Proxy Consultation: Your First Step to China Care
When 42-year-old Michael first heard the diagnosis, he had no idea where to start looking for treatment outside his home country. The waiting list for surgery back home stretched past four months. Friends mentioned China. But how could he possibly choose a hospital from 7,000 miles away? That is where a proxy consultation changes everything.
A proxy consultation means our team physically visits a Chinese hospital on your behalf. We carry your medical records, speak with the relevant department, and bring back concrete answers: whether the hospital will accept your case, what the treatment plan looks like, and what the cancer treatment cost China would actually be for your specific diagnosis. You stay home. We do the legwork.
Proxy Consultation: The Short Answer
A proxy consultation is the lowest-risk way to test whether treatment in China is right for you. Instead of booking flights and hotels on hope, you pay a coordination fee — from $300 — and we visit the hospital, register your case with the department, and report back with real information. The process typically takes 3 to 7 business days depending on hospital schedules and department availability. You get answers without leaving your living room.
But here is the caveat. A proxy consultation does not guarantee admission. It does not promise a specific surgeon. What it does is replace uncertainty with facts. You learn whether the hospital is willing to review your case, what additional tests they would require, and whether the cost estimate fits your budget. That is the honest scope of the service.
Who This Is Right For — and Who It Isn’t
Proxy consultations solve a specific problem: you have a diagnosis and imaging, but you cannot evaluate a foreign hospital from abroad. If that describes you, this service fits.
Good candidates typically include:
- Patients with a confirmed diagnosis and existing medical records (imaging, pathology, lab results)
- Families comparing hospitals in multiple Chinese cities before committing to travel
- Patients who need a realistic cost range before deciding whether to pursue care in China
- People who have been told their condition is treatable but face long wait times at home
Who should not use a proxy consultation? If you need emergency care, do not wait for a proxy visit — go to the nearest hospital immediately. If your records are incomplete or you are unwilling to share them, a proxy visit cannot produce useful answers. And if you are looking for a guarantee of admission or a promise of a specific surgeon, no legitimate service can offer that. Public hospitals in China operate on their own rules. We work within those rules; we do not bypass them.
The Options, Compared
You have several ways to evaluate care in China. Each has a different cost, speed, and depth of information. Here is how they stack up.
| Option | Typical Cost | Time to Answers | What You Get | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proxy consultation | from $300 | 3–7 business days | On-site hospital visit, case registration, written summary of feasibility and next steps | First-time evaluation of a specific hospital or department |
| Written second opinion | $300–500 | 5–10 business days | Expert review of your records with written analysis and treatment direction | Confirming a diagnosis or comparing treatment approaches |
| Video consultation | $100–300 (standard), $500–800 (top specialist) | 1–2 weeks to schedule | Live conversation with a Chinese specialist about your case | Asking specific questions after records have been reviewed |
| MDT video consultation | $1,500–2,000 | 2–3 weeks | Multiple specialists from different departments review your case together | Complex cases involving more than one organ system |
| In-person visit | Flights, hotel, visa, plus hospital fees | Weeks to months | Direct consultation with doctors, physical examination, on-site tests | After remote evaluation confirms a feasible plan |
Most patients start with a proxy consultation or written second opinion. Why? Because both are low-cost ways to test the waters before committing to international travel. A proxy consultation is especially useful when you have already identified a hospital you are interested in — for example, if you have read about top-ranked departments for oncology or cardiac surgery and want someone to physically verify what the hospital can offer for your case.
What a Proxy Consultation Actually Looks Like
The cancer treatment cost China patients actually pay varies widely by cancer type, stage, hospital tier, and treatment protocol. As a general reference, complex surgeries in top Chinese public hospitals often cost one-fifth to one-tenth of equivalent US prices. A cardiac bypass that costs $120,000 or more in the US may cost $12,000 to $20,000 at a top Chinese public hospital. For cancer specifically, a course of treatment that costs $100,000 in the US might cost $20,000 to $40,000 in China, depending on the drugs and procedures involved. These are ranges, not quotes. Your actual cost depends on your case.
Then you have saved yourself the cost of an international trip that would have ended in disappointment. The proxy consultation fee is for the service of visiting the hospital and obtaining a response — whether that response is positive or negative. If the hospital declines your case, we can use the same records to approach a different hospital or department, subject to a new coordination fee. The information you receive is still valuable: it tells you what the hospital needs to see differently, or which alternative hospital might be more appropriate.
No. You do not travel for a proxy consultation. Our team in China handles the hospital visit. You only need a visa if and when you decide to come to China for in-person treatment. At that point, the S2 visa is the applicable short-stay category for medical treatment and private affairs. Requirements vary by embassy, and hospital documents are typically required as supporting evidence.
Not exactly. A written second opinion means a specialist reviews your records and provides a medical analysis and treatment direction. A proxy consultation is a logistical service: we visit the hospital, register your case, and obtain answers about feasibility, process, and cost. Many patients do both — a written second opinion to get the medical perspective, and a proxy consultation to verify the practical path forward at a specific hospital. The two services complement each other.
Your Next Step
You do not need to book a flight to find out whether treatment in China makes sense for you. A proxy consultation gives you verified, on-the-ground answers from a specific hospital — without the cost and stress of international travel. If the answers are positive, you move forward with confidence. If they are not, you have saved yourself thousands of dollars and weeks of uncertainty.
Our team at China Medical Services is not a hospital and we do not provide diagnoses or medical advice. What we do is bridge the gap between you and China’s top-ranked medical institutions. We translate records, visit hospitals, coordinate appointments, and accompany you when you arrive. If you are ready to take the first step, request a free consultation to discuss your case and whether a proxy visit is the right move. You can start that conversation on our patient services page.
Take the first step from your own home. The answers are closer than you think.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
For more medical information and treatment options in China, visit chinamedservices.com (China Medical Services).
