MEDii Health Files IPO Prospectus to Expand as a Global Bridge for Chinese Healthcare Innovation

Is It Difficult for Chinese Residents in the UK to Access Medical Care?

As one of Europe's four largest economies, the United Kingdom boasts globally leading healthcare standards; however, accessing medical care in the UK is far less straightforward for the Chinese community than commonly assumed.

The UK’s healthcare system differs significantly from China’s. Many people are familiar with the National Health Service (NHS), which provides free healthcare services to all residents of the United Kingdom.To avoid overtreatment, the NHS practices "evidence-based medicine"In the UK, patients seeking care at NHS-supported public hospitals typically require a referral from a General Practitioner (GP), and they are not free to choose their hospital or doctor. Furthermore, the system operates on an appointment basis, with waiting times ranging from one to two weeks to several months; some minor ailments may even resolve spontaneously before the patient sees a doctor.

For Chinese newcomers, relying solely on the notion of “free healthcare” to seek treatment at UK hospitals, compounded by language barriers in medical terminology, is akin to the blind men describing an elephant. In cases of sudden illness requiring prompt treatment, patients may consider private hospitals and clinics. Trusted by the British middle class, UK private hospitals offer higher service quality, more flexible appointment scheduling, and medical expertise on par with that of public hospitals.

As a clinic founded by Chinese professionals in the UK, MEDii Health provides bilingual services to adequately address the healthcare needs of the Chinese community and help them make full use of the high-quality medical resources available in the UK.

In the early years of the People's Republic of China, the healthcare sector was severely underdeveloped. Shortages of medical resources, a lack of qualified professionals, and patients’ inability to afford care were commonplace. For a long time, China lagged behind Western countries in medical equipment and technology, with many medical devices relying on imports. After decades of rapid development, the informatization and intelligentization of healthcare have brought about transformative changes to China’s medical industry, shifting the landscape from difficult access to care to an era of efficient healthcare delivery.

If China’s import of medical devices from abroad represents the “westward transmission of knowledge to the East,” then the original intention behind the establishment of Maide Medical was to promote the “eastward transmission of knowledge to the West,” dedicated to introducing China’s healthcare informatization model to the United Kingdom and integrating it with British medical resources. Founded in London in 2017 by a group of British-Chinese physicians, Maide Medical is currently the only healthcare institution in the UK officially authorized by numerous renowned private hospitals and providing bilingual services in Chinese and English.

Maide Medical's services are divided into clinical medical care and health management.Clinical medical services include biochemical tests, imaging examinations (CT, ultrasound, gastroscopy/colonoscopy, MRI), outpatient consultations (GP/specialist), injection therapies, Western medicine prescriptions, direct referrals for health risks, priority access channels, remote consultations, and cross-border medical care; health management includes basic physical examinations, medical aesthetics (hyaluronic acid fillers, Botox wrinkle reduction, Hydrafacial), lifestyle medicine, and mental health.。

To lower the barrier to accessing medical care and address the difficulties and delays faced by Chinese residents in the UK when seeking treatment, MaiDe Health has launched a membership program. Tailored to different needs, the program offers Qingcong Membership, Maiyou Membership, Dexiang Membership, and bespoke private membership services, with annual fees ranging from hundreds to thousands of pounds. Membership benefits include unlimited in-person private GP consultations throughout the year in London and other areas (consultation fees are included, while costs for tests, medications, etc., are charged separately), expedited access to medical care, referrals to private emergency services, and complimentary annual health check-ups. In addition, MaiDe Health provides a range of other medical and health services, including dental care, prescription issuance and delivery, and psychological counseling, truly delivering a “one-stop” healthcare solution in the UK.

Many practices in the UK healthcare system differ significantly from those in China, such as the cautious approach to intravenous infusions, CT scans, and physical examinations. Adhering to the UK regulatory principle against overtreatment, MaiDe Medical has launched medical services that align with Chinese consumption habits and healthcare needs.

CT (Computed Tomography) scans, which are included in routine health checkups in China, are difficult to schedule and subject to numerous restrictions in the UK, despite its advanced medical system. CT is a digital radiological diagnostic device; through CT scanning, conditions such as tumors, vascular diseases, and inflammation can be clearly detected. While CT has become quite widespread in China, in the UK, CT scans are typically not used as a first-line diagnostic tool for asymptomatic patients.

On one hand, the aim is to spare patients from unnecessary radiation exposure. For the general population, the average effective dose from natural background radiation is approximately 2.4 mSv per year. Medical examinations such as X-rays and CT scans contribute a small additional dose, which varies depending on the anatomical site examined or the type of procedure.The radiation doses from chest X-rays, brain CT scans, and chest CT scans are equivalent to a few days, one year, and several years of natural background radiation, respectively.. Scientific research indicates that radiation doses below 100 mSv generally do not affect the human body; however, if a CT scan is necessary, it is advisable to avoid undergoing a second scan within a short period.

On the other hand, it is related to the shortage of specialized thoracic radiologists and CT scanners in the UK. Especially during the outbreak of COVID-19, CT imaging demonstrated its advantage in rapid diagnosis,In the UK, only 3% of NHS imaging departments can report on routine scans conducted during regular working hours, and the availability of CT scanners lags behind that of most European countries, with just 8.4 CT scanners per million population.

For clinical patients with genuine needs, Maide Medical can directly arrange CT scans, as well as medical imaging examinations such as ultrasound, gastrointestinal endoscopy, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), thereby avoiding disease exacerbation caused by prolonged appointment wait times or rejection by public hospitals due to stringent patient eligibility criteria.

