Medical records and medications: the preflight document pack
Last reviewed: 2026-05-24
The single most preventable medical crisis in the first 90 days of a China trial stay: the parent runs out of a chronic medication because the Chinese pharmacy stocks a different brand and the family has only the home-country brand name. Three days of missed antihypertensive, missed antidiabetic, or missed anticoagulant can cascade into an ER visit that costs more than 12 months of careful prep.
This page is the preflight document specification. Done well, it takes 6-10 hours of work spread over 2-3 weeks before departure. Done poorly or not at all, it costs days of friction and meaningful clinical risk in the first month of arrival.
The pre-departure document pack
| Document | Source | Format | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bilingual medication list | Compiled by family with home doctor’s verification | One page, EN + ZH, generic names verified via Pleco or pharmacist | Single document that travels with parent everywhere |
| Diagnosis summary letter | Home GP or specialist | One page EN; commissioned ZH translation by certified medical translator | What the Chinese specialist reads in the first 5 minutes |
| Recent labs (last 12 months) | Home pathology lab | PDF + printed | Avoids redundant testing on first Chinese visit |
| Recent imaging (last 24 months) | Home imaging centre | DICOM file on USB + printed reports | Chinese radiologists can re-read DICOM; saves ~CNY 1,500-3,500 in redundant scans |
| Vaccination record | Home GP | Standard card + photo | Required for some hospital registrations |
| Device specifications (pacemaker, CPAP, insulin pump, etc.) | Manufacturer card + model + settings printout | Card + paper | Needed for any local servicing; emergency identification |
| Bilingual one-page summary of the parent’s medical story | Family creates from records | One A4 page | What an ER doctor reads in 90 seconds |
| Allergy card | Family creates | Laminated card, EN + ZH, severity ranked | Lives in wallet and on fridge |
| Recent EKG (if cardiac history) | Home cardiology | Printed + digital | Reference baseline for any Chinese ER |
| Operative notes for any surgery in last 5 years | Home surgeons | EN + ZH summary | Critical context for subsequent procedures |
| Prescription history with refill dates | Home pharmacy | List | Helps verify generic substitution at Chinese pharmacy |
| Insurance evidence of coverage | Insurance broker | Policy + card + claims contact | For hospital admission and reimbursement |
The diagnosis summary letter is the highest-leverage document. A Chinese specialist with 12 minutes of consult time will skip the rest if the summary is clear, concise, and bilingual.
The diagnosis summary letter template
One A4 page, bilingual:
PATIENT MEDICAL SUMMARY / 患者病情摘要
Name / 姓名: [English + Chinese]
DOB / 出生日期: [YYYY-MM-DD]
Sex / 性别:
Blood type / 血型:
Height / 身高: ___ cm
Weight / 体重: ___ kg
Passport / 护照号:
Country of origin / 原国籍:
ACTIVE DIAGNOSES / 现病史 (with ICD-10 codes):
1. [English diagnosis] / [Chinese diagnosis] (ICD-10: XXX), diagnosed [year], current control: [stable / poorly controlled / etc.]
2. ...
PAST SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL HISTORY / 既往重要病史:
- [Surgery year, type, outcome] / [Chinese version]
- [Major illness year, recovery] / [Chinese version]
ACTIVE MEDICATIONS / 现用药物:
(see attached bilingual medication list)
ALLERGIES / 过敏史:
- [Drug/food/environmental], severity: [mild / moderate / severe / anaphylactic]
PRIMARY PHYSICIAN / 主治医生 (home country):
Dr. [Name], [specialty], [clinic], [phone], [email]
PURPOSE OF LETTER:
The patient is relocating to China for retirement. This letter is provided to assist Chinese physicians in continuity of care. Please contact me with any questions.
[Signature]
[Doctor name, credentials]
[Date]The letter should be written by the home primary-care physician or the specialist most familiar with the parent’s chronic conditions. Cost is typically free or USD 50-150 for the doctor’s time. Translation cost CNY 300-800 for the Chinese version. Investment recoverable in the first specialist visit.
