Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about our services and processes.
Can I receive medical care in China if I do not speak Chinese?
Yes. Not speaking Chinese does not prevent you from receiving medical care in China, but you should plan in advance for how communication will be handled.
At large hospitals, particularly International Medical Departments, some doctors, nurses, and staff may be able to communicate in English. However, you should not assume:
“If it is a major hospital, every doctor will speak English.”
English ability can vary significantly between departments, doctors, and shifts.
For a simple outpatient consultation, basic English communication combined with translation tools may sometimes be sufficient.
However, if your care involves:
- cancer;
- complex surgery;
- anesthesia;
- major treatment decisions;
- informed consent;
- hospitalization;
- adjustment of multiple medications;
it is safer to arrange professional medical interpretation in advance.
Antu can confirm the hospital’s language-support arrangements before the appointment and help determine whether a medical interpreter is advisable based on the patient’s language and the complexity of treatment.
Do doctors in Chinese hospitals generally speak English?
Many Chinese doctors can read medical information in English, and many are also able to communicate in English. However, being able to read English medical literature is not the same as being able to conduct a complex clinical discussion entirely in English.
For example, a doctor may understand:
- an English CT report;
- pathology reports;
- English medical terminology;
but may still prefer Chinese when discussing:
- surgical risks;
- advantages and disadvantages of different treatments;
- complications;
- prognosis;
- detailed symptoms.
When a doctor needs to communicate complicated medical information accurately in a short period of time, language barriers can increase the risk of misunderstanding.
The more useful question is therefore:
“Can this doctor comfortably conduct the entire medical discussion in my language?”
rather than simply:
“Does the doctor speak English?”
If the answer is uncertain, arranging a professional medical interpreter is safer.
Do Chinese hospitals provide interpreters free of charge?
Some hospitals or International Medical Departments provide a certain level of language support, but you should not assume that every hospital provides a dedicated interpreter free of charge.
In practice:
- reception staff may speak basic English;
- an International Medical Department may have bilingual coordinators;
- the hospital may be able to arrange an interpreter only with advance booking;
- interpretation may be an additional paid service;
- some languages may not have a regularly available interpreter.
When booking, ask directly:
Is an interpreter available in my language?
Does the interpreter need to be booked in advance?
Is there a fee?
Will the interpreter accompany the entire consultation or only assist with certain steps?
For patients facing major treatment decisions, it is better not to wait until arriving at the hospital to ask whether interpretation is available.
Antu can confirm the hospital’s existing language support in advance and, where the hospital cannot meet the patient’s needs, help coordinate medical interpretation according to the service arrangement.
What is the difference between a general interpreter and a medical interpreter?
The biggest difference is not simply language fluency. It is whether the interpreter can accurately understand and communicate medical information.
A general interpreter may be perfectly suitable for:
- taxis;
- hotels;
- daily life;
- routine administrative communication.
A medical interpreter needs to handle accurately:
- anatomy;
- pathology diagnoses;
- medication names;
- dosages;
- test results;
- surgical procedures;
- risks and complications;
- conditional clinical judgments.
For example, if the doctor says:
“Current imaging suggests possible vascular involvement, but whether the tumor can be completely removed may only become clear during surgery.”
and the interpreter reduces that to:
“The doctor says surgery is possible,”
important medical meaning has already been lost.
For complex treatment, fluency is only the starting point. Medical terminology and clinical communication skills are equally important.
Can a family member interpret for me during medical visits?
Yes, but whether this is appropriate depends on the complexity of the medical situation.
For simple communication such as:
- where to go for a test;
- when to return for follow-up;
- where to collect medication;
a family member who speaks both languages may be able to help effectively.
However, relying entirely on a family member can be risky when discussing:
- cancer diagnoses;
- surgery;
- anesthesia;
- high-risk treatment;
- serious complications;
- treatment choices.
A family member may be anxious and may:
- omit information;
- misunderstand medical terminology;
- unintentionally change the doctor’s meaning;
- avoid fully translating bad news in an attempt to protect the patient.
For complex medical discussions, a professional medical interpreter is generally more appropriate, while the family member can still remain present for support.
