Before specialist pre-review or planned travel

Medical records checklist for planned care in China

Prepare a clear case summary, source reports, imaging, pathology information, medication details, and practical travel documents before requesting specialist pre-review or coordinating planned care in China.

Prepare my case Explore patient guides

Build a case packet that another care team can understand

1. One-page case summary

Start with a short factual overview so dates and goals are not hidden across separate files.

Known diagnosis and date first documented
Current symptoms and care goal
Major procedures and treatment timeline
Allergies, current medications, and relevant conditions

2. Reports and original files

Include readable reports and identify the facility and date for every important test.

Discharge and operative summaries
Laboratory and imaging reports
DICOM imaging when available, not screenshots alone
Doctor letters and prior treatment plans

3. Pathology for oncology review

An outside pathology review may require more than a PDF report. Confirm requirements before arranging any shipment.

Final pathology report and addenda
Biomarker or molecular test reports
Ask the source hospital whether slides or paraffin blocks can be released
Obtain the receiving facility's instructions before shipping material

4. Medication and travel documentation

Medication names and restrictions can vary by country, so prepare the information before departure.

Generic medication names, doses, schedule, and reason for use
Copies of prescriptions and a clinician letter when appropriate
Medicines in original labelled containers
Insurance, emergency contact, and relevant vaccination records

Illustrative record-preparation scenarios

These constructed educational examples show common record-preparation gaps. They do not describe real patients and are not testimonials, clinical recommendations, or evidence of outcomes.

Post-surgery oncology pre-review

Situation: An adult in Germany is exploring document-based oncology review after colorectal cancer surgery and adjuvant treatment.
Records received: Discharge summary, operative note, CT report PDF, medication list, and a short treatment chronology.
Record gaps: Final pathology addendum, molecular results, DICOM imaging, and confirmation that slides or blocks can be released were not yet available.
Coordination next step: The coordination step is to request the missing source records and obtain the receiving facility's pathology instructions before any shipment or travel decision.

Cardiology consultation planning

Situation: An adult in the United States with known valve disease wants to understand whether a planned China consultation is practical.
Records received: A two-year history summary, an older echocardiogram, insurance information, and a list of brand-name medications.
Record gaps: A recent echocardiogram, ECG, generic medication names and doses, current symptom summary, and clinician assessment of travel readiness were missing.
Coordination next step: The case remains in record preparation while the patient contacts the local cardiology team and a travel-health professional for current documentation and individualized advice.

Orthopedic imaging review

Situation: An adult in the United Kingdom is considering a planned opinion after persistent knee symptoms following a sports injury.
Records received: A clinic letter, physiotherapy notes, a phone screenshot of an MRI report, and a brief symptom description.
Record gaps: The complete MRI report, original image files, injury timeline, prior injection details, and the patient's specific functional goal were unclear.
Coordination next step: The record packet is reorganized around the injury timeline and functional goal, while the source imaging centre is asked how to provide the original study securely.

Primary sources used for this checklist

The sources support general preparation points only; the receiving hospital's current instructions always control what it will accept.

Content review and source status

Review scope: Primary sources, record checklist, pathology and imaging logistics, medication and travel boundaries

Editorial owner: Navelia Health
Last reviewed: 2026-07-14
Primary sources on this page: 4
Clinical review status: No clinical review by a named medical professional is claimed

See content governance and review status

Scope and clinical review status

This page is source-backed coordination information and has not been presented as clinically reviewed by a named medical professional. It does not determine fitness to travel, diagnose a condition, recommend treatment, or replace advice from the patient's own clinicians or a travel-health professional.

Medical record preparation questions

Should I translate every document before a pre-review?

Keep the original source files. Ask the receiving team which documents need translation first; key reports and summaries are usually more useful than translating unrelated pages.

Is a screenshot of an imaging report enough?

A screenshot may help identify the study, but a reviewer may need the complete signed report and original image files. Confirm the requested format with the receiving facility.

Should pathology slides be shipped immediately?

No. First confirm that the receiving facility accepts outside pathology, what material it needs, its packaging and courier instructions, cost, and return policy.

Can this checklist confirm that I am safe to fly?

No. Fitness to travel requires individualized assessment by an appropriate clinician. Urgent or worsening symptoms should be handled locally.

Start with the records you already have

A case manager can organize available files, identify obvious gaps, and prepare questions for a planned review without making a clinical decision.

Prepare my case