WeDoctor Orthopedics Expands 'Chongqing Model': International Integrated Medical-Educational-Research Base for Orthopedics Launches in Chongqing
On April 25, the Academic Symposium of the International Orthopedic Medical-Education-Research Integrated Base and its Inauguration Ceremony were held in Chongqing, marking that Chongqing will fully assume the responsibility for physician education and patient medical services in Southwest China by leveraging its advantages in the interconnectivity of high-quality international medical resources, thereby promoting the balanced development of medical resources between eastern and western regions from the three aspects of “medical care, education, and research.”
Nearly 200 orthopedic experts, primary healthcare professionals, industry chain partners, and media reporters from across China gathered together to jointly witness the unveiling ceremony of the “ASIA Clinical Training Center for Joint Arthroplasty,” the “Weiyi Orthopedics Southwest Training Base,” and the “Chongqing Weiyi Orthopedic Hospital.”
Wang Yan, Founding Chairman of the Asian Society for Arthroplasty (ASIA) and renowned orthopedic expert; Wu Haishan, Chairman of ASIA and renowned joint surgery specialist; Li Ke, CEO of Zhongkang Meifu; Liu Zhengrong, Founder and CEO of VY Orthopedics; Zhao Hui, Chief Medical Officer of VY Orthopedics and Dean of VY Northwest Center in Yinchuan; Liu Ming, Dean of Chongqing VY Orthopedic Hospital; and other distinguished guests attended the inauguration ceremony. Also present were industry partners from VY Orthopedics’ ecosystem, including Weigao, Zimmer Biomet, MicroPort, Hengrui Medicine, and Chuangsheng.
“Chongqing Weiyi Orthopedic Hospital – International Integrated Base for Orthopedic Medical Care, Education, and Research” is China’s only comprehensive specialized medical base that integrates internet technology with medical care, education, and research. It also serves as the first offline physical facility in Southwest China established by Weiyi Orthopedics, China’s largest physician group. Levering Weiyi Orthopedics’ nationwide network, which encompasses over 85% of orthopedic physicians in China, the base will officially launch medical services, physician education, and medical research focused on orthopedics upon its completion. This initiative aims to further amplify the radiating impact of high-quality medical resources and promote the overall development of healthcare in Chongqing and the broader Southwest region.
In his opening remarks at the launch ceremony, Liu Ming, President of Chongqing Weiyi Orthopedic Hospital, stated: “The International Orthopedics Medical-Education-Research Integrated Base serves as a dedicated hub for physicians, functioning as both their professional home and a platform for career development. By leveraging the internet, we facilitate collaborative learning and professional advancement among clinicians, enabling them to jointly provide comprehensive patient care and expert team support. This makes it possible to achieve boundary-free, multi-party co-creation in medical practice, education, and research.”
An overview of the current state of healthcare in China reveals that factors such as the “siphon effect” of talent toward large hospitals and the country’s “state-run hospitals plus state-employed physicians” training model have become impediments to medical reform. Challenges to innovation in healthcare reform include the lack of continuing education opportunities for physicians in remote rural areas and the excessive workloads of doctors in tertiary Grade A hospitals. Key issues that innovative models must address include achieving a balanced allocation of medical resources, improving physician re-education, shifting patients’ healthcare-seeking behaviors, and deepening medical reform.
Professor Wu Haishan, President of the Asian Society for Arthroplasty (ASIA), affirmed Weiyi Orthopedics’ outstanding contributions to the development of orthopedics in China over the past five years. He also highlighted the boosting impact that the establishment of the “Chongqing Weiyi Orthopedic Hospital – International Integrated Base for Orthopedic Medicine, Education, and Research” will have on healthcare in Southwest China: “In the internet era, geographical boundaries are irrelevant. As an offline liaison platform connecting Chinese orthopedic societies with their global counterparts, the base will create a stable environment for international exchange and interaction among orthopedic surgeons in Chongqing and the Southwest region, thereby amplifying the radiating effect of high-quality physician resources. Meanwhile, it will provide patients with the most attentive humanistic care, serving society as a whole.”
