World-Class Orthopaedic Surgery —
At 1/5 to 1/3 Of Western Costs

Absolutely — and in some areas, it exceeds them. Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital is the National Orthopedic Medical Center, where senior surgeons handle 4 to 5 times the annual caseload of Western counterparts. Your surgeon personally reviews your imaging, plans your procedure, and leads your operation — the scale of the hospital means deep expertise, not assembly-line care. In robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty, the domestically developed Honghu system has demonstrated clinical outcomes fully comparable to the US-made MAKO system, with measurable advantages in operative efficiency for high-volume procedures.

No compromise — the savings come from systemic efficiency, not cutting corners. China's national volume-based procurement program has driven implant prices down by over 80% on average: a total joint prosthesis costs about $1,000 in China vs. $8,000+ in the US. Combined with lower labor costs, streamlined hospital operations (AI-assisted planning, just-in-time inventory, lean management), and high surgical volume that spreads fixed costs, the all-in package is typically one-fifth to one-third of Western prices. You receive the same international implant brands and the same quality equipment — the difference is systemic, not clinical.

From first consultation to confirmed diagnosis, the process takes as fast as 5 days. Surgery is typically scheduled within 3–7 days of arrival. For joint replacement, you'll need 7–14 days of recovery and initial rehabilitation before flying home. For less invasive procedures like ACL reconstruction or fracture fixation, the stay may be shorter. Remote follow-up and rehabilitation guidance continue after you return home, coordinated with your local physiotherapist or GP using the English records we provide.

No. International patient centers provide dedicated English-speaking coordinators and interpreters — from airport pickup, through every test, consultation, and surgery, to follow-up. You receive bilingual medical records, treatment plans, and discharge summaries. For non-English speakers, interpretation in Russian, Arabic, and Spanish can also be arranged. Many senior surgeons have trained or presented at international conferences in English.

Each international hospital provides detailed remote follow-up instructions and can coordinate with your local physiotherapist or GP to ensure seamless long-term care. Your surgical team remains accessible for questions via our coordination service. For joint replacement patients, follow-up X-rays can be reviewed remotely, and we can coordinate any in-person follow-up into a future trip if needed. The English surgical reports and implant documentation we provide are accepted by orthopaedic surgeons worldwide.

It depends on the clinic type. Most public hospital international departments do not accept international insurance — payment is typically out-of-pocket at time of service. Many private international clinics and CIHA-certified hospitals, however, do accept direct billing from major global insurers including Cigna, Aetna, Bupa, and Allianz. Contact us before you travel and we'll check which partner clinics are in your insurer's network — and give you an honest, no-pressure comparison of your options. Even self-paying in China is often less than your home deductible.

Yes. You can choose from the same global implant brands available in the US and Europe. China's open-architecture robotic systems allow surgeons to select any implant, unlike closed proprietary platforms. Additionally, Chinese-origin orthopaedic devices now compete at the highest regulatory tier: the Bone02 bone glue received Innovation Designation from both China's NMPA and the US FDA, and Chinese device companies derive ~20% of revenue from overseas sales in the US, UK, France, and Germany. The national procurement program lowered prices through volume — not by substituting inferior products.

This is a question every responsible patient should ask. Here's our honest answer: all partner hospitals have full complication management protocols, including on-site ICU, infection control, and revision surgery capability. Your initial treatment plan includes a recovery buffer (typically 7–14 days on-site for joint replacement) so that any immediate complications are addressed before you fly. If a concern arises after you return home, your surgical team remains accessible via our coordination service for remote consultation, and follow-up X-rays can be reviewed digitally. In the rare event that revision surgery is needed, we help coordinate a return trip. We are transparent about this because we believe informed patients make better decisions — and because the complication rates at our partner hospitals are comparable to leading Western institutions.

China has a comprehensive medical liability framework under the Regulation on the Prevention and Handling of Medical Disputes. All Class A Tertiary hospitals carry medical liability insurance, and international patients have the same legal rights as domestic patients to file complaints, request medical record reviews, and seek compensation through mediation or litigation. Our coordination team assists with translation and documentation throughout. In practice, disputes are rare at our partner hospitals — but we want you to know that the framework exists, and we stand with you if you ever need it. We recommend purchasing travel medical insurance that covers medical evacuation, which provides an additional layer of protection and peace of mind.