Can I use a translation app instead of a medical interpreter?
Translation apps can be helpful for simple questions, but they should not be the only communication tool for complex medical discussions.
They are often useful for questions such as:
- “Where is the blood-draw area?”
- “What time is my CT?”
- “How many times a day should I take this medicine?”
- simple administrative communication.
They are much riskier for:
- pathology;
- surgical risks;
- anesthesia consent;
- complex medication adjustments;
- discussions of multiple treatment options;
- conditional medical language.
In medicine, one incorrectly translated phrase can significantly change the meaning.
For example:
“Cannot be ruled out”
is very different from:
“Confirmed diagnosis.”
Translation apps can therefore be useful as a support tool, but major medical decisions should not rely on machine translation alone.
What should I do if I cannot read the Chinese informed-consent form before surgery?
Do not sign a document that you do not understand.
Before surgery or another high-risk treatment, you should understand at least:
- why the treatment is recommended;
- how the operation or procedure will be performed;
- major risks;
- possible complications;
- alternative treatments;
- what may happen if you do not proceed.
If the document is available only in Chinese, ask the medical team to help explain it through:
- the treating doctor;
- a medical interpreter;
- a foreign-language version where the hospital provides one.
It is important to remember:
Interpreting informed-consent information does not mean making the decision for the patient.
The final decision should still be made by the patient or another person legally authorized to make that decision.
If Antu is coordinating surgery, it can help confirm the hospital’s informed-consent process and language arrangements in advance, but it cannot replace the hospital in explaining medical risks or make or sign medical decisions on behalf of the patient.
Can I ask the doctor to repeat or simplify the explanation if I do not understand?
Yes, and you should.
Do not pretend that you understand simply because the doctor is busy.
You can say directly:
“Please speak more slowly.”
“Could you explain that in a simpler way?”
“I want to make sure I understood correctly.”
If an interpreter is present, you can also use a “teach-back” or confirmation method after important information.
For example, the patient can say:
“My understanding is that I currently have two options: surgery now, or treatment for three months followed by reassessment. Is that correct?”
This can reveal misunderstandings immediately.
Before leaving the consultation after a major medical discussion, make sure you understand:
what the diagnosis is, what happens next, why that step is recommended, and when you need to return.
What should I prepare before the appointment to make interpretation and communication easier?
The most effective approach is not to enter the consultation room and begin explaining 20 years of medical history from the beginning. Prepare a concise summary in advance.
It should ideally include:
- current diagnosis;
- main symptoms;
- when the symptoms started;
- major previous treatments;
- current medications;
- drug allergies;
- recent important tests;
- the three to five questions you most want the doctor to answer.
If a symptom is difficult to describe, write it down beforehand.
Instead of saying only:
“I have been feeling unwell.”
be more specific:
“For the past two weeks, I have had a fever every evening, reaching 38.5°C, and I have lost 3 kilograms.”
The more specific the information, the easier it is for both the doctor and interpreter to communicate accurately.
Before the consultation, Antu can help organize the patient’s question list and medical-history summary so that limited appointment time can be used for the most important medical discussion.
How can I understand my medications if the prescription is written in Chinese?
Do not rely only on the color of the medication box or the Chinese brand name.
For every medication, try to confirm:
- generic name;
- English name;
- dose;
- how much to take each time;
- how many times per day;
- whether it should be taken before or after food;
- how long it should be used;
- why it has been prescribed.
For an international patient returning home, doctors overseas are more likely to need the generic drug name and actual dose rather than the Chinese brand name.
For example, the medication list can be written as:
Drug: Apixaban
Dose: 5 mg
Frequency: twice daily
Purpose: anticoagulation
If the patient takes several medications, it is useful to maintain a complete bilingual medication list.
Antu can help organize medication information that has already been prescribed by the doctor, but cannot independently change a dose, stop a medication, or replace the doctor in explaining a new medication plan.
Do I need language support during CT, MRI, endoscopy, or other tests?
You may not need an interpreter physically present throughout every single test, but the patient must be able to understand important safety instructions.
For example:
MRI:
- whether you have metal implants;
- whether you have a pacemaker;
- the need to remain still;
- how to alert staff if you feel unwell.