As China’s leading orthopedic healthcare group, Weiyi Orthopedics has achieved comprehensive brand penetration across hospitals, physicians, allied health professionals, and the industrial sector over the past five years. In the future, through the establishment of integrated medical-educational-research bases and other tangible initiatives, the Weiyi brand will achieve full coverage from the D-side (physicians and hospitals) to the C-side (patients), thereby channeling medical resources toward enhancing public welfare and social value.
At the inauguration ceremony of Chongqing Weiyi Orthopedic Hospital, an internet-based smart hospital, Zhao Hui, Chief Medical Officer of Weiyi Orthopedics, connected via a 5G broadband remote video link with medical professionals in Yinchuan and Beijing, immersing attendees in the application scenario of “telemedicine.”
Liu Ming, President of Chongqing Weiyi Orthopedic Hospital, stated in a post-conference media interview, “Telemedicine is not merely a medical service offering, but a multi-party win-win solution. To encourage patients to seek treatment locally, we must adopt the patient’s perspective, address their trust issues regarding local hospitals, and understand their psychological drive to travel to major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou to consult specialists. Leveraging high-definition connectivity in the 5G era, remote consultations spare patients the hardship of long-distance travel, enabling them to receive diagnostic opinions from top-tier domestic and international experts locally. This approach saves money and effort while providing greater peace of mind. Meanwhile, local physicians enhance their professional capabilities rapidly by learning the diagnostic reasoning and clinical experience of specialists at major hospitals through participation in remote consultations. Local hospitals retain patients and increase their service volume, while specialists at major hospitals efficiently disseminate their expertise through this online ‘grassroots outreach’ model, breaking through temporal and spatial barriers to truly empower primary care institutions and benefit the public.”
In addition, President Liu Ming introduced, “By integrating technology with intelligent applications, doctors, departments, and teams across the hospital will form an organic whole under the philosophy of ‘patient-centered care, grounded in integrity and trust,’ covering the entire cycle of patient diagnosis and treatment. We provide patients with fully transparent cost breakdowns and clear, comprehensive care pathways, ensuring end-to-end traceability. Our services are both convenient and smart, addressing both emergencies and complex medical challenges.”
Intelligence Reveals Inner Quality; Quality Ushers in a New Era. In 2018, Premier Li Keqiang visited Yinchuan First People’s Hospital, drawing widespread attention to the “Weiyi Northwest Yinchuan Model.” During the post-visit interviews, Zhao Hui, Chief Medical Officer of Weiyi Orthopedics and Dean of the Northwest Center of Yinchuan Weiyi Internet Orthopedic Hospital, shared the achievements of the Northwest Yinchuan Model: “Through digital transformation of hospital wards, we increased the hospital’s patient volume by approximately one-third within less than a year, significantly boosted the number of complex surgeries performed by physicians, and reduced the turnover time between surgeries to 30–45 minutes. Meanwhile, patients’ medical expenses were reduced by around 15%.”
“These successes in clinical practice, teaching, diagnosis, and treatment are all attributed to the efficient operation and management of the ‘Yinchuan Model.’ The Weiyi ‘Chongqing Model’ will be another innovation built upon the ‘Yinchuan Model,’ tailored to the Southwest region.”
Weiyi Brand focuses on physician education, achieving a penetration rate of over 90% in the field of orthopedics. However, it remains an “innovative entity” to the general public. Ms. Liu Zhengrong, Founder and CEO of Weiyi Orthopedics, told reporters: “In the past, we have been dedicated to empowering physicians, maintaining a low-profile brand presence. This is because physicians’ professional growth relies primarily on word-of-mouth and patients’ personal experiences, with their recognition being minimally influenced by advertising. With the completion of our integrated medical, educational, and research base, we will build an internet-linked medical consortium system that empowers grassroots healthcare providers and bridges communication between doctors and patients. In the future, the public will come to know Weiyi through broader areas of medical innovation and services.”
Regarding the future development of Weiyi, Ms. Liu Zhengrong told reporters, “‘Dedicating the rest of my life to orthopedics’—this is the conviction I have upheld since founding Weiyi Orthopedics. In the future, Weiyi will continue to faithfully adhere to its mission of ‘Empowering Doctors’ Futures, Safeguarding Patients’ Health.’ We will strive to build a multi-level integrated base for medical practice, education, and research, working tirelessly to promote the balanced development of medical resources between eastern and western China, improve the medical talent training system, and enhance the international influence of China as a major power in orthopedic healthcare.”