How to Choose a Health Check Package in China

Most institutions structure screening in three tiers, and our health check service follows the same logic.

Essential (typical range US$300–500). Blood and urine panels, ECG, abdominal and thyroid ultrasound, chest imaging where appropriate, physician review. Fits in half a day to one day.

Executive (typical range US$600–1,200). Comprehensive labs, cardiovascular and metabolic screening, liver/kidney/thyroid assessment, abdominal imaging, selected cancer-risk markers, physician consultation. A full day.

Advanced (typical range US$1,200–2,500). Adds CT/MRI where clinically appropriate, coronary assessment, gastroscopy or colonoscopy, focused specialist screening, and post-result coordination. May take one to two days including preparation.

How much time do you actually have? A tight business trip rarely fits an advanced endoscopy pathway. What is your age and family history? Executives over 40 with relevant family history usually benefit more from cardiovascular depth than from a longer menu of basic items.

What prompted you to book? If something specific is bothering you, that is a specialist-review question, not a package question — see our second opinion pathway.

Itemized test list — not a marketing name. "Premium cardia plan" means nothing; "coronary CT angiography" does.

Reports you can use abroad — ask for English reports and DICOM files if you will follow up at home. Fasting and preparation requirements — gastroscopy, colonoscopy and abdominal ultrasound each have preparation rules that affect your schedule. What happens after an abnormal finding — who explains the result, and can it connect to a specialist? A screening without a follow-up pathway is just a stack of paper.

Preventive health screening is not the same as the medical examinations required for Chinese work permits, residence permits or visa procedures. Those are administrative examinations with designated institutions and fixed item lists. PathLuma coordinates preventive and executive screening only. More background in our China Healthcare Guide.

Is a health check in China the same as a visa or residence medical examination?

No, and the difference matters. A preventive health check is a self-selected screening package built around your health interests. A visa or residence medical examination is a specific examination required by an immigration authority, using that authority's own form and its designated clinics. Completing one does not satisfy the other. If you need a document for an immigration purpose, confirm the exact requirement with the issuing authority first.

Do I need to fast before a health check?

For packages that include blood glucose or lipids, fasting is usually required — commonly 8 to 12 hours with water permitted. Abdominal ultrasound often also requires fasting. Requirements vary by package, so confirm the specific preparation instructions with the provider once your package is fixed rather than assuming a general rule.

How long does a health check take, and when do results come back?

A basic package is typically completed within half a day. More extensive packages, or those requiring sedation or contrast imaging, can take longer or span more than one visit. Some results are available the same day, while laboratory and pathology results commonly take several days. Interpretation and any recommended follow-up are the responsibility of the reviewing physician.

Can I choose which tests I want?

To a point. Many providers allow you to add items or build a customised package, and it is reasonable to decline tests you do not need. What we would caution against is assembling a package from a list without a clinical reason: more tests is not the same as better screening, and some incidental findings generate follow-up investigations that carry their own risk and cost.

Will the report be in English?

Reports are typically issued in Chinese, and many providers can supply an English version or a translated summary on request. Confirm this when booking rather than after the fact. A structured bilingual summary is usually the most useful format if you intend to share the result with a physician in your home country.

This guide is written for general orientation. Hospital policies, availability and costs vary and change over time. For anything definitive, consult the primary sources.

• World Health Organization (WHO)
• Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention
• Shanghai Municipal Health Commission

Links to third-party sources are provided for reference only. PathLuma Health is not affiliated with, and does not represent, any of these institutions.

• Medical Costs in China — Honest self-pay planning ranges.
• China Visa Guide for Medical Treatment — Visa types, invitation letters, duration.
• How to Pay for Treatment in China — Deposits, payments and insurance claims.
• How to Vet a Medical Facilitator — Twelve questions to ask before you pay.

How this guide is produced. It is written and maintained by the PathLuma patient-navigation team, based on day-to-day coordination work with international patients and on public information from Chinese hospitals and health authorities. It is general information, not medical advice: diagnosis, treatment decisions and prescriptions belong to licensed medical institutions. PathLuma is not a hospital or medical provider and does not employ physicians.

We do not accept referral commissions from hospitals or physicians, and no hospital mentioned here has paid to be included. Cost figures are planning ranges drawn from public self-pay information — a hospital’s written estimate is the only number worth planning around. When a specific article has been reviewed by a licensed physician, we will name that physician and their credentials here.