If the patient is already on ECMO, the air ambulance team manages the circuit throughout the flight. These are specialized critical care transport teams — perfusionists and intensivists who do this routinely. The risk is not that ECMO stops working mid-flight. The risk is that the patient’s underlying condition progresses despite ECMO support, and the receiving hospital cannot change that trajectory any more than the sending hospital could. This is why case selection matters more than transport logistics.

For high-volume cardiac centers, yes. The Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) registry includes Chinese member centers, and their reported outcomes fall within international benchmarks. The key variable is not the country — it is the center’s annual ECMO volume. A Chinese hospital running 100+ ECMO cases per year will generally have better outcomes than a Western hospital running 15. Choose the center, not the flag.

International health insurance policies with worldwide coverage typically cover ECMO in China, subject to the policy’s terms for critical care and medical evacuation. The hospital provides detailed invoices and medical records for claims submission. Patients pay the hospital directly and seek reimbursement from their insurer. Direct billing arrangements exist with some private international hospitals but are uncommon at public hospital international departments. Verify coverage with your insurer before committing to travel.

This is the hardest question, and families must confront it before traveling. ECMO is a bridge — to recovery, to a ventricular assist device, to transplant, or to a decision. If none of those destinations are reachable, the bridge leads nowhere. Chinese intensivists will have frank conversations with families about realistic goals. These conversations happen in the ICU, with the medical team, based on daily clinical data. No one can predict the outcome before cannulation. What a top center offers is honest daily assessment and clear communication about whether the bridge is still leading somewhere.

Yes. The hospitals used for international patients are JCI-accredited and follow the same international safety standards as top hospitals in the US and Europe. Surgical teams perform high volumes of procedures — often more than their Western counterparts — which studies show leads to better outcomes.

Costs vary by procedure and hospital, but international patients typically save 40-80% compared to US prices — even when factoring in travel and accommodation. A consultation with our team will give you an exact, all-inclusive quote with no hidden fees.

Send us your existing medical reports to get started. We handle everything from hospital selection and appointment scheduling to visa assistance and post-operative recovery planning. Your medical records are reviewed by the specialist before you even book a flight.