Do not bring every medical paper you have ever received. Bring the records that help a new doctor in China understand your current condition quickly and safely.
Your goal is simple:
Show what your problem is
Show what has already been done
Show what medicines you are taking now
Show what decisions still need to be made
If the doctor has that information, your first consultation is more likely to be efficient.
If you have had CT, MRI, or other major imaging, bring both:
The written report
The actual image files if available, such as CD, DVD, USB, or online download access
A specialist may want to review the images directly rather than rely only on the report. This is especially useful for surgery, oncology, orthopedics, neurology, and complicated internal medicine cases.
If tissue slides, paraffin blocks, or other physical pathology materials are relevant, ask the Chinese hospital in advance whether they want them and how they should be carried.
English records are generally more useful than records in many other foreign languages. If your documents are not in English or Chinese, translate the key ones first.
You do not need to translate everything. Prioritize:
Diagnosis
Medication list
Allergy list
Surgery history
Recent imaging reports
Recent pathology reports
Most important discharge summary
Keep the translation practical. Accuracy matters more than polished wording.
Bring a written list of every current medicine. If you are traveling with prescription drugs, also check whether the medicine is legal to carry into China and whether extra documentation is needed.
Your list should include:
Generic name
Brand name if relevant
Dose
Frequency
Reason for use
If continuity is critical, bring enough supply for the period you can legally carry, unless you have already confirmed local availability.
