China's Top Departments: Critical Care Medicine at The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University

If someone you love is fighting sepsis, severe pneumonia, multiple organ failure or another life-threatening illness, the Department of Critical Care Medicine at The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University is one of South China's major critical care centers — and one of the few places in China whose sepsis protocols are studied worldwide.

The department is led by discipline leader Prof. Xiangdong Guan (管向东), one of China's "Eight Immortals of Critical Care" and the country's first doctoral supervisor to train PhDs in critical care medicine. It was one of the first five university ICU teaching demonstration bases recognized by the former Ministry of Health, was accredited as a first-batch National Key Clinical Specialty in 2010, and built Guangdong Province's first Critical Care Medicine Clinical Research Center.

At Medora, we help international patients and their families navigate admission, second opinions and transfer to this team. Here's what you need to know.

The Hospital Behind the Department

The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University was founded in 1910 and is one of the largest and strongest comprehensive tertiary Class A hospitals in South China.

• Fudan 2023 comprehensive ranking: top grade A++++ — one of only 20 hospitals nationwide at this grade
• Rated A++ for six consecutive years in the national tertiary public hospital performance assessment
• 5 national key disciplines and 36 national key clinical specialties
• A "mentoring-class" candidate for a comprehensive National Medical Center
• Member of the second batch of the GBA "Hong Kong and Macao Medicine and Device Connect" scheme, and in 2026 selected in the first batch of Guangdong Province pilot hospitals for international medical services
• An International Medical Center opened in 2025
• Collaborations with Brigham and Women's Hospital, Mass General Brigham and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• Named the "Chinese mainland medical institution most trusted by Hong Kong people" (2004)

Campuses: Yuexiu Main Campus (No. 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou); Huangpu Campus; Nansha Campus. Website www.fahsysu.org.cn; main line (020) 87755766 / (020) 87332200.

Guangzhou is reached by the Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong high-speed rail (direct to Hong Kong West Kowloon) and via Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.

Scale and Standing

Rankings:

• Fudan 2023 Critical Care Medicine reputation ranking: 5th nationwide
• 2016–2019: 3rd nationwide and 1st in South China
• STEM 2019: 6th nationwide

Quality-control leadership: deputy chair unit of the NHFPC Critical Care Medicine Quality Control Center; chair unit of the Chinese Medical Association's Critical Care Medicine Branch; chair unit of the Guangdong ICU Quality Control Center. It was designated a National Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Intractable Diseases in 2017, and in 2018 led the establishment of the China Critical Care Medicine Specialty Alliance, which now includes 250+ institutions nationwide.

Academic Leadership

This is a department that writes the rules the rest of China follows.

• Led drafting of China's first critical care medicine guideline and the first ICU Diagnosis, Treatment, and Management Guidelines
• Compiled the first Guidelines for the Construction and Management of Intensive Care Units (ICU) in China, adopted by the Ministry of Health and still in use today
• Initiated the TEA communication system (Tell, Evaluate, Answer)
• Participated in formulating the 2025 edition of China's Guideline for the Construction and Development of Critical Care Medicine

Research output: 169 treatises published (highest single-article impact factor 34.5); 112 research grants secured — including 1 National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, 1 Yangtze River Scholar, 1 National Key R&D Program project, 29 NSFC projects and 80+ provincial and ministerial grants.

Core Technologies and Strengths

1. Sepsis and Severe Infection Management — the Signature Strength

Among the first in the world to conduct sepsis immunology research and treatment, the department has reduced mortality from severe infections from 35% to 26% — an internationally leading result.

2. MODS (Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome)

A core specialty of the South China intractable and critical disease center, operating a dedicated "Multiple Organ Function Assessment and Repair Center."

3. Critical Respiratory Support and Mechanical Ventilation

Advanced management of ARDS and respiratory failure, including lung-protective ventilation strategies.

4. Severe Infection and Severe Pneumonia

Comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of severe infections and severe pneumonia; during the pandemic, the team led the drafting of treatment protocols for severe and critical cases.

5. Perioperative Critical Care for Major Surgery and Organ Transplantation

Critical care support for "ischemia-free" transplantation and for conjoined-twin separation surgery.

6. Integrated Critical Care System

A "pre-hospital–emergency–critical care integrated treatment system" — in 2019, 83.6% of admissions were complex or critical cases.

7. Critical Care Quality Control and Standardization

The department leads the China Critical Care Medicine Specialty Alliance, driving standardized ICU practice across the country.

Expert Team

Honors held by Prof. Guan: "National Outstanding Communist Party Member," "China's Most Beautiful Doctor," and "National Advanced Individual in COVID-19 Prevention and Control."

Conditions We Help You Access Care For

• Sepsis, septic shock, severe infections, severe pneumonia
• MODS and multiple organ failure
• ARDS and respiratory failure
• Perioperative critical care after major surgery, including organ transplantation
• Shock and post-cardiopulmonary-resuscitation syndrome
• Complex critically ill patients with multi-system involvement

Patient Information

The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University — Department of Critical Care Medicine

• Main Campus: No. 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou 510080
• Nansha Campus: No. 8 Hexing Road, Hengli Town, Nansha District (main line (020) 89998001)
• Hospital main lines: (020) 87755766 / (020) 87332200

For families abroad, the most practical first step is usually a remote records review — sending imaging, lab results and the ICU course summary — before any decision about travel or transfer.

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This guide is prepared for international patients and their families. If you need assistance with medical consultation, appointment booking, or arranging critical care transfer to The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University's Department of Critical Care Medicine, contact Medora for personalized support.