Records to prepare for a China visit
By Bodhi Sun — Founder & Lead Coordinator, China Health Concierge
Start with a short case summary, prior reports, medication list, travel dates, and a clear question; full records only after a paid Planning Review begins.
Start with a summary, not a file dump
The most useful first step is a one-page summary rather than a folder of documents. It gives a coordinator enough to understand what you are trying to do without asking you to send anything sensitive through a public channel.
A summary that works answers four things: a short timeline of the issue or goal; what you already have — reports, x-rays, imaging summaries or lab results, where they exist; what you are hoping to arrange in China and when; and the one question you most want answered. Anything beyond that is detail you can supply later, once it is clear it is needed.
- Timeline: when the issue started and what has happened since.
- What you have, in plain terms — not the files themselves.
- What you want arranged, and your travel window.
- The single question that matters most to you right now.
What is useful early, and what can wait
Some material helps from the start because it shapes whether a visit is practical at all: a recent panoramic x-ray or scan summary for dental work, prior imaging or endoscopy reports for a diagnostic visit, and a current medication and allergy list in every case.
Other material — full scan files, complete hospital charts, pathology blocks — usually only becomes relevant once a paid review or a confirmed coordination scope is in place and a coordinator has explained the separate consent and materials process. Sending it before that point does not speed anything up, and puts sensitive material somewhere it does not need to be.
Language and format questions worth raising early
Reports issued in China are commonly in Chinese, and reports you bring from home are commonly in English or another language. Which of those a receiving provider can work from, and whether a translation is required before an appointment can be assessed, is a question for the provider, and it is worth asking early rather than at the appointment.
CHC can coordinate qualified translation support when that has been agreed in writing. CHC does not provide medical explanations or medical interpretation, and does not turn a report into advice.
How material changes hands
Public forms, WhatsApp, email and automated chat on this site are not medical-record upload channels. Do not send full medical records, imaging files, prescriptions, passport or identity documents, or payment details through them.
Where selected materials are needed for authorized coordination, a human coordinator explains a separate consent and materials process first. This page is about what to prepare, not a channel for sending it.
- Nothing sensitive goes into a public form, WhatsApp, or ordinary email.
- Selected materials are requested case by case, through a separate process.
- A provider may ask for additional material before accepting an appointment — that request comes from the provider, not from this page.
Who this guide is for
- International patients considering dental, checkup, imaging, endoscopy, or private-hospital visits.
- Families coordinating care for relatives in China.
- Foreign spouses or family members who need English navigation.
What to prepare
- One-page timeline of the issue or goal.
- Recent reports, x-rays, imaging summaries, or lab results when relevant.
- Medication list, allergies, and major prior conditions.
- Preferred China city, target dates, and language needs.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I put in the first inquiry?
A one-page summary is enough to start: a short timeline, what you already have, what you want arranged and when, and the question you most want answered. This is not a document-upload channel, so do not send full medical records, imaging files, prescriptions, passport or identity documents, or payment details through the form, WhatsApp, or email.
Will CHC tell me what my reports mean?
No. CHC does not turn records into diagnosis or treatment recommendations, and does not provide medical explanations or medical interpretation. What a report means, and what should happen next clinically, is a question for the licensed provider treating you.
Do I need everything translated before I contact anyone?
No. Start with the summary. Whether a receiving provider needs a translation before it can assess an appointment is the provider's requirement, confirmed case by case, and it is worth asking that question early rather than assuming an answer either way.
What CHC cannot do
- Do not upload full records in the free initial form.
- CHC does not turn records into diagnosis or treatment recommendations.
- A provider may request additional materials before accepting an appointment.
Related guides
Not sure whether China is practical?
Start with a non-medical initial inquiry before sharing sensitive records.