The documents worth leaving with
| Document | Why you want it | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Discharge summary | The single most useful document for any future clinician: diagnosis, treatment given, course in hospital, plan on discharge. | Treating department / record office |
| Operative or procedure note | Records exactly what was done, which is often not visible on imaging or in the summary. | Surgical department / record office |
| Pathology report | Confirms the diagnosis. Ask whether slides or blocks can be released or borrowed. | Pathology department |
| Imaging files (DICOM) | Lets a future clinician re-measure and re-read the study rather than trusting a summary. | Radiology department |
| Laboratory results | Baseline values that later comparisons depend on. | Record office / laboratory |
| Medication list | Includes Chinese brand names; ask for generic names alongside. | Treating department / pharmacy |
| Itemised invoice | Required by almost every insurer, and useful for any reimbursement. | Hospital billing office |
Ask for these before discharge wherever possible. Obtaining them after you have left usually means dealing with the record office remotely, which is slower and sometimes requires a notarised authorisation.
Why the imaging files matter more than the report
A radiology report is one clinician’s summary of a study. The study itself is the evidence. If a later clinician wants to measure whether a lesion has grown, compare enhancement patterns, or re-read an ambiguous finding, they need the original DICOM data — not a JPEG and not a paragraph of text.
In practice this means asking for the imaging on disc or via a download link before you leave, and checking that the disc actually contains the DICOM series rather than screenshots. A radiology department can usually provide this within a day or two.
How to obtain copies after you have left
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Identify the right officeFirst
Medical record copies come from the hospital’s record office (病案室), not from the treating department. The international patient office can confirm the process and the fee.
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Authorise a person on the groundBefore applying
If you are no longer in China, someone usually has to apply in person with the patient’s signed authorisation, their passport copy and the applicant’s own ID. Ask what form of authorisation the hospital accepts.
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Request specific documentsAt application
Ask for a named list — discharge summary, operative note, pathology report, laboratory results — rather than “the medical record”. Specific requests are processed faster.
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Have the copies certifiedOn collection
Ask for a hospital stamp on the copies. Many overseas clinicians, insurers and employers will not accept unstamped photocopies.
Translation: what actually needs translating
A translation priority order
- The discharge summary — always. This is the document a new treating team reads first.
- The pathology report — always. Diagnostic wording must be exact.
- The operative note — usually, especially if further surgery is being considered.
- Laboratory results — usually not. The numeric values and units travel well, though the reference ranges may differ.
- Radiology reports — sometimes, but the DICOM files matter more than the translation of the report.
Use someone who translates medical documents routinely rather than a general translator, and keep the Chinese original alongside the English version. Overseas clinicians frequently want to see both.
Questions about records
Can I get my records before I have paid the hospital bill?
Often not. Many Chinese hospitals release copies only when the account is settled. Ask the international patient office at the start of the admission so you are not surprised at discharge.
Will the hospital give me my pathology slides?
Sometimes, sometimes only on loan, and sometimes not at all. Ask the pathology department directly. A loan usually requires a deposit and a return date.
Are records issued in English?
Usually not by default. Chinese records are normally issued in Chinese, and translation is arranged separately. Some international departments provide a bilingual discharge summary on request.
How long does it take?
Copies are commonly issued within a few working days if the account is settled and the request is specific. Requests made from overseas after you have left take considerably longer.
What if I am denied a copy?
Patients are normally entitled to a copy of their own record. If you are refused, escalate to the hospital’s medical affairs office, and ask for the refusal in writing.
