Pediatric care in Shanghai for international families

Shanghai has two large children’s hospitals with dedicated international departments, both holding JCI accreditation. We coordinate planned, appointment-based visits to both. Medical fees are paid directly by you to the hospital; we do not collect or pass on hospital fees.

Two national-level children’s hospitals

Children’s Hospital of Fudan University (Fudan Children’s)

Fudan Children’s is a tier-3A children’s specialist hospital affiliated with Fudan University, designated a National Children’s Medical Center in 2017. In 2014 it became the first children’s specialist hospital in China to pass JCI accreditation under the fifth edition standard, and the first academic medical center in Asia to do so.

The hospital’s International Medical Center covers specialist outpatient clinics across all pediatric sub-specialties. It provides 26 family rooms offering international-standard medical services and offers multilingual translation and dietary services tailored to patients’ nationalities and cultural customs. A dedicated vaccination and health management clinic provides age-appropriate immunisation schedules and routine health checks. The hospital maintains agreements with domestic and international commercial insurance providers; specific insurer coverage must be confirmed before your visit.

For rare or complex cases, the hospital operates a Shanghai International Consultation Hall where Chinese and international specialists collaborate on individualised treatment plans.

Shanghai Children’s Medical Center (SCMC)

SCMC is a tier-3A children’s specialist hospital affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, founded in 1998. It was the first pediatric hospital in China to pass JCI accreditation in 2010, and in 2013 became the first pediatric hospital to pass JCI’s teaching hospital review. SCMC is also a co-building unit of the National Children’s Medical Center, approved in 2017.

Note: the research dossier could not confirm whether SCMC’s JCI accreditation has been renewed since 2013; we verify current accreditation status for each enquiry.

The International Special Clinic (国际诊疗特诊部) has operated since 2001 and is located on floors 13 and 14 of the hospital’s main building. It sees children aged 0–18 and offers general pediatric consultations, specialist expert clinics, health checks, a vaccination clinic, and a traditional Chinese medicine integrated clinic in a one-stop model — registration, billing, pharmacy, and laboratory on the same floors. More than 20 mainstream commercial medical insurers are accepted for direct billing, including AIA, Allianz Partners, and Generali.

Typical planned visits for families

The visits below represent the kinds of appointment-based care we most often coordinate. These are advisory descriptions only — they are not clinical recommendations and we do not advise on diagnosis or treatment.

Specialist consultations and second opinions. International families living in Shanghai sometimes want a pediatric specialist’s opinion on a non-acute finding, a chronic condition being managed at home, or a developmental concern. We arrange introductions to the appropriate specialist clinic at either hospital and ensure medical records are translated and sent ahead.

Vaccination schedules. Children relocating internationally often need their immunisation records reviewed against a local or catch-up schedule. Both hospitals offer dedicated vaccination clinics — Fudan Children’s within its International Medical Center and SCMC within its International Special Clinic. We confirm the appointment channel and current availability with the hospital before you book.

Health checks and developmental assessments. Both international departments list routine health checks and developmental assessments among their services. These are useful for families settling in Shanghai or preparing for school enrolment.

Follow-up care during relocation. Families mid-relocation sometimes need continuity of care for a condition already under management. We obtain a translated summary from the treating team abroad, share it with the appropriate clinic, and confirm whether the hospital is the right setting before introductions are made.

What we confirm before you book

Before we make an introduction to either hospital we verify three things specific to your visit.

English-language scope. Both hospitals describe multilingual international services. Whether a particular specialist clinic has reliable English-language support varies by department. We confirm this for the specific department and appointment type you need before proceeding.

Appointment channel usability. Booking processes for international patients at Chinese public hospitals are not always straightforward to navigate from abroad. We confirm the current process for foreign-passport holders and handle the initial contact in Chinese where needed.

Current fees. Fees at both hospitals’ international departments are not published online as stable package lists and vary by clinic type and specialist. We request a written estimate from the hospital for your specific visit and pass it on at the hospital’s own price, without markup.