In March 2026, Guangdong Province unveiled its first batch of 25 pilot hospitals for international medical services, marking a systematic push to upgrade healthcare for foreign patients. Since then, these pilot hospitals have been continuously improving their services to better serve international patients.
Guangdong is accelerating its alignment with global healthcare standards. Introduced in Shenzhen in December 2020, China's International Healthcare Accreditation Standards (CIHA) became the first Chinese hospital accreditation system certified by the International Society for Quality in Health Care External Evaluation Association (ISQua EEA). By the end of 2025, 12 hospitals nationwide had passed CIHA accreditation.
Jianhua International Healthcare Center at FAH-SYSU (Photo: Chen Jinxia)
Operational efficiency remains a key competitive advantage. In 2025, the number of foreign patients seeking treatment in Guangdong rose by over 20% year-on-year, while inpatient admissions jumped by 76.05%.
The Hong Kong-Macao Medicine and Equipment Connect policy now covers 71 designated medical institutions across nine mainland cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).
By December 2025, 149 varieties of drugs and devices approved in Hong Kong and Macao had been introduced, benefiting nearly 20,000 patients. The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, for example, introduced Mirvetuximab Soravtansine through the policy, offering critical treatment for seriously ill patients. In Shenzhen, 124 drug and device items approved in Hong Kong and Macao are in clinical use across 17 eligible hospitals.
On commercial insurance integration, Guangzhou launched six innovative products, becoming the first city to achieve dual coverage for products via the Hong Kong-Macao Medicine and Equipment Connect policy and provincial or municipal innovative drug catalogs. These products offer one-stop settlement at 28 high-level hospitals.
The integration of GBA in medical field also continues to deepen. Over 5,500 medical professionals from Hong Kong and Macao practice in Guangdong. The Hong Kong Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme is now accepted at 20 mainland institutions. Guangdong has also attracted 15 wholly foreign-owned or Hong Kong/Macao-owned medical institutions.
Thanks to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link, Guangdong now offers a "golden medical service circle"—one hour within the GBA, four hours to Southeast Asia, and twelve hours to global destinations—ensuring seamless access for international patients.
Related news: Guangdong unveils first 25 pilot hospitals for international medical services
Reporter | Chen Jinxia
