25 Hospitals! Guangdong Releases First Batch of Pilot Hospitals for International Medical Services

On March 26, the Guangdong Provincial Health Commission, Guangdong Provincial Healthcare Security Administration, and Guangdong Provincial Drug Administration jointly announced the first batch of pilot hospitals for international medical services in Guangdong Province. A total of 25 hospitals, including Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital and the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, were selected, marking the official implementation of the pilot program for international medical services in Guangdong Province.

International medical services refer to high-quality, sustainable medical services provided to residents of Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, foreign nationals, overseas Chinese, and others who pay out-of-pocket or hold international commercial insurance. These services are delivered in accordance with internationally recognized medical technology standards, service processes, management systems, and payment methods.

According to a relevant official from the Guangdong Provincial Health Commission, leveraging its high-quality medical service capabilities and its strategic location as the core of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Guangdong has been attracting an increasing number of foreign nationals for medical treatment in recent years. Data shows that in 2025, the total number of foreign nationals seeking medical care in Guangdong increased by over 20% year-on-year, with inpatient demand surging by 76.05%. The pilot program for international medical services aims to attract demand for high-quality medical services from abroad, better meet the diverse healthcare needs of residents of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, foreign nationals, and some domestic residents, while also contributing to the integrated medical development of the Greater Bay Area and enhancing Guangdong's international competitiveness in healthcare.

It is understood that the selection of the first batch of pilot hospitals adhered to the principle of "selecting the best among the best, preferring quality over quantity." The selection process involved rigorous steps such as application and recommendation, online defense, on-site verification, and collective review. The selected hospitals are primarily located in the Pearl River Delta region and include established provincial and ministerial-level hospitals, renowned traditional Chinese medicine hospitals, leading municipal hospitals, and high-quality private hospitals. This reasonable distribution and diverse mix position them as the "main force" in delivering international medical services in Guangdong. The pilot hospitals will focus on six key areas to establish themselves as hubs for international medical services: creating dedicated international medical demonstration zones, building an internationally standardized management system, innovating cross-border medical payment models, promoting the clinical application of cutting-edge medical technologies, exploring internet-based cross-border consultation services, and strengthening international medical operations management.

The Guangdong Provincial Health Commission emphasized that the pilot program adheres to the principle of safeguarding the public welfare of basic medical services, with institutional measures in place to prevent encroachment on medical resources intended for the general public. In terms of costs, international medical services are available exclusively to self-paying patients or those covered by international commercial insurance, with fees paid by the patients themselves or their commercial insurance, and are not covered by the basic medical insurance system. Pilot hospitals have the autonomy to set their own prices and select pricing items, achieving a balance of high quality and appropriate cost. Regarding zoning management, pilot hospitals strictly implement the physical separation of international medical services from basic medical resources. International medical services utilize newly added beds, operate in independently managed zones with dedicated service teams, ensuring a fully integrated, closed-loop service process. Concerning specialist consultations, it is explicitly required that specialists must guarantee a sufficient volume of regular outpatient consultations and must not reduce the number of regular outpatient appointments. Only under this premise can they conduct international medical outpatient services. This approach firmly prevents the disproportionate allocation of medical resources towards international medical services.

A relevant official from the Guangdong Provincial Health Commission stated that this pilot program is a crucial initiative for deeply implementing the strategic plans for Healthy China, Healthy Guangdong, and Healthy Bay Area. It also represents a key action for enhancing the internationalization level of Guangdong's medical services and optimizing the international business environment of the Greater Bay Area, thereby injecting momentum from high-quality medical services into the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

The pilot program is set to run for the 2026-2027 period. To ensure the standardized implementation and quality improvement of the pilot work, the provincial and relevant municipal health, healthcare security, and drug regulatory departments will conduct regular evaluations, strengthen whole-process supervision, establish and refine a mechanism for the withdrawal of pilot medical institutions, and dynamically optimize the list of pilot medical institutions based on factors such as actual operation, service quality, and public feedback.

Chinese Source: 南方Plus