Anhui Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine

About

The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, also known as Anhui Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, is the premier TCM institution in Anhui Province. Located in the provincial capital Hefei, it serves as the primary teaching hospital for Anhui University of Chinese Medicine and the provincial TCM referral center. The hospital is recognized for its comprehensive TCM services and its particular strengths in TCM internal medicine, acupuncture, and the application of the Xin'an (新安) medical tradition — a historically significant regional school of Chinese medicine that originated in the Huizhou area of southern Anhui and has influenced TCM scholarship for centuries.

History & scale

Founded in 1959, the hospital has grown over six decades into a large TCM center with approximately 1,800 inpatient beds. Its campus in Hefei houses multiple specialized clinical buildings for TCM internal medicine, acupuncture and tuina, TCM orthopedics, and TCM gynecology. The hospital handles high outpatient volumes — TCM enjoys strong cultural acceptance in Anhui — and serves as the primary destination for patients seeking TCM care within the provincial public hospital system.

Star specialties

The hospital's most culturally distinctive feature is its role as a custodian and clinical application center for the Xin'an (新安) medical tradition — a school of Chinese medicine dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties that produced influential physicians, classical commentaries, and distinctive herbal formulation approaches from the Huizhou region of southern Anhui. The hospital's TCM practitioners draw on this regional scholarly lineage in their clinical work. In terms of departmental strengths, the hospital is noted for TCM internal medicine covering gastroenterology, respiratory medicine, and cardiovascular disease; acupuncture and tuina for pain, neurological rehabilitation, and stroke recovery; TCM orthopedics using manual bone-setting and herbal plasters; TCM gynecology treating menstrual disorders and infertility; TCM neurology for stroke and degenerative neurological conditions; and TCM dermatology for psoriasis, eczema, and other chronic skin conditions.

Achievements & recognition

As a Grade A Class A (三甲) TCM hospital and the primary teaching base of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, the hospital is the keystone of TCM education and research in the province. Several departments hold national or provincial key TCM specialty designations. The hospital has contributed to the scholarly study and clinical application of the Xin'an medical tradition and participates in TCM clinical research and guideline development. It trains TCM practitioners at all levels for the Anhui healthcare system.

International services

International patient services are developing but not yet mature. The hospital has some experience with international patients through the university's TCM education programs, which have attracted foreign students interested in the Xin'an medical tradition. Some senior practitioners have international academic connections and can conduct basic clinical consultations in English. The hospital's international cooperation office can assist with initial coordination. However, consistent English-language support across all clinical services should not be assumed, and patients should arrange independent interpretation for routine clinical interactions. Hefei is less internationalized than coastal cities, so commercial medical interpretation services are less readily available.

Why choose this hospital

This hospital offers an unusual value proposition for international patients interested in TCM: it is the primary clinical institution for the Xin'an (新安) medical tradition, a regional scholarly lineage with centuries of history that represents a distinctive approach within Chinese medicine. For TCM scholars, practitioners, and informed patients, access to Xin'an-tradition clinical practice provides an experience not available at TCM hospitals in Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou, where the dominant TCM lineages are different. Beyond this historical/cultural dimension, the hospital provides comprehensive TCM care with particular strengths in internal medicine and acupuncture at costs significantly lower than in China's first-tier cities.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Anhui Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine located?

Anhui Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine is located in Hefei, China.

Is Anhui Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine a reputable hospital?

Anhui Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine is a Class III-A hospital — the highest tier in China's grading system, held by only about 5% of hospitals nationwide.

Can international patients visit Anhui Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine?

Yes. International patients are advised to contact the hospital ahead of the visit to confirm appointment procedures and language support (+86-551-62838888).

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