Published by ChinaMNC · Tianmen

China Sets National Standard for Paid Hospital Companion Services, Effective November 1

A new national standard (GB/T 47801—2026) sets out who may provide socialized hospital companion services in China, what tasks companions may and may not perform, and how hospitals and regulators are expected to supervise them. Here is what foreign founders building or investing in health-service businesses in China should know.

A New Rulebook for China's Hospital Companion Sector

China's State Administration for Market Regulation has approved a national standard titled “Socialized Accompanying Medical Treatment Services — Basic Requirements” (GB/T 47801—2026), which takes effect on November 1. The standard creates a service framework covering who provides companion services, what the services include, and how the service process should run.

The sector emerged to address real pain points: elderly patients navigating large hospitals alone, unsure where to find a department or how to pay and collect medicine, and out-of-town patients struggling in unfamiliar facilities. Without service standards, the industry has faced unclear boundaries and uneven quality. For foreign founders evaluating opportunities in China's health-services economy, the standard is an early signal of how this segment will be structured.

Who May Provide the Service

Under the new standard, the provider of socialized companion services is an institution, not an individual freelancer. The institution's companion staff — the “companions” — deliver services directly to clients. Clients are people who face difficulty seeking medical care due to mobility, cognitive, or geographic differences, or individuals seeking a better care experience. Institutions may earn revenue from providing these services.

What Companions Must Know

Companions are expected to hold basic service knowledge and professional conduct. Deng Yong, a professor and doctoral supervisor in the law department at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, is cited in the source as saying that companions need to understand the medical visit process, basic medical terminology, and emergency basics, and be able to accurately relay a patient's condition. They must keep to compliance red lines — never reselling appointment slots or promoting medicines — and show patience and empathy in calming patients.

Permitted Tasks

With the consent of the client or a legal guardian, a companion may:

• Queue to collect appointment numbers, book examinations, and prepare for examinations;
• Buy or collect basic medical supplies such as wheelchairs, companion beds, and disposable masks;
• Guide clients to designated areas, including consultation departments, examination rooms, or treatment areas;
• Help deliver test samples, collect medicines and test results, record doctor's instructions, and collect or copy medical documents such as medical records and diagnostic certificates;
• Handle admission and discharge procedures and payments, and provide daily assistance during visits, such as booking transport or meals and temporarily keeping belongings;
• Offer emotional support during the medical visit.

Prohibited Activities

The standard is equally clear about limits. Companions are not medical staff. They may not interpret test results, take part in medical procedures, give medical advice, adjust a client's medication plan, or choose or consent to treatment on behalf of the client or family. They may not conceal, alter, or selectively pass on key medical information, and they may not sign legally binding medical documents for the client.

Hospital Oversight and Regulatory Direction

Deng Yong suggests hospitals strengthen management of companions by exploring an “access filing, conduct control, and public supervision” mechanism. Specific suggestions include:

• Setting up a unified access channel for companions that verifies identity and checks for criminal records, and issuing temporary access passes;
• Requiring third-party institutions and individuals to file records, with an explicit ban on soliciting business in consultation rooms or registration areas;
• Publicly listing approved companion services and complaint hotlines in outpatient halls;
• Working with industry associations on pre-job training and granting hospital-recognized service identifiers to those who pass assessment.

Relevant authorities are also urged to strengthen supervision and explore a multi-department enforcement mechanism involving market regulation, public security, and health departments to investigate and punish price fraud, unlicensed operation, and other illegal conduct.

Why It Matters for Foreign Founders

For foreign founders building or investing in China-based health-service, eldercare, or hospital-support businesses, the standard signals several practical points. First, the service must be delivered through a registered institution, which makes corporate establishment and compliance documentation central to market entry. Second, the boundary between permitted assistance and medical activity is drawn explicitly, which matters for service design, staff training, and liability planning. Third, local hospital-level rules on access, filing, and public disclosure may vary in implementation, so operators should expect to coordinate with individual hospitals.

Founders should also note that the standard is a recommended national standard (GB/T) and should confirm with local authorities and counsel how it is applied in practice before launching services.

Call to action: Foreign founders can contact ChinaMNC on WhatsApp / WeChat at +86 153 1898 8535 for help registering and operating a company in China.

This summary is based on information published by the relevant Chinese government website and is general information, not legal or tax advice.