The bilingual medication list
| Generic name (英) | 通用名 (中) | Brand at home | Dose | Frequency | Purpose | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atorvastatin | 阿托伐他汀 | Lipitor | 20mg | 1× daily evening | Cholesterol | Take with food if upset stomach |
| Metformin | 二甲双胍 | Glucophage | 500mg | 2× daily with meals | T2 diabetes | Hold 48h before contrast imaging |
| Losartan | 氯沙坦 | Cozaar | 50mg | 1× daily morning | Hypertension | Avoid potassium supplements |
| Apixaban | 阿哌沙班 | Eliquis | 5mg | 2× daily | Atrial fibrillation anticoagulation | Hold 48-72h before surgery |
| Levothyroxine | 左甲状腺素 | Synthroid | 75mcg | 1× daily empty stomach AM | Hypothyroidism | Wait 30 min before food |
Print:
- One copy in wallet (laminated)
- One in emergency binder
- One with helper (阿姨)
- One on fridge (laminated, magnet)
- One digital (phone lock screen image)
The Chinese generic name is what a pharmacist, hospital ward, or ER doctor recognises. The English brand is irrelevant in China. Many home-country families forget this and arrive with bottles labeled “Lipitor” that no Chinese pharmacist will recognise without effort.
Drug-availability check before flying
Run every medication through three filters:
Filter 1: Available in China at all?
Search the generic Chinese name on:
- JD Health (京东健康)
- Alibaba Health (阿里健康)
- 国家药品监督管理局 (NMPA) drug catalogue
Most common chronic medications are available. Some categories are problematic:
| Category | Availability in China |
|---|---|
| Common cardiovascular (statins, ACE-i, ARB, CCB, beta-blockers, anticoagulants) | Excellent; same molecules; many domestic generics |
| Common diabetes (metformin, sulfonylureas, DPP-4, GLP-1, insulin) | Excellent; some newer GLP-1 brands have lag |
| Common thyroid (levothyroxine) | Available but formulation variation can affect TSH control |
| Common antihypertensives | Excellent |
| Common pain (acetaminophen, NSAIDs) | Excellent OTC |
| Common antibiotics | Mostly available; prescription-controlled |
| Branded SSRIs/SNRIs | Generic available; some specific brands hard to source |
| Controlled stimulants (Adderall, Ritalin for ADHD) | Heavily restricted; Adderall not available; Ritalin requires specialist + special prescription |
| Benzodiazepines | Available but increasingly restricted |
| Biologics for autoimmune (TNF blockers, IL-6 inhibitors) | Some available; insurance coverage limited |
| Brand-name HRT | Limited; substitution often required |
| Specific narcotics | Heavily restricted; some unavailable; pain management for cancer requires hospital-controlled access |
| Specific psychiatric medications (lithium-formulations, MAOIs) | Limited availability |
Filter 2: Hospital-only or retail-available?
Many Chinese medications dispense only via hospital pharmacy on prescription, not over the counter at retail pharmacies. Plan accordingly:
- Anticoagulants: typically hospital pharmacy
- Most chronic-disease specific medications: hospital pharmacy
- Common OTC: retail (chains like 国大药房, 益丰大药房)
- Insurance reimbursement often easier through hospital pharmacy
Filter 3: Same dosage available?
Sometimes the active ingredient is available only in different strengths (e.g. 25mg vs 50mg tablets). Plan substitution with home doctor before travel. Splitting tablets is sometimes acceptable (scored tablets) and sometimes problematic (extended-release).
For each medication, document:
- Available in China: Y/N
- Channel: hospital / retail / both
- Dose match: exact / close substitute / requires adjustment
- Cost estimate: monthly CNY
- Action plan if not available: substitute / continue from home supply
The 90-day supply buffer
For trial stay, carry a 90-day supply of every chronic medication. Customs guidance:
| Item | Action |
|---|---|
| Original packaging with printed label | Yes; do not transfer to pill organisers for customs |
| Prescription or doctor’s letter | Carry copy showing medical necessity |
| Quantity within personal use limits | Typically up to 3 months’ supply uncontested; larger quantities may require declaration |
| Controlled substances (e.g. ADHD medications, sleep aids, narcotics) | Check China Customs schedule; some require pre-clearance via consular service; some prohibited |
| Liquids and injectables | Cabin baggage allowed with medical documentation |
| Refrigerated medications (some insulin formulations) | Cool pack; coordinate with airline |
| Pill organisers | Useful for daily use after arrival; not for customs entry |
| Backup supply | Suitcase separate from carry-on (split risk of bag loss) |
The 90-day supply prevents the most common failure mode: 2-week gap while the family figures out the local prescribing pathway, identifies the right Chinese physician, and obtains the first local prescription.
First-week Chinese-side setup
Within first 2 weeks of arrival:
-
Find a primary Chinese physician.
