WeDoctor's Beijing July 'Cloud Clinic' Serves Over 10,000 Patients Outside Beijing Through Online Medical Services
After the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pneumonia at the beginning of the year, it became difficult for many patients with common diseases and chronic conditions to go out for medical consultations and medication purchases. Beijing is a hub of high-quality medical resources in China, but travel restrictions caused by the national epidemic situation made it even more difficult for patients from other regions to seek medical treatment in Beijing. Internet healthcare platforms were “called upon in times of crisis,” with online free clinics becoming a “second battlefield” in the fight against the epidemic and a new channel for convenient daily medical care for the public.
To facilitate patient access to medical care, on June 30, Beijing Weiyi General Practice Center, the first approved internet diagnosis and treatment base in Beijing, launched a one-month “Public Welfare Initiative Featuring Renowned Specialists from Beijing’s Tier-3 Grade-A Hospitals.” The initiative received enthusiastic support from numerous experts at medical institutions in Beijing. All participating specialists represent leading disciplines from more than 60 Tier-3 Grade-A hospitals in Beijing. With coordination by local physicians or doctors at Beijing Weiyi General Practice Center, patients can consult with these Beijing-based experts via “cloud consultations” simply by using their mobile phones at home, without needing to leave their residences.
Ms. Liu from Hubei Province was diagnosed with a cervical growth at a local hospital. Faced with the local doctor’s recommendation for minimally invasive surgery, she had many concerns. After learning about the “Beijing Top-Tier Hospital Renowned Doctors Public Welfare Initiative,” she contacted Professor Zheng Ping, a gynecological expert at Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, for a remote consultation. Drawing on her extensive clinical experience in gynecology, Director Zheng patiently addressed Ms. Liu’s questions, alleviating her long-standing doubts. Ultimately, Ms. Liu made the firm decision to proceed with surgical treatment.
Mr. Chen, a resident of Pucheng County in Nanping City, Fujian Province, who has suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for many years, was also a beneficiary of this initiative. In mid-July, Mr. Chen connected via video call on his mobile phone with Dr. Huang Tiequn, Director of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at China-Japan Friendship Hospital in Beijing, receiving professional medication advice and guidance on home-based care and rehabilitation. Mr. Chen remarked that in the past, it would take residents from the mountainous areas of Pucheng at least two weeks to travel to Beijing for medical consultations, but now, thanks to the internet, they can easily consult top specialists in Beijing through their mobile phones, which is truly convenient.
It has been learned that, to enable more patients with urgent and specific medical needs to enjoy the convenience of internet-based healthcare, the campaign also launched personalized services such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) clinics, insurance, and private physician programs. During the one-month campaign, the platform provided services to over 10,000 patients across China, covering multiple specialties including internal medicine, surgery, dermatology, orthopedics, and gynecology. The initiative received strong promotion from platforms such as the Xinhua News Agency client app and Xuexi Qiangguo.
On July 24, Lei Haichao, Party Secretary and Director of the Beijing Municipal Health Commission, pointed out during his visit to WeDoctor Group that, in the context of normalized epidemic prevention and control, full advantage should be taken of the “Internet + Healthcare” model to provide the public with safe and convenient diagnostic, therapeutic, and consultative services, continuously improve service processes, and deliver personalized care. Lei encouraged WeDoctor to actively participate in and expand its internet-based healthcare and online consultation services in Beijing, leverage the company’s technological and managerial strengths in digital health, strengthen research into regulatory approaches, pathways, and indicators for internet healthcare, proactively assume corporate social responsibility, and promote equitable access to high-quality medical and health resources through internet-enabled solutions.
It is reported that following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic at the beginning of the year, WeDoctor rapidly launched the “Real-Time Assistance Platform for Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia,” providing users across China with free online consultations, psychological support, online follow-up visits, insurance-covered medication services, and public education on epidemic prevention. As of August 1, the platform had mobilized 66,000 doctors nationwide, delivering over 2.107 million instances of free online consultation and diagnostic services. This experience has been promoted globally as an innovative measure in China’s fight against the epidemic.