Americas Watch《Heartbeat Without Borders: The Dual-Track Internationalization Journey of a Chinese Hospital》

In May 2026, Dodi Subrata, a 62-year-old Indonesian Chinese businessman, returned to Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital Xiamen University (Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital) for a follow-up examination. Once unable to catch his breath because of severe mitral regurgitation, he now enjoys completely normal heart valve function.

Two years earlier, Dodi’s condition had deteriorated to the point that even routine daily activities became extremely difficult. In Indonesia, the only treatment option available to him was open-heart surgery. At just 60 years old, however, he was unwilling to undergo such a highly invasive procedure and face a lengthy recovery period.

Upon the recommendation of his local physician, Dr. Andi Haryanto Lana, Dodi learned that Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital could perform a minimally invasive Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair (TEER) procedure for mitral valve disease. After comparing hospitals in Malaysia and other countries, he discovered that Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital performed such procedures almost every day and had extensive clinical experience. Following an on-site visit, he was impressed by the hospital’s advanced facilities and the professionalism of its medical staff. He ultimately chose to undergo treatment in Xiamen.

The procedure was highly successful. After surgery, he was able to travel freely and return to normal work. His latest follow-up examination confirmed that his mitral regurgitation had completely disappeared. This time, he returned not as an anxious patient seeking treatment, but more like an old friend paying a visit.  

International Healthcare: Efficient Treatment and Comprehensive Care Across Oceans

For Gong Dongsha, a Chinese expatriate who had lived in the Philippines for more than twenty years, the sudden onset of a superior mesenteric artery dissection remains a frightening memory. At a local hospital, he waited one and a half hours before seeing a doctor and endured three hours of severe pain in a hospital bed. Even after receiving a treatment recommendation, he still felt uneasy and uncertain. In that critical moment, he decided to return to China for treatment.

What surprised him most was what happened when he arrived outside Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital. Emergency department staff were already waiting for him at the entrance. “Are you Mr. Gong Dongsha from the Philippines?” they asked immediately. After confirming his identity, they promptly escorted him upstairs for a CT examination. From admission and diagnosis to evaluation and treatment planning, the entire process was seamless. Because he received timely medical attention, surgery was ultimately unnecessary, and his condition was successfully stabilized through conservative treatment alone. For Dr. Mercedes Menjivar from El Salvador, the experience was even more personal.

For most of her life, she had stood on the opposite side of the hospital bed—listening, diagnosing, comforting, and treating patients as a physician. “I never imagined that one day I would become the patient—the person holding on to hope,” she recalled. Approximately ten years ago, she was diagnosed with mitral regurgitation. “At first, I could live with it. I continued working, caring for others, and telling myself the condition was under control. But gradually, my world began to shrink. By 2024, walking a short distance, climbing a small slope, or even taking a deep breath had become difficult. My heart was failing, and with it, my normal life was slipping away.”

After undergoing examinations and evaluation in El Salvador, doctors concluded that open-heart surgery was necessary. “As a patient, I was terrified. The risks, the recovery period, the uncertainty—everything felt overwhelming.”

Fortunately, Dr. Ricardo Castillo from Rosales National Hospital had recently returned from a six-month fellowship at Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital. Using the transesophageal echocardiography techniques he learned during his training, he performed a detailed assessment and arranged an online consultation with specialists in Xiamen. The multidisciplinary team concluded that Mercedes was eligible for a less invasive transcatheter mitral valve procedure.

“The thought of traveling more than 15,000 kilometers to a completely unfamiliar country for heart treatment was frightening,” she recalled. “I didn’t know the language. I didn’t understand the culture. I had no idea what awaited me. But I knew this was an opportunity—an opportunity to breathe freely again, to live fully again, and to reclaim my life.”

In November 2024, she traveled more than 15,000 kilometers to Xiamen. The procedure lasted only 45 minutes. She regained consciousness within ten minutes and was able to walk six hours later. “Outside the operating room, they encouraged me. Not just as medical professionals, but as family members. At that moment, I was not a foreign patient or a medical record number. I was simply a person being cared for.”

