Patient guide
Shanghai updates its official emergency-care guide for overseas patients and families
Shanghai's August 13 emergency-services guide explains how to call 120, notes that translator connection may be available through the emergency system, and outlines practical ambulance and hospital-routing details that matter when a medical trip suddenly becomes urgent.
Shanghai's municipal English portal updated its emergency medical services page on August 13 with practical instructions for urgent situations. The guide highlights the city's 120 ambulance line, notes that operators may connect callers to a third-party translator, and explains that patients in critical situations may be taken to the nearest suitable hospital rather than a preferred facility.
This is especially relevant for medical travelers, companions, and short-stay visitors who may not know how emergency transport works locally. The page also includes indicative ambulance fee details and references several international hospitals with emergency departments, which can help families think through contingency planning before arrival rather than during a crisis.
The guidance should be treated as an access reference, not a promise about response time, language availability, or destination choice in every case. Patients and families should save key phone numbers in advance and confirm any non-emergency follow-up procedures directly with the hospital they expect to use.