Peking Union Medical College Hospital

I. A Century of Peking Union Medical College Hospital: A Pillar of the Nation’s Medical System

Founded in 1921 by the Rockefeller Foundation, Peking Union Medical College Hospital is a modern, comprehensive Grade A Level III hospital that integrates medical care, teaching, and research. It is also designated by the National Health Commission as a national center for the diagnosis and treatment of complex and critical illnesses. Over the past century, the hospital has upheld the spirit of “rigor, excellence, diligence, and dedication,” developing a medical education philosophy centered on the “Three Fundamentals” and “Three Stricts.” It has nurtured a generation of medical masters, including Zhang Xiaoqian and Lin Qiaozhi, and has earned a reputation both domestically and internationally for its comprehensive range of disciplines, robust technical capabilities, distinctive specialties, and strong multidisciplinary strengths. Currently, the hospital boasts 29 National Key Clinical Specialties and 6 national-level research platforms, with over 2,000 beds available. In 2024, it performed more than 70,000 surgeries and discharged over 120,000 patients. It has consistently been honored with numerous accolades, including “National Civilized Unit” and “National Advanced Collective in the Fight Against COVID-19,” establishing itself as a “national pillar” leading the development of Chinese medicine.

II. Department of Cardiology: The Cradle and Leading Center of Cardiovascular Medicine in China

As the birthplace of cardiovascular medicine in China, the development of the Department of Cardiology at Peking Union Medical College Hospital serves as a microcosm of the field’s history in the country. In 1921, the hospital recorded China’s first electrocardiogram; in 1931, Dr. Dong Chenglang and his colleagues established the country’s first cardiology department, laying the foundation for the discipline; In the 1950s, Professors Huang Wan, Fang Qi, and others led the development of China’s first 12-lead electrocardiograph and promoted its nationwide adoption; they were also the first to perform right heart catheterization, paving the way for interventional cardiology. After the department was officially named the Department of Cardiology in 1993, the discipline entered a period of rapid development, achieving breakthroughs in multiple fields.

Today, the Department of Cardiology has established a comprehensive system covering 12 subspecialties, including coronary heart disease, hypertension, heart failure, arrhythmias, pulmonary vascular diseases, structural heart disease, and cardiac oncology. It operates 82 inpatient beds, handles over 100,000 outpatient visits annually, with nearly 4,000 inpatients admitted annually. It boasts a top-tier team of 45 practicing physicians (including 13 professors and 17 associate professors). Past department heads have included medical luminaries such as Fang Qi, Wu Ning, and Zhang Shuyang, while the current director, Professor Jing Zhicheng, is a leading figure in the international field of pulmonary vascular diseases.

Core Strengths and Specialized Treatments:

• Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Complex and Rare Diseases: Leveraging the National Key Laboratory of Rare Diseases, the hospital leads the National Cardiovascular Rare Disease Cohort Project and has established a world-leading diagnostic and treatment database. It ranks among the top in China for the diagnosis and treatment of conditions such as pulmonary arterial hypertension and complex cardiomyopathies, and performs the highest number of myocardial biopsies for complex cases nationwide.
• Leading Interventional Techniques Nationwide: We have established a “green channel” for acute myocardial infarction, with an interventional team on 24-hour standby. Our annual volume of interventional procedures consistently ranks among the top in Beijing; We routinely perform complex procedures such as radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation, cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), and interventricular septal ablation for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In 2026, we successfully performed the first femoral artery TAVR procedure, providing a minimally invasive solution for patients with severe aortic regurgitation alone, with a perioperative survival rate of 100%.
• Balancing Research and Education: As a National Health Commission Training Base for Coronary Artery Disease and Electrophysiological Interventions, the department trains over 30 postgraduates and visiting scholars annually, with a resident graduation pass rate nearing 100%. Over the past five years, the department has undertaken more than 10 national-level research projects. Research findings on pulmonary vascular diseases led by Professor Jing Zhicheng were published in the European Heart Journal and have received numerous honors, including the First Prize of the Chinese Medical Science and Technology Award.