- Option A: General Medicine (全科医学) department at a tertiary public hospital, cheaper, longer waits, less English
- Option B: International department (国际部) at a tertiary hospital, bilingual, more expensive (CNY 800-2,000 per visit), faster
- Option C: International clinic (Parkway, United Family, Raffles, etc.), fully bilingual, CNY 1,500-3,500 per visit, mostly self-pay-acceptable
- Most families: A for chronic care follow-up, B or C for first onboarding visit
-
Bring the document pack. Diagnosis letter + medication list + recent labs + recent imaging.
-
Specific objectives for the first visit:
- Establish the parent in the system (medical record number, hospital app login, payment account)
- Confirm medication continuity (Chinese prescriptions issued for chronic medications)
- Identify primary specialists for ongoing conditions
- Confirm whether home-country prior records are accepted or whether re-testing is needed
- Get hospital app set up with parent’s passport-based account
-
Pharmacy pathway confirmed. Hospital pharmacy for some; retail for others. Document which is which.
-
Set up Meituan or Ele.me prescription delivery for refills (where supported by your hospital and the specific drug class). Some controlled medications cannot be delivered; only picked up in person.
Continuity protocol for the next 12 months
| Month | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Establish primary physician + first prescription cycle in Chinese system |
| 2 | First refill cycle; verify pharmacy works smoothly |
| 3 | First specialist visit (chronic disease management); update medication list |
| 4-5 | Routine refills; quarterly labs if relevant |
| 6 | First-half-year review with primary physician; update diagnosis letter to reflect any changes |
| 7-9 | Routine continuity |
| 10 | Annual labs and full review |
| 11-12 | Reassess insurance and continuity plan for year 2 |
The annual reviewed-and-updated bilingual document pack is a deliverable, not an optional. It is what travels back to the home country for any visit and what the next Chinese specialist reads on a referral.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Carrying only brand names | Chinese pharmacist doesn’t recognise “Lipitor”; knows 阿托伐他汀 |
| No diagnosis summary | Chinese doctor starts from scratch; treatment plan less personalised |
| Skipping drug-availability check | Discovery happens at the empty bottle in week 11 |
| No imaging on USB | Chinese radiologist re-orders the same scan; family pays twice and loses a week |
| One copy of the medication list | Lost on day 4 |
| Trusting parent to manage own medication on first ill day | When parent is sick, helper or family must have the list in hand |
| Not labelling allergies prominently | ER hand-off slower; risk of adverse event |
| Skipping the device-specifications page | Pacemaker model unknown when MRI question arises |
| Not translating to Chinese | Chinese doctor only English-reads the most common terms |
| Forgetting controlled-substance customs check | Medications confiscated at airport; gap in treatment until rebuilt locally |
| Using a friend (not certified) to translate the diagnosis letter | Medical terms mistranslated; specialist confused |
| Not pre-loading the parent’s phone with medication-list photo | Phone access faster than fishing in wallet during emergency |
| Skipping the device manufacturer’s bilingual emergency contact | Pacemaker malfunction; no fast path to specialist support |
What to verify locally
- Whether target hospital accepts foreign imaging on USB (most tertiary public hospitals: yes; some refuse and re-image)
- Whether target city has English-language doctors at primary care level (Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai: yes; tier-3: rarely)
- Whether your medication is on the national reimbursement drug list (NRDL), affects cost even for self-pay
- Whether prescription delivery to apartment is supported (most tier-1; increasingly tier-2)
- Whether your insurance has a Chinese-side claim flow (most policies do; some require home-country-based claims processing with longer turnaround)
- Whether your home doctor will write a bilingual letter or whether translation must be commissioned separately
Bottom line
The preflight document pack is the cheapest insurance against the most common first-90-day crisis. Build it before departure. Update it quarterly. Keep multiple copies. Translate every brand name to a Chinese generic. Verify drug availability before committing to the trial. Carry 90-day buffer. Establish primary Chinese physician in week 1. Confirm prescription pathway in week 2. Refill cycle proven by week 4.
Done well, the parent’s chronic disease management transitions smoothly. Done poorly, the family discovers the gap when the bottle is empty and the parent is symptomatic.
Sources
| Topic | Source |
|---|---|
| NMPA drug catalogue | National Medical Products Administration |
| State Council on healthcare access | State Council policy |
| NHC outpatient process standards | National Health Commission |
| Customs guidance on personal medication | China Customs (GACC) |
| NRDL national reimbursement drug list | National Healthcare Security Administration |
| JD Health drug catalogue and delivery | JD Health |
| Alibaba Health drug catalogue | Alibaba Health |
| International hospital networks | Parkway Pantai; United Family; Raffles Medical |