Thanks to modern technology, availing healthcare has become considerably more convenient especially for patients who can’t afford to travel to good hospitals or queue up for hours. However, Internet-based healthcare is still at its infancy and subject to certain challenges, according to an article by China Daily.
Ningbo Cloud Hospital, located in Zhejiang Province, offers medical advice, diagnosis, and even delivery of medicine as part of the consultation process--all of which are done online.
This has significantly cut waiting times for patients like Zhang Lin, an 84-year-old suffering from hypertension for two decades.
"I used to see Doctor Chen at Ningbo First Hospital from time to time," said Zhang, who had to wake up early, take two buses, and wait in line to set up an appointment with his doctor.
To get an online consultation, a patient must set up an appointment online. The online video consultation includes diagnosis, prescription, and online payment for medicine delivery.
If a patient is feeling uneasy, he can opt to have a physical examination with local doctors first before connecting with doctors at big hospitals.
Ningbo Cloud Hospital is not the only healthcare provider offering smart hospital services. Similar centers have sprung up in Wuhan, Guangzhou and Hangzhou.
Still, experts wonder if smart healthcare can keep up with China's aging population as well as the rising demand for healthcare. The country's new two-child policy is also expected to add some complications.
Despite the challenges, it seems like there is no stopping smart healthcare in the country.
In March 2009, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council jointly issued a document that explored the feasibility of certified doctors practicing in multiple sites. Through the document, doctors were given legal rights to practice in different places. This also allowed them to sign up to online healthcare platforms where they can earn per consultation and private doctor service.
The market's huge potential has already attracted the attention of Internet giants like Tencent and Alibaba. The latter invested $170 million in Jan. 2014 to pilot a third-party online pharmacy. Tencent, on the other hand, invested $70 million on Dingxiangyuan or dxy.cn, one of the country's most popular medical and bioscience websites.