Yuki, a 51-year-old accountant from London, had been living with debilitating knee pain for three years. The NHS offered her a knee replacement — in 15 months. She couldn’t wait. Through myMedVia, she was admitted to a JCI-accredited hospital in Shanghai for a total knee replacement. From admission to discharge, her stay lasted exactly 7 days. “I was terrified before I came,” she admits. “But from the moment I walked into the hospital, every single fear was addressed. The nurses knew my name. The food was adapted to my taste. The interpreter was there for every conversation. I have never felt so cared for in my life.”
For many international patients, the hospital stay itself is the most unfamiliar part of medical travel. Here is a day-by-day account of what that experience looks like.
Day 1: Arrival and Admission
8:00 AM: You arrive at the hospital. The international patient coordinator greets you in the lobby. Registration takes 20 minutes — no long queues. Your passport and visa are scanned. The deposit is processed. A welcome packet includes a hospital map, meal menu, Wi-Fi password, and nurse call instructions.
9:00 AM: You are escorted to your room. Private rooms at international hospitals in China are comparable to 4-star hotels: en-suite bathroom with walk-in shower, adjustable electric bed, flat-screen TV, mini-fridge, safe, wardrobe, and a window overlooking the city or garden. A seating area for family visitors is standard.
10:00 AM: Nursing assessment. Vital signs, medical history review, allergy check. You are given a hospital gown, slippers, and toiletries. The nurse explains the daily schedule and nurse call system.
12:00 PM: Lunch. International hospitals offer Western, Asian, and halal menu options. Dietary preferences are noted: low-sodium, diabetic-friendly, vegetarian, gluten-free.
2:00 PM: Surgeon visit. Dr. Li, your orthopedic surgeon, reviews the surgical plan with you. He uses a 3D-printed model of your knee to explain exactly what he will do. “I understood more from that 15-minute conversation than from three months of consultations at home,” Yuki recalls.
4:00 PM: Anesthesiologist visit. Discussion of anesthesia options: general vs. spinal. Pre-operative instructions: fasting from midnight, shower with antiseptic soap.
6:00 PM: Light dinner. Last meal before surgery.
8:00 PM: Final checks. Surgical site marked. Compression stockings fitted. Sleep medication offered if needed.
Source: JCI-accredited international hospital admission protocols — Shanghai
Day 2: Surgery Day
6:30 AM: Vital signs check. Shower with antiseptic solution. Hospital gown. 7:30 AM: Transport to operating theatre. The OR is temperature-controlled. The team introduces themselves: surgeon, anesthesiologist, scrub nurse, circulating nurse. 8:00 AM: Spinal anesthesia administered. You remain awake but feel nothing from the waist down. A sedative keeps you relaxed. 8:15 AM – 10:30 AM: Surgery. Total knee replacement. The surgeon removes damaged cartilage and bone, implants the prosthetic components, and closes the incision. 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM: Recovery room. Vital signs monitored every 15 minutes. Pain score assessed. First dose of IV analgesic administered. 11:30 AM: Return to room. You are awake but drowsy. Ice pack applied to the knee. Compression boots on calves to prevent blood clots. 2:00 PM: First meal post-surgery: clear liquids (water, broth, juice). 4:00 PM: Physiotherapist visits. You sit on the edge of the bed — the first of many small milestones. 8:00 PM: Pain well-controlled with PCA pump. You sleep intermittently through the night with intermittent monitoring.
Source: Chinese Journal of Orthopaedics, 2023 — Perioperative Care Standards for Total Knee Arthroplasty
Day 3: Post-Operative Day 1
7:00 AM: Blood work: hemoglobin, electrolytes, inflammatory markers. Dressing checked. Drain output measured. 9:00 AM: Breakfast: soft diet (congee, scrambled eggs, toast). 10:00 AM: Physiotherapy — first attempt at standing. With the help of a walker and two therapists, you stand for the first time since surgery. “I cried,” Yuki says. “Not from pain. From relief. I was standing.” 12:00 PM: Lunch. Pain medication switched from IV to oral. 2:00 PM: Second physiotherapy session: walking 10 steps with walker. 4:00 PM: Occupational therapy: learning to use the bedside commode, practicing dressing. 6:00 PM: Dinner. Family video call using hospital Wi-Fi. 8:00 PM: Pain assessment. Sleep medication if needed.
Day 4: Post-Operative Day 2
7:00 AM: Drain removed (typically day 2 post-op). Wound redressed. 9:00 AM: Physiotherapy: walking 30 meters with walker. Stair negotiation practice (2 steps). 12:00 PM: Lunch. Diet advanced to regular with modifications. 2:00 PM: Pain well-controlled with oral medication. PCA discontinued. 4:00 PM: Educational session: home exercise program demonstrated. Fall prevention tips. 6:00 PM: Evening walk in the hallway — 50 meters with walker.
Day 5: Post-Operative Day 3
9:00 AM: Physiotherapy: walking with cane (transition from walker). 100 meters. 12:00 PM: Surgeon review: incision looks clean. X-ray confirms prosthetic alignment. 2:00 PM: Discharge planning begins. myMedVia coordinator discusses recovery accommodation options. You choose to stay at the hospital-affiliated recovery hotel for one more week. 4:00 PM: Final physiotherapy session before discharge: independent transfer, safe stair negotiation. 8:00 PM: Packing. Discharge summary reviewed.
Day 6: Hospital Discharge
9:00 AM: Final surgeon visit. Incision check. Discharge summary signed. Prescriptions filled. 10:00 AM: Hospital bill settled. Refund processed. 11:00 AM: Transfer to recovery hotel. The room is on the same floor as the physiotherapy center. A nurse visits daily for wound care. 12:00 PM: First lunch at the recovery hotel. The menu includes both Western and Chinese options. 2:00 PM: Rest. First afternoon without hospital monitoring. 6:00 PM: Evening walk in the hotel garden.
Day 7: First Full Day in Recovery Accommodation
9:00 AM: Outpatient physiotherapy session (30 minutes). Progress: 150 meters with cane. 12:00 PM: Lunch. You are now eating normally and managing your own pain medication schedule. 2:00 PM: Cultural activity (optional): the myMedVia coordinator arranges a guided visit to a nearby park or market — wheelchair accessible. 6:00 PM: Dinner with a fellow myMedVia patient from Canada. “We compared scars and shared tips,” Yuki laughs. 8:00 PM: Video call with family. You walk to the camera to show them you are standing without support.