The Digital Hospital Survival Manual โ
Complete Table of Contents โ
Target Audience: English-speaking travelers, expats, and digital nomads visiting mainland China. Voice: Plain American English. No fluff, no AI-ese, no "In conclusion." Just the facts.
Part I: Before You Need a Doctor โ
Chapter 1 โ Insurance: What Covers China (and What Doesn't)
- Do you even need travel medical insurance?
- Direct-billing vs. reimbursement policies
- The insurance companies that actually have China contracts
- How much you'l pay out of pocket if you have zero insurance
Chapter 2 โ Apps You Must Install Before You Land
- WeChat (and why Alipay alone isn't enough for hospitals)
- Alipay (for payment, obviously)
- 114 ๆๅท (the official booking platform โ and its limits)
- Pleco (not just a dictionary โ the medical add-on)
- Translation apps that don't embarrass you in the ER
Chapter 3 โ The Language Problem (Real Talk)
- Why Google Translate fails in a hospital
- Medical translation cards you can show to doctors
- When to bring a Chinese-speaking friend vs. when to use an app
- Hospital interpreters: do they exist? (Spoiler: barely)
Part II: How the Chinese Healthcare System Actually Works โ
Chapter 4 โ Tiers, Departments, and the Flow
- Tier 3 Class A vs. everything else โ what it means
- How a regular hospital visit flows: ๆๅท โ ๅ่ฏ โ ่ฏๅฎค โ ็ผด่ดน โ ๆฃๆฅ โ ๅ่ฏ
- Why you don't just "walk in and see a doctor"
- Emergency Department (ๆฅ่ฏ) vs. Outpatient (้จ่ฏ) โ different buildings, different rules
Chapter 5 โ International Department (ๅฝ้ ๅป็้จ) vs. Regular Outpatient
- Price comparison table: International Dept vs. Regular (real numbers)
- Do you get seen faster? Sometimes.
- Is the doctor actually better? Not necessarily.
- When International Dept is worth it vs. when it's a waste of money
Part III: City Guides โ Where to Go โ
Chapter 6 โ Beijing
- Peking Union Medical College Hospital (International Medical Services)
- Beijing United Family Hospital (private, English-speaking)
- China-Japan Friendship Hospital (International Dept)
- OASIS International Hospital
- Specific booking procedures, prices, insurance accepted
Chapter 7 โ Shanghai
- Shanghai East International Medical Center
- Shanghai United Family Hospital
- Huashan Hospital (International Dept)
- Renji Hospital (International Dept)
- Specific booking procedures, prices, insurance accepted
Chapter 8 โ Guangzhou
- Guangzhou Noble International Hospital
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University (International Dept)
- Guangdong Provincial Hospital (International Medical Center)
- Specific booking procedures, prices, insurance accepted
Chapter 9 โ Shenzhen
- Shenzhen No. 4 People's Hospital (International Medical Center)
- University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital
- Shekou International Medical Center
- Specific booking procedures, prices, insurance accepted
Chapter 10 โ Xi'an
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University (International Dept)
- Tangdu Hospital (International Dept)
- Specific booking procedures, prices, insurance accepted
Chapter 11 โ Chongqing
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University (International Dept)
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University (International Dept)
- Specific booking procedures, prices, insurance accepted
Chapter 12 โ Chengdu
- Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital (International Medical Dept)
- West China Hospital (International Dept โ this one matters)
- Chengdu Integrated TCM & Western Medicine Hospital
- Specific booking procedures, prices, insurance accepted
Chapter 13 โ Hangzhou (NEW)
- Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital (International Medical Center)
- Zhejiang University 1st Hospital (International Health Center)
- Zhejiang Hospital (International Medical Center)
- Specific booking procedures, prices, insurance accepted
Chapter 14 โ Kunming (NEW)
- Kunming Medical University 1st Affiliated Hospital (International Medical Dept)
- Yunnan Provincial 1st People's Hospital (International Service)
- Specific booking procedures, prices, insurance accepted
