The latest market report shows that China's medical tourism market experienced strong growth in 2026, with the number of international patients increasing by about 35% year-on-year. With visa facilitation, improved multilingual services and deepened international medical cooperation, China is becoming an important destination for global medical tourism, with Shanghai performing particularly prominently.
Growth drivers
The report points to three main drivers: first, leading medical technology and cost advantages, with treatment costs in oncology, cardiovascular and assisted reproduction far lower than in Europe and the US; second, policy openness, with visa facilitation and international payment channels; third, service upgrades, with the popularization of international outpatient clinics, multilingual accompaniment and insurance direct billing lowering barriers for patients.
Shanghai's performance
As an international medical hub, Shanghai has many tertiary and international hospitals, accounting for a significant share of the country's international patients. Growth from Russia, Japan, South Korea, Central Asia and the Middle East is particularly notable.
Market trends
Future medical tourism will emphasize the integration of medical treatment and services. Patients care not only about efficacy but also the medical experience and full-process assurance. Pre-service offerings such as remote consultation and preoperative evaluation will attract more patients to lock in treatment plans in advance.
The role of MedBridge
As a one-stop cross-border medical service platform, MedBridge is helping international patients visit Shanghai smoothly through full-process services, supporting the continued development of Shanghai's medical tourism market.