JD Health and Yixintang Forge Strategic Partnership to Create a New Model for 'Internet + Pharmaceutical Retail'

On November 16, JD Health and Yixintang signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Beijing. The two parties will engage in in-depth collaboration in areas including digital upgrading of pharmacy stores, the JD Health & Yixintang Alliance Pharmacy, internet hospital and physician resources, specialized online healthcare, O2O services, and the traditional Chinese medicine industry chain, jointly creating a new model for “Internet + Pharmaceutical Retail.”

Xin Lijun, Vice President of JD.com and CEO of JD Health (left), and Ruan Hongxian, Chairman of Yixintang Group (right)

It is understood that Yixintang is the first Chinese direct-operated pharmacy chain to be listed and traded on the A-share market, and it is one of the leading enterprises in China’s pharmaceutical retail sector. The company operates more than 6,000 direct-owned chain stores across multiple provinces, municipalities, and regions throughout China. In recent years, Yixintang has established a comprehensive strategy to transform into a health-focused pharmacy enterprise, while actively pursuing digital transformation. Building on its information technology infrastructure, the company has expanded its online sales systems to advance the development of an omnichannel marketing network.

Against this backdrop, JD Health, with its robust industry infrastructure and integrated “Internet + Healthcare” service capabilities, came into Yixintang’s sights and became its preferred partner for digital transformation and upgrading.

In terms of physical stores, both parties will jointly establish an “Internet + Retail Pharmacy” service system with JD Health’s distinctive features, covering the entire patient medication purchasing journey. On one hand, high-quality stores within Yixintang’s retail pharmacy chain will leverage JD Health’s pharmacy SaaS tools to build omnichannel sales capabilities integrating online and offline operations, creating benchmark stores for the “Internet + Retail Pharmacy” model that provides end-to-end services throughout the patient’s medication purchasing process. On the other hand, by combining JD Health’s technological advantages with Yixintang’s operational management expertise, the two parties will jointly launch the “JD Health & Yixintang – Alliance Grand Pharmacy” franchising project. This initiative will introduce JD Health’s medical resources into pharmacies, enabling broader public access to high-quality medical resources from tertiary hospitals through integrated online-offline services. Pilot programs will be rolled out in multiple provinces and cities in subsequent phases.

(Group Photo of the Signing Ceremony)

In the realm of internet healthcare, JD Internet Hospital’s remote pharmaceutical consultation product, “Yao Zhen Dian” (Pharmacy-Clinic), will integrate with Yixintang’s self-built remote pharmaceutical services. This integration will provide Yixintang’s chain stores with convenient access to remote consultations, electronic prescriptions, and remote prescription review services. Currently, JD Health’s “Yao Zhen Dian” service connects with over 65,000 active physicians across China, enabling response times as fast as a few seconds, which will significantly enhance the pharmaceutical care capabilities and service efficiency of Yixintang’s chain stores. Meanwhile, Yixintang’s in-house team of physicians providing remote pharmaceutical services will be incorporated into JD Internet Hospital’s physician network, thereby jointly serving a larger patient population.

Furthermore, over 6,000 Yixintang chain pharmacies nationwide will fully integrate with “JD Medicine Express,” the O2O medication purchasing service under JD Health, to jointly provide users with more convenient and efficient pharmaceutical services. Meanwhile, both parties will leverage the online medical service capabilities of JD Internet Hospital’s 16 specialized centers, including the Heart Center and the Otolaryngology Center, and combine them with Yixintang’s offline chain store coverage and service capabilities. Together, they will promote O2O collaboration in specialized internet healthcare, establish specialized disease sub-centers, and serve local patients with specific conditions.

Yunnan is home to 6,559 species of Chinese herbal medicines. Headquartered in Yunnan, Yixintang has long established a presence in the health and wellness sector. This year, its premium mid-to-high-end tonic brand, Bendian, partnered with JD Health to launch on the JD.com platform. Leveraging this online service “window,” the brand can reach consumers more rapidly and provide them with authentic, high-quality tonic products.

Xin Lijun, Vice President of JD.com and CEO of JD Healthstated that this strategic signing marks only the first step in the collaboration between JD Health and Yixintang. In the future, both parties will further promote the implementation of “Internet + Healthcare” in more scenarios, enabling comprehensive, full-cycle, and all-scenario healthcare services to reach a broader consumer base.

Ruan Hongxian, Chairman of YixintangIt was stated that through this strategic partnership, Yixintang and JD Health will jointly explore new scenarios, pathways, and opportunities in “Internet + pharmaceutical retail” by focusing on areas such as digital upgrading of physical stores, remote consultation and prescription services, O2O models, and the traditional Chinese medicine industrial chain, thereby delivering higher-quality and more convenient healthcare services.