Glossary · 2026
The medical tourism
glossary, decoded.
Class A. JCI. NMPA. M-visa. MSC. CAR-T. VBP. 中西医结合. The acronyms and Chinese-character terms international patients keep encountering — defined plainly, with sources and links.
Sections
Six categories, 57+ terms.
Quality & accreditation
Hospital classification.
- Class A tertiary hospital三级甲等 / Sānjí jiǎděng三级甲等医院
- China's highest hospital tier. Must score ≥900/1000 in NHC tri-annual audits covering patient safety, clinical quality, management and service. 1,795 such hospitals nationwide as of 2024.Read more
- Class B tertiary hospital三级乙等三级乙等医院
- Second-highest tier. Score 750–900 in NHC audits. Multi-specialty hospitals with strong inpatient care. ~3,200 nationwide.
- Secondary hospital二级医院
- District and county hospitals offering general inpatient and outpatient services. ~10,000+ nationwide.
- JCIJoint Commission International
- Leading international hospital accreditation body, originating from the US Joint Commission. 1,200+ standards across patient safety, infection control, governance. 3-year re-survey. Holds the gold standard for international medical tourism quality.Read more
- NABHNational Accreditation Board for Hospitals (India)
- Indian hospital accreditation body. ~1,000 hospitals certified. ISQua-endorsed. Frequently combined with JCI at top Indian centres.
- MSQHMalaysian Society for Quality in Health
- Malaysian hospital accreditation. Required for the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council network.
- ISQuaInternational Society for Quality in Health Care
- Global meta-accreditor — accredits the accreditors. JCI, NABH and MSQH all carry ISQua endorsement.
- International Patient DepartmentIPD · 国际部
- Dedicated department within Class A or private hospitals serving international patients. English-speaking coordinators, simplified billing, expedited scheduling. Standard at top Chinese tertiary hospitals.
- Private VIP wingVIP / 特需医疗
- Premium service tier within Chinese public hospitals. Single-bed rooms, faster appointments, English coordinator. Pricing 30–60% above standard ward but typically still 50–70% below US private.
Who regulates what
Regulatory bodies & standards.
- NHCNational Health Commission of China国家卫生健康委员会
- China's central health regulator under the State Council. Oversees hospital classification, audit standards, public health policy, and medical professional licensing.
- NMPANational Medical Products Administration国家药品监督管理局
- China's drug and medical device regulator (formerly CFDA). Approves pharmaceuticals, devices, cellular therapies, and TCM herbal products. Approved 4 CAR-T products and Ruibosheng (first MSC drug, Jan 2025).
- NATCMNational Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine国家中医药管理局
- China's regulator of Traditional Chinese Medicine practice and research. Oversees TCM hospital licensing, physician credentialling, and herbal pharmacopeia.Read more
- VBPVolume-Based Procurement集中带量采购
- China's national bulk-procurement programme that consolidates demand to drive aggressive pricing on devices and drugs. Reduced coronary stent prices from ¥13,000 to ~¥700 and joint prosthesis prices ~80%.Read more
- ChiCTRChinese Clinical Trial Registry
- China's official clinical trial registry. Hosts 14,000+ TCM trials and 2,794+ stem cell trials — among the world's largest registries.
- GMPGood Manufacturing Practice
- Manufacturing quality standard. NMPA-licensed cellular therapy facilities must maintain GMP-grade processing labs for stem cell, exosome and CAR-T products.
- ICD-11International Classification of Diseases v11
- WHO's official disease classification, in force since 2022. Chapter 26 formally recognises Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnostic terms — a major TCM-legitimacy milestone.
Procedures & cell types
Treatment & technology.
- MSCMesenchymal Stem Cell间充质干细胞
- Adult stem cells from bone marrow, adipose tissue, or umbilical cord. Most clinically used cell type. Strong evidence for OA, GVHD, autoimmune conditions.Read more
- Autologous
- From the patient's own body. Autologous MSC: harvested from the same patient. No rejection risk.
- Allogeneic
- From a donor. Allogeneic MSC: typically from screened umbilical cord tissue. Off-the-shelf availability.
- iPSCInduced Pluripotent Stem Cell
- Adult cells reprogrammed back to pluripotent state. Active research-stage protocols in China for Parkinson's, retinal disease, diabetes.
- ExosomeExtracellular Vesicle
- 30–150 nm vesicles secreted by stem cells, carrying regenerative signalling molecules. Easier to standardise than cellular MSC. Used for systemic inflammation and dermatology.
- CAR-TChimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell therapy
- T cells genetically engineered to target a tumour antigen. NMPA approved 4 products in China for B-cell lymphoma, ALL, multiple myeloma. ~⅓ the US price.Read more
- NK-cell therapyNatural Killer cell immunotherapy
- Expansion of NK cells ex vivo and infusion. Used in oncology supportive care and selected autoimmune indications.
- GVHDGraft-versus-Host Disease
- Complication of allogeneic stem cell transplant where donor immune cells attack recipient tissue. NMPA-approved indication for Ruibosheng (China's first MSC drug, Jan 2025).
