How MediBook Thrived Amid the Pandemic: A Cross-border Healthcare Success Story

With the development of socioeconomic standards and the strengthening trends of information globalization and economic integration, an increasing number of patients are inclined to seek out regions and hospitals worldwide that boast advanced medical technologies and abundant expertise, thereby obtaining more timely and effective treatment plans as well as high-quality, high-volume medical services. This has given rise to a cross-border healthcare market valued at tens of billions.

However, under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic that erupted in early 2020, transportation between countries and cities was disrupted, and epidemic prevention and quarantine measures were implemented. These changes directly affected the choices of patients requiring cross-border medical care, and the entire industry faced significant shocks.

Yet, precisely at a time when the industry is facing headwinds, MediBook (Yuyuedao), a cross-border medical information consulting services brand, has continued to see its business grow.

It is reported that during 2020–2021, through platform system upgrades and innovative operational models, the Yuyuedao platform not only achieved an increase of over 10,000 registered users, but also expanded its network of partner suppliers from a Hong Kong-centric base to mainland China, Southeast Asia, and the Americas. The number of registered users on the platform is expected to surpass the first milestone of 100,000 in the first quarter of 2022.

Since its official entry into the Chinese mainland in 2018, Yu Yuedao has been dedicated to integrating advanced global medical resources, making high-quality healthcare readily accessible, and providing users with compassionate products and professional, trustworthy services through a technology-driven healthcare approach.

So, specifically, why has YuYueDao achieved success during the pandemic? What are the underlying factors supporting this? In this article, VCBeat seeks to answer these questions through an in-depth understanding and analysis of YuYueDao.

Based on his personal resume, it is difficult to directly link Mr. Chen Weiping, the founder of Yuyuedao, with the medical industry.

With nearly 15 years of experience in Hong Kong’s financial and insurance sectors, Chen Weiping and her team have accumulated an extensive client base and professional network, including valuable resources in the healthcare sector.

If more than a decade of experience in the insurance industry provided the resource foundation for the later establishment of Yuyuedao, it was a nine-valent HPV vaccine that truly spurred its formal founding.

Due to its efficacy in preventing cervical cancer, the nine-valent HPV vaccine has garnered widespread recognition and support since its market launch. While the vaccine was not approved in mainland China until 2018, Hong Kong had already begun administering it as early as 2015, thereby attracting a large number of individuals to travel there for vaccination. However, the market has also been plagued by issues such as information opacity, price gouging by intermediaries, inconsistent quality among service providers, and unclear vaccine sourcing, all of which have compromised consumer protections.

At that time, Chen Weiping and her team helped clients from mainland China successfully receive vaccinations in Hong Kong by bridging the information gap. This initiative not only enabled the team to accumulate valuable experience in cross-border medical services, but their professional and efficient service also garnered significant support from these early adopters, thereby strengthening the company’s reputation.

Since then, Chen Weiping and her team have leveraged their accumulated client base and in-depth knowledge of the local Hong Kong market to vigorously develop cross-border medical services. Their service model has evolved from initial offline operations and reception to online expansion, establishing a scaled, standardized, and streamlined service system. Meanwhile, their business scope has expanded from initial vaccination services to currently encompassing health check-ups, pregnancy and childbirth consulting, assisted reproductive technologies (ART), and specialized clinical care.

Cross-border healthcare involves not only access to high-quality, high-volume medical services but also challenges related to unfamiliarity with local languages, cultures, hospital information, and clinical workflows for most people. Due to shared language, advanced treatment technologies, and shorter travel distances, Hong Kong has consistently been a preferred destination for mainland Chinese patients seeking cross-border medical care.

Specifically, in the healthcare sector, Hong Kong implements a drug importation system that is synchronized with international standards. Medications approved for marketing in the United States and Europe become available in Hong Kong shortly thereafter; consequently, its medical standards and technologies are relatively advanced.

Moreover, the time and financial costs of seeking medical treatment in Hong Kong are significantly lower than those of traveling to Europe or the United States for care. The introduction of the “Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area” concept in 2018 has also greatly facilitated access to medical services in Hong Kong.

Therefore, considering both cost and effectiveness, it is understandable that Yuyuedao chose to start its operations in Hong Kong. After successfully operating in the Hong Kong region for many years, Yuyuedao has gradually begun to expand its coverage of medical resources in countries such as the United States and Japan, providing customers with more options for cross-border medical care.

Meanwhile, to help users access medical services more conveniently and integrate more health concepts into daily life, Yu Yuedao launched the Yu Yuedao service platform in an app version. Subsequently, it released Version 2.0 of the Yu Yuedao App last year, which directly provides users with services such as cross-border medical appointment booking, personal health management, and online health consultation.

At the operational level, to date, YuYueDao has served over 20,000 client visits. In terms of medical resources, it has established strategic partnerships with approximately 20 enterprises, including EC Healthcare Group, Xinsheng Medical, and Huajian Medical. Notably, more than 200 physicians have been contracted in Hong Kong alone, ensuring robust service capacity.

Amid the pandemic, travel restrictions have impeded mobility, and industry development has likewise faced significant challenges. Yuyuedao’s ability to maintain steady growth in this adverse environment is largely attributable to its business layout in mainland China.

Similar to its overseas service offerings, Yuyuedao has accumulated extensive medical service channel resources in mainland China after years of development. These channels also collaborate with numerous Grade 3A public hospitals to provide green-channel services, supporting users in accessing vaccination, health check-ups, and specialized diagnosis and treatment within mainland China. Even when cross-border medical care is hindered, Yuyuedao can still help users obtain high-quality medical services. Furthermore, last year, Yuyuedao acquired an offline outpatient clinic in Shenzhen, further strengthening its business layout in mainland China.

Furthermore, the strong reputation built through specialized services has also been key to Yuyuedao’s steady development.

In fact, when it comes to brand building, the term “low-key” may be more appropriate to describe Yuyuedao in the past.

"Word-of-mouth marketing has long been regarded by Yuyuedao as a crucial development strategy, leading to the gradual emergence of a unique distribution system."

According to reports, members of the Yuyuedao distribution system were initially consumers who accessed services through the Yuyuedao platform. Due to their recognition of the service’s professionalism, they gradually became part of the Yuyuedao community. Compared with conventional distributors, these consumers, having firsthand experience with Yuyuedao’s services, are better positioned to provide constructive feedback on the services themselves and help Yuyuedao address real user needs. This facilitates service improvements and establishes a positive feedback loop that supports the company’s development.

In its future development plans, Yuyuedao also intends to intensify efforts to gather medical professionals, providing more specialized guidance for optimizing the team’s services. This will also indirectly enhance the service capabilities of the distributor network, ensuring that a greater volume of medical needs receives prompt and professional responses.

Meanwhile, the YuYueDao team will also intensify its efforts to promote the company’s business in mainland China and strengthen brand building. In this process, the team hopes to collaborate with more like-minded investors to jointly realize the original aspiration and value of this endeavor, helping more people gain access to high-quality medical services.