West China Hospital, Chengdu: International Medical Center

Based on public sources, checked on 24 Oct 2026; not confirmed by the hospital. Phone numbers, hours and procedures can change; confirm them with the hospital before you travel.

Getting registered: the app guide versus the FAQ

A patient record is needed before a booking, and the hospital's English pages describe this in two ways that do not agree.

• The Resources & Support page answers "How do I register an identity card?" by saying the new app "is on the way" and that registration with a passport and email will be possible "by then".
• The Make an Appointment page, a picture guide uploaded in May 2026 and made with a third-party guide service, shows the route working: install the Huayitong (华医通) app, sign up with an email address and a verification code, accept the prompt to use the English version, then apply for an electronic health card choosing "Foreign Passport" as the document type and uploading a photo of it. The card page then shows a registration number.

The picture guide is the newer of the two, so it is probably the better description, but neither page is dated in its text. The guide also says two things that limit it for someone abroad: the app is in Chinese app stores and "will be released" on Google Play in future, and the English mode needs your phone's system language set to English. If you cannot install it, use the phone or email route below and ask the center to create your record.

Three phone numbers, one email

The email address is on a public mail service rather than the hospital's own domain. That is unusual for a large hospital, but the address appears on two of its official pages, so we treat it as genuine. The Australian consulate-general in Chengdu lists the first two numbers for the "West China Golden Card Hospital", which appears to be the same international service. No hours are given for any of the lines.

Booking steps, as the guide describes them

1. Create your record in the app with your passport, and note the registration number.
2. Phone +86 28 8542 2408 or email the center with that number and your personal details.
3. The center books you into an international outpatient session. According to the overview page, a nurse arranges the first appointment, and if a specialist is needed later the international department's nurse books that as well.

The overview describes the outpatient clinic as open daily, for most health problems and for annual check-ups. It does not give hours, and it does not say which specialties hold clinics inside the center rather than in the main hospital.

What happens on the day

The support page is frank about waiting: patients who booked ahead are seen in the order they check in at reception on the day, and walk-in patients are seen after everyone who booked. A booking therefore secures a place in the day's queue, not a fixed time. Arrive early, and allow a full day if tests may be ordered.

The English location page lists three campuses: Huaxi (37 Guoxue Alley in Wuhou District; the page names the Fourth Inpatient Building), Jinjiang (1166 Jinjiang Avenue) and Wenjiang (363 Section 3, Furong Avenue). The international center is at Huaxi. Make sure your booking confirmation names the campus, because the other two are some distance away.

Insurance: letters of undertaking

The English insurance page shows a flow chart. If your insurer or claims administrator has signed with the hospital, it issues a letter of undertaking before your visit, the hospital checks your identity on the day, and the bill is settled between the companies each month. If your insurer has not signed, the chart shows the center contacting a signed insurer or administrator to represent you, for domestic and overseas policies alike, which then issues the letter. The page shows logos for ten companies: ERGO China, eHealthNow, Taikang Life, Taikang Pension, Prosper Health, Generali China Life, Pacific Health Insurance (CPIC), PICC, AIA and Ping An Health. It does not say whether those are all the signed companies or which plans each covers. Ask your insurer before you rely on direct billing, and see the payment guide for paying yourself.

Visa help, and what it is not

The support page invites patients who need help with a visa for treatment to contact the center's specialist. That is help with documents, such as a letter from the hospital; the hospital cannot issue or approve a visa. Our visa guide explains the routes for a medical trip, including why 240-hour transit is not one of them.

Hotels near the hospital

The same page links to a hotel search near the hospital "for reference only", with a statement that the hospital receives no commission and that the list is not an endorsement. We pass that on as the hospital wrote it. Guoxue Alley is in the city centre, so most patients will find somewhere within a short taxi ride.

Urgent care

The hospital has a large emergency department, but the international center's pages describe planned outpatient care only. In an emergency in Chengdu, call 120.

Before you email West China

Send to [email protected] and keep the reply.

1. I could not install the Huayitong app from outside China. Can you register me with my passport details instead?
2. Which number should I call from abroad, and during which hours?
3. Is the International Medical Center still in the Fourth Inpatient Building at the Huaxi campus?
4. Will the consultation be in English, or will an interpreter be present?
5. Has [insurer] signed with you, or would you arrange a representative to issue a letter of undertaking?
6. How should I send previous reports and scans?

Still unconfirmed

West China Hospital has not confirmed this profile. Our Chengdu guide covers the two airports and the 11-city transit area, and compares this hospital with Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, also in Chengdu. The cities page also covers Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, and the hospital index gathers every profile. Read the hospital visit guide for what to carry, how we verify for what "public sources" means, and our editorial policy on rankings. Sourced price data is on the costs page, care types on the treatments page, while pricing explains our coordination fee and the privacy notice describes how we handle a message you send.

Frequently asked questions

Can a foreigner register at West China Hospital with a passport?

A May 2026 guide on the hospital's English site shows passport registration in the Huayitong app, but another page still says that feature is coming. If the app does not work for you, ask the International Medical Center by email.

How do I book West China Hospital's International Medical Center?

Phone +86 28 8542 2408 or email [email protected] with your registration number and details. A second booking number, +86 28 8558 6698, is also published.

Does a booking at West China Hospital mean no waiting?

No. The hospital says booked patients are seen in check-in order on the day, with walk-in patients after them.

Does West China Hospital bill insurance directly?

Yes, through signed insurers or administrators that issue a letter of undertaking before the visit. The English page shows ten company logos; check your own plan.

Sources

1. International patient support (visa consultation), West China Hospital, Sichuan University (official website). Read 24 Oct 2026. IMC email [email protected], phone +86-28-85422788; passport app registration "on the way".
2. International Hospital of Sichuan Province overview, West China Hospital, Sichuan University (official website). Read 24 Oct 2026. IHSP part of WCH; +86-28-85422408 / 85586698; outpatient clinic daily.
3. Campus locations, West China Hospital, Sichuan University (official website). Read 24 Oct 2026. Huaxi campus: Fourth Inpatient Building, 37 Guoxue Alley, Wuhou District.
4. Insurance and Direct Payment Services, West China Hospital, Sichuan University (official website). Read 24 Oct 2026. Flow chart: signed insurer/TPA, letter of undertaking, monthly settlement. No insurer list.
5. Appointment guide (image, with a third-party guide service), West China Hospital, Sichuan University (official website). Read 24 Oct 2026. Huayitong app; available in domestic app stores.
6. Hospital contact list (医院联系表), Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Chengdu. Read 24 Oct 2026. Undated; languages listed per hospital; appears dated (old domains, old addresses).
7. Medical facilities list, Australian Consulate-General Chengdu (DFAT). Read 24 Oct 2026. Includes West China Hospital and Sichuan International Medical Centre West China Golden Card Hospital; no endorsement; undated.

Related

• Medical care in Chengdu: a guide for international patientsChengdu for patients from abroad: two airports, the 11-city transit area, a new 2026 hospital alliance, and what West China and Provincial hospitals publish.
• How to pay for medical care in China as a visitorHow visitors pay Chinese hospitals: mobile payment limits since 2024, international cards, cash, insurance direct billing and guarantee letters.
• Which visa do you need for medical treatment in China?Compare transit, short-stay and Hainan entry policies for medical travel, with official sources and questions to confirm with your visa office.
• Preparing for a hospital visit in China: documents and stepsWhat to bring to a Chinese hospital as a visitor: passport, translated records, insurance letters. How booking and registration work, and what to ask.