Shiqiang Urology-Focused Internet Hospital: Rebuilding an Online Male Health Physician Pool and Advancing Andrology Beyond Patient Care

VCBeat has previously published a series of articles analyzing Shiqiang Pharmaceutical, which has been developing its offline operations for 25 years.Development Pathand itsInnovative Business LayoutEstablishing the Shiqiang Internet Hospital, with its specialty in andrology, is undoubtedly a crucial component of its strategic layout. In this article, we analyze Shiqiang Pharmaceutical’s Shiqiang Internet Hospital, which specializes in andrology services, and examine the issues that its “Huihui Health” mobile diagnosis and treatment platform—on which its online services rely—aims to address. Furthermore, we explore how it continuously attracts physicians to join the platform, rebuilds a digital pool of online physician resources, and maintains high levels of physician engagement.

As Shiqiang Pharma fully embraces internet hospitals, it has a clear understanding: this is not merely about seeking new growth drivers, but rather a critical factor that will determine its survival in the coming decades.

However, establishing an internet hospital merely addresses survival; how it is built determines its future development.

The ultimate development of an internet hospital featuring andrology as its specialty is closely tied to Shiqiang Pharmaceutical’s corporate DNA. With two decades of deep engagement in the andrology field, Shiqiang Pharmaceutical has accumulated substantial resources, including flagship andrology products with annual sales exceeding RMB 1 billion and offline access to tens of thousands of andrology specialists. The establishment of the internet hospital has further unlocked the potential of Shiqiang Pharmaceutical’s thousands of medical representatives operating in the offline channel.

andShiqiang Internet Hospital, and the “Huihui Health” mobile diagnosis and treatment platform it relies on,In addition to directly benefiting physicians and patients, it can also serve as an important resource for advancing the discipline of andrology in the future.

Two months ago, Academician Wang Qi of the Chinese Academy of Engineering pointed out at the Seminar on Expert Consensus for the Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines of Andrological Diseases in China and the 10th Andrology Expert Summit that “one of the weaknesses in the current development of andrology as a discipline is the lack of big data resource platforms. Relying on big data platforms, we can identify dominant diseases in the field of andrology; only with dominant diseases can we build a strong discipline.”

And the development of andrology as a discipline is not limited to this.

Modern andrology in China has gradually developed since the founding of the People's Republic of China. During research on family planning, Academician Wu Jieping discovered that injecting phenylmercuric acetate into the vas deferens and seminal vesicles to eliminate residual sperm could rapidly achieve sterilization, thereby laying the foundation for the discipline of andrology. In the 1970s, research on gossypol as an oral male contraceptive initiated the development of andrology in China. Subsequently, the organization of a series of andrology training courses and the publication of specialized monographs on andrology further promoted the advancement of modern andrology in China.

It was not until the 1990s that andrology societies were gradually established. In 1985 and 1991, the Chinese Society of Endocrinology and the Chinese Society of Urology, both under the Chinese Medical Association, successively established andrology study groups. In 1995, the Andrology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association was officially founded in Beijing. Driven by the joint efforts of local andrology branches, modern andrology in China has gradually developed.

However, even after 60 years, the challenges in building the discipline of andrology remain strikingly evident. Within China’s healthcare system, andrology is often overlooked, whether intentionally or inadvertently.In the “Catalogue of Diagnostic and Treatment Specialties for Medical Institutions” formulated by the Ministry of Health, “Andrology” does not appear among either the first-level or second-level disciplines.The lack of a dedicated andrology discipline has also hindered its development in multiple areas.

Male diseases often require diagnosis and treatment in departments such as urology, dermatology, and endocrinology.In China, most andrological diseases are managed by the department of urology.Andrology has not yet been established as a standalone course in universities, and public hospitals rarely have independent andrology outpatient clinics and wards, which further hinders the career development of andrologists.

Due to the discipline of andrologyThis disadvantaged position has also indirectly resulted in the lack of a corresponding big data resource platform for andrology., making it impossible to subdivide diseases within the field of andrology and identify dominant conditions for specialized care, which further exacerbates the unfavorable situation hindering the development of andrology.

When Shiqiang Pharmaceutical established its specialized andrology internet hospital, its original intent was to address professional compliance issues and identify a second growth curve. However, during the development process, it also recognized the urgent challenges facing the current advancement of andrology. Consequently, the development of Shiqiang Internet Hospital and the “Huihui Health” platform has expanded from benefiting both physicians and patients to supporting the construction and development of the andrology discipline.

