Booking Appointments
Chinese hospitals have moved almost everything online — and yes, foreigners can use the same systems. There are three main ways to book, depending on the city and hospital.
Online Booking Overview
WeChat Mini Program Booking
114 Platform English Booking
The three ways to book
- WeChat Mini Program — the mainstream method nationwide. Search the hospital's name in WeChat, register with your real name and passport number, choose a department and doctor, pay online.
- 114 platform (English) — in Beijing, 15 hospitals support end-to-end English appointment booking with passport registration, including Peking Union, Peking University Third Hospital, Xuanwu, Fuwai, Tiantan and Tsinghua Changgung.
- Hospital website / APP / phone — e.g. PUMCH's official app has an English interface for its international department; some private hospitals like United Family offer 24-hour hotlines.
What to do when you arrive
Following the official national guidance for outpatient visits: bring your passport → check in at the self-service kiosk to join the queue → wait to be called → see the doctor → pay and collect medication or book tests at the counter. Foreign patients typically register at the cashier first to create a medical record (病历) under their passport.
Which channel should you use?
If you're going to Beijing, try the 114 English platform first — it's the most foreigner-friendly. For private international hospitals (Jiahui, United Family), a phone call or the hospital app is fastest. For everything else, the WeChat Mini Program works.