III. Cardiac Surgery: A Model of Excellence and a Technological Pioneer in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Complex and Critical Cases

The Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Peking Union Medical College Hospital originated from the Department of Thoracic Surgery founded by Professor Wu Yingkai in 1952. It became an independent tertiary-level department in 1994. Through the dedicated efforts of former directors such as Academicians Liu Xiaocheng and Zhu Xiaodong, as well as Miao Qi, the department has evolved under the leadership of its current director, Professor Zheng Jun, to follow a development path characterized by “specializing in complex, critical, and rare cases, with a strong emphasis on multidisciplinary collaboration.” The department has 24 inpatient beds. In 2024, it handled over 8,200 outpatient visits and performed more than 700 surgeries, with Level IV surgeries accounting for over 95% of the total. The department leads the hospital in CMI (Case Mix Index) and has achieved a level of expertise in the treatment of complex cardiac diseases with concomitant multi-organ pathologies that is leading domestically and on par with international standards.

Core Strengths and Specialized Treatments:

• A Center of Excellence for Complex and Critical Care: Focusing on specialized areas such as immune-mediated cardiovascular diseases, infective endocarditis, and rare cardiac tumors, the hospital has established a standardized diagnostic and treatment system for intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL) (PUMCH staging + classification). It has treated over a thousand patients with infective endocarditis and performed hundreds of surgical resections of malignant cardiac tumors. In 2022, we successfully performed China’s first autologous heart transplant, providing curative treatment for cancer patients.
• Continuous Breakthroughs in Technological Innovation: We routinely perform cutting-edge procedures such as transapical aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation, offering alternative treatment options for patients with end-stage heart failure; We have pioneered an innovative “one-stop” hybrid surgical model, successfully performing complex combined procedures such as “coronary stent + vertebral artery stent + TAVI” triple procedures and TAVR combined with thoracoscopic lung cancer resection. This enables the simultaneous diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases as well as cardiopulmonary conditions, with blood loss kept below 50 milliliters and patients typically recovering and being discharged within one week post-surgery.
• A Model of Multidisciplinary Collaboration: Leveraging the hospital’s comprehensive strengths, we have established routine collaborative mechanisms with nine departments, including Neurosurgery, Thoracic Surgery, and Anesthesiology. We have successfully treated high-risk cases such as acute aortic dissection complicated by a giant cerebral aneurysm and endocarditis complicated by intracerebral hemorrhage. In 2023, the volume of emergency major vascular surgeries doubled year-over-year, demonstrating “心脑同治”“心肺同治” 的独特优势。

IV. Collaborative Development: A Powerful Synergy for Protecting Cardiovascular Health

The collaborative development of the Department of Cardiology and the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery constitutes the core competitive advantage of cardiovascular disease diagnosis and treatment at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. The two departments share state-of-the-art facilities, including advanced hybrid operating rooms and 3.0T MRI scanners, and have established a mechanism for interdisciplinary case discussions. This enables a precise synergy between “interventional cardiology and surgical procedures” in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions such as structural heart disease and end-stage heart failure. From emergency resuscitation for acute myocardial infarction to the curative treatment of rare cardiac tumors, and from the innovative application of minimally invasive techniques to the comprehensive management of multi-organ comorbidities, the Peking Union Medical College Hospital cardiovascular team remains steadfastly “patient-centered.” Drawing on a century of medical expertise and a spirit of innovation, they have built a lifeline of protection for countless patients.

Today, Peking Union Medical College Hospital is striving to become a National Medical Center, continuing to lead the development of cardiovascular medicine in China. It is achieving new milestones in the diagnosis and treatment of complex and critical conditions, technological innovation, and talent development, providing comprehensive protection for the cardiovascular health of the people.

Hospital Addresses:

Dongdan Campus: No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Dongcheng District, Beijing (100730)

Xidan Campus: No. 41 Damucang Hutong, Xicheng District, Beijing (100032)