In the Cultivation of Andrology Talent, the “Huihui Health” mobile diagnosis and treatment platform, which serves as the foundation for Shiqiang Pharmaceutical’s services, can effectively address this issue. By transferring offline accessible physician resources to online channels, Shiqiang Pharmaceutical has reconstructed a digital pool of physician resources in the online space.Shiqiang Pharmaceutical can collaborate with leading experts in various disciplines to conduct relatively independent and systematic physician education and training on the “Huihui Health” platform.

In terms of the professional development of physicians, offline challenges often stem from the lack of independent andrology clinics and inpatient wards. However, Shiqiang Internet Hospital, leveraging the “Huihui Health” platform, has provided greater room for development.Andrologists can establish “personal studios” online to further build their personal brands. In this process, they can also engage with senior professors to gain experience and guidance.

More importantly, it isConstruction of the Big Data Resource Platform for Andrology. The underdevelopment of the andrology discipline has led to a lack of big data resource platforms, ultimately resulting in a vicious cycle that hinders further advancement in the field: andrology research is often trapped in low-quality, small-sample, and repetitive studies. AndThe “Huihui Health” platform, pioneered by Shiqiang Pharmaceutical, is preparing for the launch of its big data platform, continuously fostering interdisciplinary integration, collaboration, and the advancement of research projects.Furthermore, the big data resource platform will further empower physicians and patients, better addressing the challenges faced by both parties during the medical care process.

However, to realize the construction of a big data resource platform, the questions facing the “Huihui Health” platform are: How to reconstruct the online physician resource pool? How to attract physicians to go online and maintain their engagement?

VCBeat interviewed an associate chief physician at a Grade 3A hospital in Zhejiang Province, who stated that the factors motivating physicians to adopt online services mainly stem from two aspects: one is to attract more patients, and the other is to better manage patients.

Currently, internet healthcare platforms are exhausting every avenue to acquire physician resources. However, physicians themselves have extremely limited time and energy.Some physicians may be active on multiple platforms; whether their engagement can be sustained ultimately depends on the value provided by each platform.“There are many factors that influence a physician’s decision to use one platform over another,” he stated. “For instance, whether the platform is beneficial to physicians, whether its operation is sufficiently straightforward, and whether it provides physicians with opportunities to demonstrate their professional value, among other considerations.”

The reason for having him join the Shiqiang Andrology Specialty Internet Hospital and maintain an active presence is that“Specialized internet hospitals serve a relatively homogeneous patient population, ensuring the availability of specialty medications, with a more comprehensive supply of exclusive and commonly used drugs.”

Furthermore,The relationship built through years of offline collaboration has also kept him attentive to Shiqiang Pharmaceutical’s transformation.When Shiqiang Pharmaceutical was preparing to build and launch its specialized internet hospital for men’s health, he was among the first batch of physicians to go online. Yet he is merely one member of the vast physician network that Shiqiang Pharmaceutical has reached over the past 25 years.

Perhaps more critically, the professionalism of pharmaceutical sales representatives and health managers has gained recognition from physicians.Throughout the course of physicians' work, Shiqiang Pharmaceutical provides robust support through its team of professionals.These advantages, which Shiqiang Pharmaceutical enjoys in building a specialized internet hospital for andrology and reconstructing its online physician resource pool, cannot be replicated by competitors in the short term.

However, the capabilities offered by Shiqiang Andrology Specialty Internet Hospital extend far beyond this.

For physicians, follow-up feedback from patients after consultations is of paramount importance. It not only facilitates improved patient care but also helps build a positive reputation through demonstrated treatment efficacy. Physicians who prioritize patient follow-up engage in proactive communication with their patients from an early stage. He recalled that, after becoming a physician, he typically provided patients with the department’s contact number to facilitate inquiries, aiming to better serve them; on occasion, he would even share his personal mobile phone number.

There was a time when patients would call him in the early hours of the morning to complain about their deteriorating condition, leaving him with no choice but to listen. With the rise of social messaging apps like WeChat, the problem of unwarranted harassment by patients has improved somewhat. However, drawbacks persist; due to limited energy and resources, doctors often opt for group chats as a means of communication, which fails to adequately safeguard patient privacy.

IncludingThe launch of internet healthcare platforms, including internet hospitals, has significantly improved this situation.As one of the early physicians to adopt the “Huihui Health” mobile diagnosis and treatment platform, he has gained a deep appreciation for its ease of use:Patients need only scan the QR code to follow his personal studio. He can then continue to provide services to patients on the platform, such as issuing prescriptions.

