JD Health Honors Internet-Based Physicians on Chinese Doctors' Day, Highlighting Internet Healthcare as a Vital Component of the Medical System

Recently, as the seventh Chinese Doctors' Day approached, the special event “Healers Shine: 2024 Chinese Doctors' Day Special Event,” hosted by JD Health and supported by People’s Health, was held in Beijing. The event paid special tribute to and expressed gratitude to a group of outstanding physicians engaged in internet healthcare. By practicing online, these doctors provide convenient and efficient online diagnosis and treatment services to a broad patient population, thereby promoting the rational allocation of high-quality medical resources. In an era characterized by the deep integration of digital technology and healthcare, internet healthcare is delivering increasing value and has become an important component of the healthcare service system.

“Light of Healers—Special Event for the 2024 Chinese Doctors’ Day” On-Site

In early August this year, JD Health, People's Health, and Sina News jointly launched the “Thank You, My Treasure Doctor” campaign to collect patient-doctor stories, inviting patients to share their moving experiences with physicians. Since its launch, the topic has generated over 200,000 interactions, engaged more than 80,000 users, featured nearly 100,000 patient-doctor stories, and extended gratitude to over 30,000 doctors.

At the event, special guests included Dr. Zhang Shufang, Associate Chief Physician in the Department of Clinical Psychology at Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, and Dr. Sun Xiaoning, Chief Physician in the Department of Cardiac Surgery at Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University. These physician representatives, standing for numerous dedicated and compassionate “hidden gem” doctors, received tributes and well-wishes.

According to the latest interim results for 2024 released by JD Health, as of June 30 this year, the average daily number of online consultation inquiries at JD Health Internet Hospital exceeded 480,000. Since the beginning of the year, JD Health has continued to advance innovation in healthcare services, further enhancing the quality and efficiency of online diagnosis and treatment. Meanwhile, it has sustained its efforts in building key specialties in internet-based healthcare, further consolidating its advantage as the “primary gateway for online diagnosis and treatment.”

Based on this, JD Health Internet Hospital provides physicians with a practice experience consistent with that of offline hospitals, enabling them to derive a stronger sense of achievement and satisfaction from patient care. It has thus evolved into the “leading platform for physicians’ online practice.” This accomplishment would not have been possible without the tireless dedication and contributions of numerous medical experts and physicians.

At JD.com, there is an “unwritten” rule: employees who have served for five years are referred to as “Five-Year Veterans.” This title represents JD.com’s most direct recognition of their professional competence and dedication. Today, this esteemed internal tradition has been extended to collaborating physicians at the JD Health Internet Hospital. At the event, 1,669 collaborating physicians were honored with the “Five-Year Veteran Physician” title by JD Health Internet Hospital for the first time.

 “Five-Year Veteran Physician” Tribute Ceremony

At the event, JD Health Internet Hospital invited three representative “Five-Year Veteran Doctors” to share their experiences of online practice: Zhao Shifeng, Attending Physician in the Department of Dermatology and Venereology at Zhangqiu District People’s Hospital in Jinan; Jin Kai, Attending Physician in Pediatric Surgery at Hubei Maternal and Child Health Hospital; and Li Tongzeng, Chief Physician in the Department of Infectious Diseases at Beijing You’an Hospital, Capital Medical University. Additionally, ten other representative “Five-Year Veteran Doctors,” including Cui Yamei, Attending Physician in Gynecology at Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, and Guo Jiao, Attending Physician in Dermatology at Shaanxi Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, took the stage to be honored.

The event also featured the appointment ceremony for the “Product Experience Committee” of JD Health Internet Hospital and the hiring ceremony for its “Full-Time Physician Experts.” JD Health Internet Hospital aims to leverage the expertise of more distinguished physicians to drive innovation and enhancement in medical services, ensuring that every patient experiences professionalism, warmth, and efficiency throughout their healthcare journey.

A major advantage of internet-based healthcare is that it breaks the temporal and spatial constraints of traditional medical services; patients can connect with physicians anytime and anywhere with just a tap on the screen, receiving timely and professional health consultations and guidance.

Zhu Qixiang, an attending physician in the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Tai’an Central Hospital, once provided online assistance to a patient in critical condition. One evening in February 2022, a woman contacted Dr. Zhu via the JD Health Internet Hospital platform because her mother was experiencing chest tightness, shortness of breath, and an inability to lie flat. Given the patient’s history of hypertension and coronary heart disease, Dr. Zhu suspected a risk of acute left heart failure. He immediately contacted the family by phone through the platform and advised them to seek in-person medical care as soon as possible. Three days later, the patient’s family returned for a follow-up visit to express their gratitude. They reported that the patient had gone into cardiogenic shock while being transported to the hospital that night but, thanks to emergency resuscitation efforts, had since stabilized. Although not physically present, Dr. Zhu was able to secure a greater chance of survival for the patient through remote consultation and professional judgment. This experience represents Dr. Zhu’s deepest insight into internet-based healthcare.