- Yunnan beyond Kunming (Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La)
Part IV: When Things Go Sideways โ
Chapter 15 โ Small Cities and Rural Areas (No International Department)
- How to navigate a local county hospital where no one speaks English
- Translation tactics that actually work in this context
- What to expect: facilities, hygiene, payment
- When to evacuate to the nearest Tier 1 city
Chapter 16 โ Emergency: Ambulance, ER, Trauma
- 120 vs. 999 โ which number to call
- What happens when the ambulance arrives (and what doesn't)
- ER triage in China: why you might wait 4 hours with a broken arm
- Trauma centers in each major city
Chapter 17 โ Pediatrics & Pediatric Emergency (NEW)
- How pediatrics works in China (separate children's hospitals, not family docs)
- Major children's hospitals with international departments (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu)
- Pediatric emergency process
- Common pediatric meds in China (brand names)
- Vaccinations in China for foreign children
Chapter 18 โ Mental Health and Sensitive Care
- Psychiatry in China: the stigma and the reality
- English-speaking therapists and psychiatrists (very short list)
- What to do in a mental health emergency
Part V: Pharmacy and Drugs โ
Chapter 19 โ Over-the-Counter Drugs (What You Can Buy Without a Prescription)
- Cold & flu: what's on the shelf and what it's called in Chinese
- Pain relief: ibuprofen, acetaminophen, aspirin โ brand names in China
- Stomach issues: what works, what doesn't
- Anti-diarrheal, anti-emetic, antihistamines
- Carrying a medicine translator card
Chapter 20 โ Prescription Drugs (and How to Get Them)
- Antibiotics: why you can sometimes buy them OTC (and why you shouldn't)
- Chronic condition meds: bringing enough supply vs. refilling in China
- Controlled substances: absolutely do not try to get these
- Getting a prescription as a foreigner: the actual process
Part VI: Aftercare and Leaving โ
Chapter 21 โ Getting Reimbursed from Your Insurance
- What documents you need (receipts, diagnosis, prescription โ all in English or translated)
- Timeline: how long claims take
- The Direct Billing hospitals list (city by city)
- Common claim rejection reasons and how to avoid them
Chapter 22 โ Medical Evacuation and Going Home for Care
- When to evacuate: the decision framework
- Evacuation insurance: does yours cover it?
- The process: who to call, what it costs, how to arrange
- Flying home with a medical condition: what airlines need from you
Part VII: Alternative Medicine โ
Chapter 23 โ Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) โ A Foreigner's Real Guide (NEW)
- What TCM actually is: acupuncture, herbal medicine, Tui Na, cupping, Gua Sha
- What TCM is good at (chronic pain, insomnia, digestive issues, post-illness recovery)
- What TCM is NOT good at (acute emergencies โ never substitute for Western ER)
- How to find a qualified TCM doctor: ไธ็ฒไธญๅป้ข, credential tiers (ไธปไปปๅปๅธ vs. ไฝ้ขๅปๅธ)
- What a legitimate TCM consultation looks like (ๅ่ฏ: tongue, pulse, history)
- Herbal medicine safety: aristolochic acid, heavy metals, drug interactions
- Cupping and Gua Sha: what the bruises are, how long they last
- How to avoid tourist traps and the "ยฅ3,000 herb package" scam
- Cost table: public hospital vs. private clinic pricing
- Quick reference phrasebook for TCM consultations
Part VIII: Everyday & Specialized Care โ
Chapter 24 โ Dental, Eye Care, Vaccines & Women's Health (NEW)
- Dental care: public ๅฃ่ ็ง vs. private/international chains (Arrail, SDM), cost table, emergencies
- Eye care & glasses: eye emergencies, cheap same-day glasses, contacts, LASIK
- Adult vaccines & rabies: ็ฌไผค้จ่ฏ post-exposure treatment, travel vaccines, tetanus
- Women's & maternity health: gynecology, contraception, prenatal care and giving birth
Appendices โ
Appendix A โ Hospital Contact Sheet (all cities, all departments, phone numbers) Appendix B โ Medical Phrasebook (Chinese characters + pinyin + English) Appendix C โ Insurance Company China Contact ListAppendix D โ Suggested First-Aid Kit Packing List
Total: front matter + 24 chapters + 4 appendices. Total book: ~75,000โ85,000 words. Information current as of mid-2026.