Contrast CT:
- whether you have a history of contrast allergy;
- kidney-function status;
- instructions after contrast administration.
Gastroscopy or colonoscopy:
- whether fasting is required;
- whether sedation or anesthesia will be used;
- restrictions on food and activity afterward.
If the patient cannot understand these instructions, the language problem becomes more than an inconvenience—it may affect safety.
Antu can help determine which parts of the testing process need in-person or remote language support rather than simply assigning an interpreter to remain at the hospital all day without identifying where communication matters most.
Does a medical interpreter need to stay at the hospital every day during my admission?
Not necessarily.
Whether an interpreter needs to be physically present every day depends on:
- the complexity of the medical condition;
- the patient’s language ability;
- whether the hospital has bilingual nurses or coordinators;
- whether important medical discussions are scheduled that day.
Situations where professional interpretation is particularly valuable include:
- admission assessment;
- important physician rounds;
- pre-operative discussions;
- anesthesia assessment;
- major changes in the treatment plan;
- discharge instructions.
Routine activities such as temperature checks, IV administration, and meal delivery may not require a professional interpreter to remain at the bedside continuously.
A more practical arrangement is:
ensure professional interpretation is available for important medical communication, while maintaining a backup communication method for routine daily needs.
This supports medical safety without creating unnecessary interpretation costs.
What happens if the doctor comes for ward rounds when the interpreter is not present?
It is better to establish a backup plan before or early in the admission.
Ask the ward:
- approximately when important physician rounds usually take place;
- whether the interpreter can be notified in advance;
- whether telephone or video interpretation is allowed;
- whether major treatment changes can be explained in detail once the interpreter joins.
For simple routine information, nursing staff may be able to note the issue first.
However, if the doctor suddenly says:
“You need surgery tomorrow,”
or:
“A new finding means we need to change the treatment plan,”
that discussion should not be completed through a few hand gestures and a phone translation app alone.
Accurate language support should be arranged as soon as possible, and the patient should then confirm that the plan has been understood correctly.
Is interpretation also needed between the surgical team and the family on the day of surgery?
For complex surgery, it is advisable to arrange interpretation in advance.
Several important conversations may occur on the day of surgery, including:
- final pre-operative confirmation;
- anesthesia-related questions;
- changes in the planned surgical extent;
- the surgeon explaining the result to the family afterward;
- ICU or ward arrangements.
After surgery in particular, the doctor may need to explain a large amount of information quickly:
what was done, what was found, whether any problems occurred, and what needs to be watched during the next 24 hours.
If the family does not understand the language, they may remember only that “the surgery is finished” while missing the information that actually matters.
Language support should therefore not be planned only for outpatient consultations. Communication between the medical team and family on the day of major surgery should also be considered in advance.
Will the hospital give me discharge medication and follow-up instructions in English?
Some International Medical Departments may provide certain documents in English, but you should not assume that every hospital will automatically issue a complete English discharge package.
Before leaving the hospital, make sure you understand at least:
- the final diagnosis;
- every discharge medication;
- the dose;
- when to take each medication;
- how long it should be continued;
- which symptoms require urgent medical attention;
- when follow-up is required;
- which tests need to be completed;
- whether there are activity or dietary restrictions.
If the formal discharge record is available only in Chinese, it may be useful to prepare an English version or translation of:
- the discharge summary;
- medication list;
- follow-up plan.
This is especially helpful for patients who will continue treatment with doctors in their home country.
Antu can help organize and translate discharge information that has already been determined by the hospital, but the medical content must remain based on the hospital’s and doctor’s formal instructions.
What if I do not speak English or Chinese? Can the hospital still provide interpretation?
Possibly, but the less commonly used the language is, the more important advance planning becomes.
Large hospitals may find it easier to provide support in commonly requested languages such as:
- English;
- Japanese;
- Korean.
However, hospital-employed interpretation may be less consistently available for:
- Arabic;
- Russian;
- Spanish;
- French;
- certain Southeast Asian or Central Asian languages;
- less commonly requested languages.
In those cases, language support may need to come from:
- an external medical interpreter;
- remote video interpretation;
- telephone interpretation.