- Proton therapy质子治疗
- Radiotherapy using protons. Bragg-peak deposition spares healthy tissue. 8 clinical centres in China.Read more
- Heavy-ion therapy重离子治疗
- Carbon-ion radiotherapy with higher RBE than proton. Wuwei and Lanzhou centres in China.
- IMRTIntensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy
- Standard high-precision photon radiotherapy. Available at all major Chinese cancer centres.
- Da Vinci surgical system
- Robotic surgical platform by Intuitive Surgical. 400+ installed across Chinese hospitals.
- Mako · ROSA
- Robotic-assisted joint replacement systems by Stryker (Mako) and Zimmer Biomet (ROSA). Widely deployed at top Chinese orthopedic centres.Read more
- All-on-4 / All-on-6
- Full-arch dental implant solutions using 4 or 6 implants supporting a fixed bridge. Same-trip immediate-load workflow standard at top Chinese dental clinics.Read more
- ACDFAnterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion
- Standard cervical spine surgery for herniated disc or stenosis. 1–3 levels typical. ~$10,000–$16,000 in China.
TCM concepts
Traditional Chinese Medicine.
- TCMTraditional Chinese Medicine中医
- 2,500-year-old medical system encompassing acupuncture, herbal medicine, tuina, moxibustion, cupping, qi gong. WHO ICD-11 recognised. 4,000+ licensed hospitals in China.Read more
- Qi气
- Vital energy in TCM theory. The flow of qi through meridians underpins TCM diagnostic and treatment frameworks.
- Yin–Yang阴阳
- Complementary opposites in TCM theory. Health is the balance of yin and yang within the body.
- Acupuncture针灸
- Insertion of fine sterile needles at defined acupoints. WHO recognises 64 indications. NICE recommends for chronic tension headache and migraine.Read more
- Moxibustion艾灸
- Burning of mugwort (Artemisia argyi) above acupoints to warm meridians. Common in obstetrics, digestive and immunological conditions.
- Tuina推拿
- Therapeutic medical massage. Used for musculoskeletal pain, paediatric digestive issues, post-injury rehabilitation.
- Cupping拔罐
- Local suction therapy used in pain syndromes, respiratory conditions, athletic recovery.
- Qi Gong气功
- Movement, breath and meditative practice. Strongest evidence in stress, hypertension and cardiac rehabilitation.
- Decoction汤剂
- Raw herbs boiled at home. Strongest pharmacological effect; flexible to formula adjustments. The traditional form of Chinese herbal prescription.Read more
- Granule颗粒剂
- Pre-extracted, freeze-dried herbal preparation. NMPA-regulated for purity and potency. Most popular form for international patients.
- Pattern differentiation辨证论治 / Biàn zhèng lùn zhì
- TCM's individualised diagnostic framework — the same Western diagnosis can yield different herbal formulations depending on the patient's constitutional pattern.
- Integrated Chinese-Western Medicine中西医结合
- China's national clinical model combining Western pharmaceuticals/surgery with TCM. Dedicated 7-year medical degree. Strongest in oncology supportive care, post-stroke, IVF.Read more
- Artemisinin青蒿素
- Antimalarial derived from Artemisia annua. Tu Youyou received the 2015 Nobel Prize in Medicine for its discovery — TCM's most prominent contribution to global medicine.
Travel terms
Visa & immigration.
- M-visaMedical Visa医疗签证 / 商务签证
- China's dedicated visa for medical treatment and business purposes. Required for any medical tourism trip. Multi-entry options up to 10 years for some nationalities.Read more
- L-visaTourist Visa旅游签证
- China's tourist visa. Some short dental and minor cosmetic procedures can be done on L-visa; major procedures require M-visa.
- S2 visa
- Family-companion visa for those visiting a foreign relative receiving medical treatment in China. 30–180 days.
- F-visa
- Visit visa for non-business / non-tourism purposes. Used by accompanying physicians or research collaborators.
- CVASCChinese Visa Application Service Center
- Outsourced visa application centres operated by CIBT and others on behalf of Chinese embassies. Handle biometric collection and document submission.
- COVA
- China Online Visa Application — the official online form portal at cova.cs.mfa.gov.cn.
- PSB Exit-Entry Administration公安局出入境管理处
- China's Public Security Bureau visa-extension office. Handles in-country visa extensions for medical patients with hospital documentation.
Money
Cost & financial.
- All-in pricing
- Complete trip cost including procedure, hospitalisation, accommodation, coordinator, and standard implant — but excluding international airfare. Industry-standard for transparent medical tourism quotes.
- Itemized quote
- Written cost breakdown by line item: procedure fee, hospitalisation, anaesthesia, implants, post-op rehab. Top hospitals provide this in 5 business days; if a hospital won't itemize, walk away.
- Coordinator fee
- Service fee charged by medical-tourism coordinators (e.g. Panda Touring Care) covering hospital matching, visa support, interpreter, accommodation booking, and 12-month follow-up.
- Self-insurance buffer
- Set-aside funds (typically 20–30% of procedure cost) for unexpected extended stay, additional procedures, or out-of-pocket gaps. Recommended for all non-routine cases.
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