For another example, Jin Kai, an attending physician in the Department of Pediatric Surgery at Hubei Maternal and Child Health Hospital, once urgently scheduled fetal color Doppler ultrasound and fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for an expectant mother in her third trimester who was diagnosed with a diaphragmatic hernia. After birth, the newborn was directly transferred to the operating room for surgical repair of the diaphragmatic hernia. Timely examinations and race-against-time treatment ensured the infant’s safe delivery and healthy growth.

It is reported that as of August this year, JD Health’s Internet Hospital has provided timely online-to-offline referral services to 17,000 patients, while its online post-consultation patient management function has continued to support over 2.1 million patients.

 Speech by Li Dongzeng, Representative of the “Five-Year Veteran Physicians”

Internet healthcare also provides patients with convenient and efficient post-diagnosis management services. Li Dongzeng, Chief Physician of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Beijing You’an Hospital, Capital Medical University, once treated a patient who had been scratched by a cat five years earlier and had since suffered from long-term anxiety. After ruling out the risk of rabies, Dr. Li provided the patient with long-term psychological counseling through the JD Health Internet Hospital, helping him overcome the psychological shadow of fear related to the disease.

It is reported that this year, JD Health has integrated professional medical testing into its online consultation process, transforming online consultations from simple symptom inquiries into a comprehensive “diagnosis–testing–medication” service loop. Dr. Guo Jiao, an attending physician in the Dermatology Department of Shaanxi Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, issued an online laboratory test order via the JD Health Internet Hospital for a patient whose chief complaint was erythema and blisters on the lower left lip for one day. With the test results, physicians can make more accurate diagnoses and provide more specialized treatment plans.

Internet healthcare offers physicians broader career development opportunities. Today, leveraging cutting-edge information technologies such as big data and artificial intelligence can help doctors expand their service capabilities, improve the quality and efficiency of medical care, and thereby better serve patients.

Zhao Shifeng, an attending physician in the Department of Dermatology and Venereology at Zhangqiu District People’s Hospital in Jinan, has gained a profound appreciation for the significant role of AI in online consultations. During one virtual consultation, a patient submitted two relatively blurry photos. Based on his clinical experience, Dr. Zhao initially suspected dermatitis or eczema. However, a pop-up notification from JD Health’s Intelligent Doctor Assistant suggested an 80% probability of herpes zoster (shingles). Consequently, he requested additional clear images from the patient, which ultimately confirmed the diagnosis of herpes zoster. This experience changed Dr. Zhao’s preconceived notions about AI-assisted diagnosis and treatment, convincing him that AI is indeed a “powerful tool” for enhancing diagnostic efficiency and accuracy. It is reported that as of August 2024, JD Health Internet Hospital’s Intelligent Doctor Assistant had become a valuable clinical aid for more than 3,000 physicians.

Electronic prescriptions issued by physicians via internet hospitals have significantly enhanced clinical efficiency. Liu Ying, Chief Physician of the Department of Pediatrics at Mudanjiang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, vividly recalls her first experience with online prescribing. In November 2021, a young boy presented with a three-day history of cough and fever, which persisted despite two days of treatment with cefixime. The child’s parents consulted Dr. Liu through the JD Health Internet Hospital. After reviewing the patient’s laboratory results and correlating them with clinical symptoms, Dr. Liu diagnosed him with mycoplasma-induced bronchitis and promptly prescribed azithromycin online. The child’s symptoms rapidly improved. As of August 2024, the JD Health Internet Hospital had provided hundreds of millions of online prescription renewal services to patients.

Furthermore, JD Health Internet Hospital closely monitors physicians’ professional development, leveraging CME (Continuing Medical Education) courses, academic live streams, and other initiatives to comprehensively enhance their clinical diagnostic and treatment capabilities.

The special event “Healers Shine: 2024 Chinese Doctors’ Day” fully demonstrated the industry value and advantages of internet healthcare. With the continuous development of new-generation information technologies, it is foreseeable that internet healthcare will play an increasingly important role in the future healthcare system, accelerating the implementation of the “Healthy China 2030” initiative.