The UK does not have a strong culture of routine health check-ups. In the public healthcare system, aside from targeted screenings for specific populations—such as cervical cancer screening every three years for women aged 25 and over, and specialized tests for individuals aged 65 and above—public medical services generally do not arrange specific diagnostic tests for patients unless there are significant abnormalities or clear clinical indications, let alone comprehensive health examinations.

Currently, an increasing number of private hospitals and clinics in the UK are offering health screening packages; however, these services fall far short of the comprehensive health check-up industry familiar to Chinese users. The main disparities include: significantly higher overall prices compared to those in China, with a full-body examination costing at least £2,000; limited and highly homogeneous test items, offering customers few choices; while high-end customized health checks involve complex booking procedures, exorbitant costs, and prolonged waiting times for appointments.

Maide Medical combines the requirements of the UK healthcare system with the health checkup needs of the Chinese population, launching four major types of health screenings:Health Checkups, Gender-Specific Exams, Cancer Screening, Corporate Health ChecksIn addition to serving the Chinese community in the UK, MaiDe Medical has also provided health checkup services to employees and customers of Chinese enterprises operating in the UK, such as Huawei, China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Merchants Bank. With a comprehensive network of examination items, rapid response capabilities, and a bilingual (Chinese-English) reporting system in the UK, MaiDe Medical facilitates health screenings for Chinese users residing in the country.

In recent years, as the world has entered the information age, the cross-border healthcare industry has begun to emerge, and the concept of international “second medical opinions” has gradually gained prominence. A second medical opinion refers to the practice of patients obtaining a “second opinion” on their diagnosis and treatment plan from a physician at a different medical institution, other than their current treating doctor.

Japan, the United States, and Thailand have long been popular destinations for cross-border medical care. In contrast,The UK’s private healthcare sector leverages the NHS’s technological and pricing advantages to deliver high-quality treatments at costs lower than those in the US, offering greater cost-effectiveness., also attracting many Chinese patients to seek medical treatment.

As a professional medical travel consultancy specializing in facilitating healthcare services in the UK, Maide Medical provides telemedicine and cross-border medical care solutions, seamlessly connecting patient needs with London’s premier medical resources.

Compared to traditional in-person consultations, telemedicine is faster and more convenient, enabling patients to have “face-to-face” communications with UK-based experts anytime and anywhere via the internet, thereby saving both money and time. After the remote consultation concludes, Maide Medical’s professional bilingual medical team will translate the consultation results and second medical opinions into Chinese materials, allowing patients to independently choose their treatment plans. If patients wish to seek treatment abroad, Maide Medical will arrange overseas medical visits and provide all necessary services for receiving medical care abroad.

With over seven years of deep engagement in the UK healthcare sector and a client base exceeding 10,000, Maide Medical has established an extensive local medical consultation network in the UK. By recruiting numerous physicians registered with the Royal Colleges of Physicians, the company has built a highly experienced team of medical professionals and robust clinical expertise.

Currently, Maide Medical hasExclusively contracted with 10 practicing physicians from NHS public hospitals, and supported by a panel of 20 chief consultant physicians specializing in high-demand clinical departments such as oncology, cardiology, respiratory medicine, and gastroenterology. Meanwhile, Maide Medical has established over 50 partner sites for testing and medical consultations across the UK, and has obtained official authorization from more than 30 renowned public hospital private patient units and private hospitals, including The Royal Marsden Hospital, HCA Healthcare UK, and The London Clinic, enabling rapid deployment and appointment scheduling with over 3,000 UK medical experts.。

In 2021, Maide Medical became one of the testing agencies designated by the Chinese Embassy in the UK, providing testing services to numerous corporate clients and travelers to China.

Over the years, Maide Medical has introduced the diligence and efficiency of Chinese professionals, along with intelligent healthcare solutions, into the UK’s relatively conservative and outdated medical system, earning a strong reputation locally. The integrated online-offline model, combining physical medical entities with smart healthcare, has also received positive market feedback.

When discussing the current limitations of Maide Medical, founder Wang Zilin candidly stated, “While Maide Medical has secured abundant high-quality medical resources in the UK, it faces significant disadvantages in China, particularly in remote consultations and cross-border medical care. First, Maide Medical has relatively low brand recognition in China. Second, the company has not yet fully achieved intelligent operations; its remote services currently still rely on third-party applications such as Zoom or Tencent Meeting.”

Therefore, MEDii Health will use London as its hub to continuously expand the scale of its medical complexes in the UK and globally, while enhancing its intelligent consultation system and mobile app to provide patients with more convenient and efficient healthcare services.Currently, Maide Medical has established partnerships with several medical institutions in Germany, Spain, and Portugal.。

Recently, MaiDe Medical was invited to attend the World Digital Therapeutics Conference hosted by the Hainan Provincial Government. In discussions with the organizers, the company expressed its aspiration to establish a cross-border international outpatient clinic in China, introducing renowned international physicians so that patients can access world-class diagnostic and treatment protocols as well as the latest pharmacotherapies without leaving the country.

Amid the wave of globalization, MEDii Health, a comprehensive healthcare entity originating from China and rooted in the UK, aims to serve as a bridge connecting Chinese healthcare with the world. It seeks to export China’s efficiency and informatization models overseas, while accelerating the adoption of digital best practices from China’s healthcare industry in the UK, Europe, and other countries and regions.