Novo Nordisk and WeDoctor Reach Strategic Collaboration on 'Internet + Chronic Disease Management'

On the morning of September 12, Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, Global President and CEO of Novo Nordisk, Zhou Xiaping, Senior Vice President of Novo Nordisk and President of Greater China, and other senior executives led a delegation to visit the headquarters of WeDoctor Group located at Hangzhou Bay Information Port.

The Novo Nordisk delegation held in-depth discussions with Liao Jieyuan, Chairman and CEO of WeDoctor, along with other relevant executives. The parties exchanged views on the current status and trends of digital health in China, as well as on leveraging internet technologies to support the management of chronic diseases—particularly diabetes—under the framework of the Healthy China Action (2019–2030). They also reached a significant intent to collaborate on “Internet + Chronic Disease Management.”

At the exhibition hall on the first floor of WeDoctor’s headquarters, Cheng Yi, Vice President of WeDoctor, introduced to the Novo Nordisk delegation the company’s nine-year journey in building a digital health platform leveraging technologies such as the internet and artificial intelligence. She provided a detailed overview of innovative practices in empowering primary care through technology, fostering a digital health community, and conducting “online + offline” chronic disease management and health maintenance via internet-based platforms.

Within the primary healthcare cloud business segment, Lars and his delegation expressed strong interest in WeDoctor’s mature practical experience in chronic disease management for Chinese citizens through its Digital Health Community. As a leader in the diabetes field, Novo Nordisk supplies nearly half of the world’s insulin products and provides products and services to approximately 29.2 million patients annually.

China is one of the countries with the fastest-growing prevalence of diabetes. Official data show that the prevalence of diabetes among individuals aged 18 and above rose rapidly from 4.2% in 2002 to 9.7% in 2012. It is estimated that there are currently over 97 million people with diabetes and approximately 150 million people with prediabetes in China, imposing a heavy burden on individuals, families, and society.

At the State Council executive meeting held yesterday (September 11), it was decided to include outpatient medications for over 300 million hypertensive and diabetic patients enrolled in the Basic Medical Insurance for Urban and Rural Residents within the scope of the National Essential Medicines List under medical insurance coverage, with the reimbursement ratio raised to more than 50%.

Recently, the State Council issued the "Healthy China Action (2019–2030)." Among its 15 special initiatives, three are dedicated to diabetes prevention and control, marking the first time that diabetes prevention and control have been included as specific priority actions. The document calls for strengthened health management of patients with diabetes and high-risk populations, and promotes standardization of screening for diabetes and its complications as well as standardized diagnosis and treatment at the primary care level. By 2022 and 2030, the rate of standardized management among patients with diabetes is to reach at least 60% and 70%, respectively.

At the symposium, Liao Jieyuan introduced that, as a veteran in the digital health industry, WeDoctor has been committed to improving the health of the Chinese people through technologies such as the internet and artificial intelligence. By creating a healthcare service model with Chinese characteristics, it aims to promote a shift from a disease-centered approach to a health-centered one.

WeDoctor’s “Healthcare Consortium” model primarily targets China’s vast grassroots level, delivering tiered health services to the public. To date, it has helped multiple cities—including Pingdingshan, Yinchuan, Tai’an, Xiamen, and Longyan—establish digital healthcare consortia. The platform currently serves over 25 million enrolled residents and has received high recognition from government authorities at all levels.

It is reported that Weiyi has obtained approval in Shandong Province for China’s first internet hospital specializing in chronic diseases with qualifications for online diagnosis and treatment. To date, it has provided over 200,000 chronic disease patients across Tai’an City, Shandong, with a one-stop service encompassing online follow-up consultations, e-prescriptions, online medication purchases, online medical insurance payments, and home delivery of medicines. Through this chronic disease-focused internet hospital, physicians can provide online health guidance and interventions to patients, reduce the incidence of complications, and implement comprehensive management throughout the course of chronic diseases.

Senior executives at Novo Nordisk expressed that they were impressed by WeDoctor’s innovative contributions to China’s healthcare reform. Novo Nordisk and WeDoctor share common values and missions since their inception, centering on patients and helping people achieve healthy lives by focusing on innovative technologies and services. The digital healthcare industry in China is developing rapidly, making the Chinese market one of the most attractive regional markets globally. Novo Nordisk hopes to further exchange and cooperate with WeDoctor, steadily advancing digital projects, so that the innovative achievements of both parties in technology, products, and services can benefit more Chinese patients.

Novo Nordisk is a world-leading innovative biopharmaceutical company with a 96-year history and was ranked among the World’s Top 500 Brands in 2018. The company specializes in diabetes care, holding a global leadership position in the development and manufacturing of insulin for diabetes treatment. It boasts the most comprehensive portfolio of diabetes treatments in the industry, including state-of-the-art insulin delivery systems. Headquartered in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 41,600 people across 80 countries and regions, with its products sold in more than 170 countries worldwide.