The least desirable situation is:
the patient arrives at the hospital and only then discovers that nobody available can communicate in the patient’s language.
When booking, tell the hospital or Antu clearly:
the patient’s primary language, whether the patient speaks English, and which languages the accompanying family members use.
Will a medical interpreter share my medical information with other people?
Medical interpreters may be exposed to highly sensitive information, including:
- cancer diagnoses;
- genetic testing;
- reproductive-health information;
- mental-health information;
- HIV or other infectious-disease information;
- surgical and medication records.
Language support therefore involves more than simply asking whether the interpretation is accurate. Privacy and information handling also matter.
A reasonable approach should include:
- access only to the information necessary for the interpretation task;
- no unnecessary forwarding of records to unrelated people;
- no long-term storage of patient information in unrelated group chats;
- no reuse of medical records for unrelated purposes simply because the interpreter previously worked with the patient.
Patients can ask in advance:
Which records will the interpreter see?
Will copies be retained?
How will the information be transmitted?
If Antu arranges language support, the handling of patient information involved in that service should be consistent with Antu’s actual privacy policy and authorization procedures.
What should I do if I think the interpreter translated the doctor incorrectly?
If you suspect that something has been translated incorrectly, stop and clarify it immediately. Do not continue the discussion simply to avoid embarrassment.
Ask the doctor to repeat the original statement and have the interpreter explain it again.
Particular care is needed for information involving:
- diagnosis;
- left versus right;
- medication dosage;
- surgical procedure;
- “possible” versus “not possible”;
- “possible” versus “confirmed”;
- “treat immediately” versus “it is safe to wait.”
One of the most effective methods is for the patient or family to summarize:
“My understanding is… Is that correct?”
If an important medical decision has already been based on an incorrect translation, ask the doctor to clarify the decision as soon as possible rather than waiting until treatment has already started.
If Antu coordinates interpretation, patients should be able to raise concerns and request clarification. An interpreter’s wording should not be treated as an unchangeable final version.
How is medical interpretation usually charged—by the hour or by the day?
Pricing varies depending on the interpretation arrangement. Common models include:
- hourly rates;
- half-day rates;
- full-day rates;
- a fixed fee for one consultation;
- remote video or telephone interpretation charged by time.
The important questions are not limited to the headline rate. Confirm:
When does billing begin?
Is hospital waiting time included?
What happens if the agreed time is exceeded?
Is travel time charged?
Is there a cancellation fee?
How are unexpected remote calls during hospitalization charged?
For example, the doctor consultation itself may last only 30 minutes, but the patient may spend three hours completing:
registration → waiting → doctor consultation → payment → test arrangements.
So a “30-minute doctor appointment” does not necessarily mean only 30 minutes of interpretation are required.
If Antu provides or coordinates paid language support, the expected fees and billing method should be explained clearly before the patient confirms the service.
What can Antu’s language support actually help me with?
Language support should involve more than simply placing someone next to the doctor to “translate Chinese into English.”
For an international patient, a more complete language-support service can cover several stages.
Before coming to China:
- organize the key medical records that need translation;
- prepare a bilingual medical summary;
- prepare the patient’s questions for the doctor;
- confirm whether the hospital already provides support in the required language.
During outpatient visits:
- medical interpretation between the doctor and patient;
- explanation of the testing process;
- medication information;
- confirmation of the next steps.
During hospitalization and surgery:
- admission communication;
- important physician rounds;
- surgery- and anesthesia-related communication;
- changes in the treatment plan;
- important communication between the medical team and family.
After discharge:
- organize discharge medications and follow-up plans;
- translate important medical documents;
- help the patient explain the treatment received in China to doctors in the home country;
- coordinate language support for later remote follow-up.
However, Antu’s language support has clear boundaries:
The interpreter communicates information accurately but does not make medical judgments for the doctor;
the interpreter does not decide which treatment the patient should accept;
the interpreter must not independently change the doctor’s diagnosis, dosage, or treatment plan.
Good language support should ensure that:
the patient understands the doctor, and the doctor also genuinely understands the patient.
It should not stop at:
“There is someone in the room who speaks two languages.”