These experiences reflect the service standards of the hospital’s International Medical Center. According to Vice President Xu Liangyou, as a National Regional Medical Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital performs more than 23,000 cardiovascular procedures annually, while its Case Mix Index (CMI) ranking for complex and critical cardiovascular care has remained second nationwide for five consecutive years. In 2025 alone, more than 400 visits from foreign patients representing 33 countries were recorded. These patients sought treatment for a wide range of serious cardiovascular conditions, including coronary artery disease, aortic diseases, and valvular heart disease.For overseas Chinese communities, the hospital serves as a trusted source of health security. For patients worldwide, it has become a reliable destination for cardiovascular care—where professional expertise, efficiency, and compassion transcend language and cultural barriers.  

The Heart Sapling Program: Sowing Seeds of Hope Around the World

When Dodi returned to Xiamen for his follow-up examination in May 2026, the Indonesian physician who had originally recommended the hospital—Dr. Andi Haryanto Lana—was already training in the catheterization laboratory as a participant in the Heart Sapling Visiting Scholar Program (Heart Sapling Program). Upon returning to Indonesia, he will be able to bring these minimally invasive valve intervention techniques back to his own country, allowing more patients like Dodi to receive advanced treatment without traveling abroad.

This represents the second track of Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital’s internationalization strategy. The hospital’s mission extends beyond bringing international patients to China. It also seeks to bring Chinese expertise to the world by helping other countries strengthen their own cardiovascular care capabilities. Launched in 2022, the Heart Sapling Program recruits outstanding young cardiovascular specialists from around the world for systematic training in China. Under the guidance of experienced mentors, participants engage in clinical practice, complex case discussions, academic conferences, and hands-on procedural training to master advanced cardiovascular diagnostic and treatment technologies.

As a key international healthcare cooperation initiative supported by the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), the program has attracted global attention since its inception.In 2023, it was officially launched at United Nations Headquarters. In 2024, it was included in both the Global Development Project Database and the achievements of the Second High-Level Meeting of the Global Shared Development Action Forum. CIDCA has announced plans to recruit fifty physicians from countries participating in the “Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative” over the next three years. By 2026, the program had trained nearly forty cardiovascular specialists from sixteen countries. After returning home, many have become leading experts in their local healthcare systems, with some introducing technologies that were previously unavailable in their countries.  

Mercedes reflected::“Because of the Heart Sapling Program, the seed of knowledge had already been planted in my country. The doctors trained in Xiamen returned home with new skills, broader perspectives, and valuable expertise—and one of those seeds saved my life.”

Another participant, Dominador III Valdez Del Castillo from the Philippines, spoke candidly about his experience. He observed that mortality from aortic dissection in Xiamen is approximately 3%, while in the Philippines it can reach 85–90%. “I hope to bring these technologies back home, reduce that gap, and ensure that my fellow citizens no longer have to cross mountains and oceans just to receive treatment.”

To maximize training outcomes, Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital develops individualized curricula for every scholar, providing comprehensive mentorship that spans theoretical learning, procedural observation, and hands-on clinical practice.  

Heartbeat Without Borders: The Compassion and Responsibility of Chinese Healthcare

From treating international patients in China to training cardiovascular specialists for other countries, Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital’s dual-track internationalization strategy is both practical and deeply human-centered. This philosophy is reflected in countless details. To facilitate treatment for overseas patients, the hospital has established an international emergency green channel. Emergency evaluations can be completed before patients enter China, enabling treatment to begin immediately upon arrival and maximizing precious time during critical situations. To allow Heart Sapling scholars to focus entirely on their studies, the program provides round-trip international airfare, accommodation, and living stipends. For patients who return to their home countries after treatment, dedicated staff members continue long-term follow-up and provide professional consultation whenever needed.  

As Mercedes beautifully summarized: “Compassion can cross mountains and oceans. Knowledge can be shared. Hope can travel far. Hearts can be connected—across borders, languages, and seas. Today, I not only have a healthier heart, but also a completely new outlook on life.” As more international patients regain their health in Xiamen and more foreign physicians complete their training and return home, the hospital’s dual-track internationalization journey continues to showcase both the professional excellence and humanitarian spirit of Chinese healthcare. It is not merely the internationalization story of a single hospital. It is also a vivid example of China’s commitment to the Health Silk Road Initiative and its efforts to build a global community of health for all.

As long as hearts continue to beat and goodwill continues to flow, this connection across oceans will continue to create new stories of hope and healing.