In addition to the platform’s ease of use, its most distinctive feature lies in the efficient management of patients.In reality, physicians have extremely limited time during outpatient consultations, making it difficult to address each patient’s questions individually. In one instance, a doctor attempted to better address patients’ concerns by gathering those with the same condition into a ward for group education. However, this approach ultimately resulted in patient complaints.

andThrough the “Huihui Health” platform, physicians can manage patients by leveraging the platform’s resources. With patient authorization, Huihui Health’s health stewards provide professional assistance to physicians in delivering high-quality patient management. Patient issues are presented as complete medical records rather than chat logs, thereby saving physicians considerable time.He stated that it typically takes him only one hour to essentially resolve the complex issues faced by the existing patient population.

In fact, the physician has consistently maintained a supportive and embracing attitude toward the digitalization of medical practice. He maintains accounts on multiple platforms, where he regularly disseminates educational content on andrology, thereby building his personal brand and continuously attracting patient traffic. However, he is moreValuing patient feedback on internet healthcare platforms, their positive responses not only help physicians adjust treatment plans to better care for patients but also ultimately attract more patients to their offline practices.

In August last year, the "Yinchuan Internet Diagnosis and Treatment Service Specifications (Trial)" required that "Internet hospitals should establish a patient evaluation system for physicians. Patients have the right to provide truthful and objective evaluations of the medical services provided by attending physicians, and Internet hospitals are not allowed to delete such evaluations."Standardizing the evaluation system for internet hospitals has further ensured the authenticity and reliability of assessments. Physicians with significant therapeutic efficacy will benefit from a substantial word-of-mouth effect.

Currently, Shiqiang Internet Hospital is converting doctors’ offline patient traffic into online patient traffic. However, with the growing number of online physicians, Shiqiang Internet Hospital has stated that it does not rule out becoming a more open platform and making it available to patients. For this physician,As the number of andrology specialists continues to grow, an increase in patient volume is inevitable.However, individual physicians will also face greater challenges:Internet hospitals will continuously screen physicians, with those demonstrating superior clinical outcomes, higher ratings, and better service attracting more patients.

When public hospitals establish internet hospitals, physicians often lack sufficient initiative. On one hand, doctors are extremely busy with offline clinical duties; on the other, the compensation offered by public internet hospitals frequently fails to reflect their professional value. Third-party internet hospitals, by contrast, provide a more effective platform.However, the income physicians receive often depends on platform revenue-sharing rules, taxation, and other factors.

Currently, Shiqiang Internet Hospital does not take a commission from doctors' income, allowing physicians to set their own consultation fees. The platform even provides subsidies for follow-up care provided by doctors.In the past, some platforms provided commissions to doctors based on the medications they prescribed, leading to drug abuse. However, Shiqiang Pharmaceutical operates according to patientsCompensation is provided based on the number of patient visits and follow-up consultations., which also requires physicians to prioritize the perspectives of both healthcare providers and patients, rather than abusing their authority in prescribing medications.

In terms of taxation, physicians on most platforms are often subject to high tax burdens. On the other hand, even if some platforms impose lower taxes on physicians, such filings are not made under the category of providing medical services, which raises compliance issues. AndAt Shiqiang Internet Hospital, while ensuring physicians’ tax compliance, lower-than-standard tax rates are also provided, further promoting the transparency of physicians’ income.

During the process of transitioning doctors to online platforms, certain groups may face barriers to going digital. One such group comprises senior associate chief physicians of advanced age, particularly those over 55, who may encounter difficulties in using smartphones and navigating the internet. Another group includes highly renowned physicians who lack the time and energy to provide online consultations; when they do offer such services, these are often handled by their trainees. However, as online presence becomes the norm for physicians, there is now greater encouragement for younger doctors to go online.

Although Shiqiang Pharmaceutical has access to a vast pool of offline physician resources, it has selectively onboarded only a subset of physicians online, rather than pursuing an immediate, full-scale transition.. The reason for encouraging them to do so is to maintain the activity level of online physicians. Meanwhile, a demonstration effect can be established through these active physicians, thereby motivating other physicians to remain active and log on.

With over 20,000 doctors now on the “Huihui Health” platform, there is still room for further development. Huihui Health platform,We are also striving to further equip physicians with tools that better meet their needs, such as platforms for public health education and outreach.In the near future,The “Huihui Health” platform will also launch a big data resource platform to further improve physicians’ diagnostic and treatment efficiency, provide effective support for scientific research, and empower the development of the andrology discipline.