, previous treatments and current health, so patients should have their records reviewed by a specialist before travelling.

Do Shanghai Hospitals Have English-Speaking Doctors?

International departments do. Ruijin and Huashan offer English-language service, Zhongshan adds French and Japanese, and Renji serves patients in seven languages. Outside these departments, staff rarely speak English and medical reports are usually in Chinese.

How Can an International Patient Get an Appointment at a Shanghai Hospital?

Patients can contact a hospital's international department or use a facilitator. A facilitator such as ChinaCureLink compares suitable hospitals and arranges a video second opinion with a Shanghai specialist before travel, so the patient knows the treatment plan before booking flights.

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.

Shanghai Hospital, China: Best Hospitals for International Patients in 2026

Introduction