Chinese Internet Healthcare Leaders Reflect on Industry Growth and Future Vision – Spring Festival Special
As the 2019 Spring Festival quietly arrived, we wish all VCBeat readers a Happy New Year and extend our festive greetings! On the occasion of this joyful season, the VCBeat content team has specially curated a series of Spring Festival reports. We have compiled the articles published across various healthcare subsectors over the past year into cohesive chapters, presenting them as our first knowledge package of the new year.
This initiative also invited entrepreneurs and investors deeply rooted in various medical sub-sectors to share their New Year’s messages on the future of healthcare. Amidst the transformative changes reshaping the medical landscape, VCBeat remains committed to identifying innovative forces that are redefining the industry, providing support, and fostering mutual growth.
"The past few years since the advent of internet healthcare have been an era of entrepreneurship for dreamers and pioneers."
Countless entrepreneurs and investors have deduced numerous business models from diverse perspectives, hoping to find their future possibilities in the healthcare sector—a realm that is both untamed and filled with hope.
Fortunately, VCBeat was also founded at that pivotal moment. Along the way, we have accompanied these pioneers and dreamers, witnessing their ideals evolve from seeds to sprouts, from sprouts to growth, and from growth to strength—some even becoming unicorns or successfully going public.
Throughout this process, they endured various trials and bore immense pressure. It is fair to say that their experiences over these years have been richer than those most people accumulate in a lifetime.
On the occasion of the Spring Festival, they looked back on the past and looked forward to the future, sharing these heartfelt words... (The following list is in no particular order)
2018 was a landmark year for the internet healthcare industry, characterized by the frequent introduction of favorable policies and rapid development across the sector.
For Ping An Good Doctor, 2018 was also a memorable year. Its listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in May ushered in a new chapter in the company’s development. Looking ahead, Ping An Good Doctor will continue to leverage “Internet + Artificial Intelligence” technologies to provide every family with a family doctor, every individual with an electronic health record, and every person with a personalized health management plan, thereby building the world’s largest healthcare ecosystem.
We sincerely hope that our efforts will ultimately drive the advancement of healthcare services worldwide, leveraging technology to improve human health.
“Internet + Healthcare” is an industry that demands painstaking effort and long-term dedication. There are no “fast companies” in this sector; entrepreneurs must possess the endurance to run a marathon. Therefore, the companionship and encouragement of teammates along the entrepreneurial journey are invaluable. The fundamental vitality of a startup lies in its ability to evolve. Over the past eight years, WeDoctor has remained deeply immersed beneath the surface, attentively sensing the current and temperature of the vast river of the healthcare industry, thereby identifying breakthrough points and the ultimate path forward.
VCBeat leverages its professional content and data capabilities to track industry trends and support the growth of numerous healthcare entrepreneurs.
In the new year, we hope that students will maintain their physical strength and run every leg of the journey with a better posture for China's medical and health care industry!
2018 was an extraordinary year for both me personally and for Chunyu Doctors. In early 2017, during an interview with Xinhua News Agency, I stated that mobile healthcare and traditional healthcare were accelerating their integration. Looking back after nearly two years, this prediction is becoming a reality. Whether it is the introduction of policies and regulations related to “Internet + Healthcare” at the national level, or the active expansion of internet hospital and online consultation services by enterprises, all evidence points to an unstoppable trend.
In this process, while staying true to its core values, Chunyu Yisheng has made significant progress in multiple business areas through strategic planning grounded in a deep understanding of the industry and a steadfast commitment to its development strategy. This has established three key pillars supporting the company’s long-term growth: health, healthcare, and data.
Looking ahead to 2019, with the introduction of administrative measures for internet hospitals across various regions and the launch of provincial-level regulatory platforms, China will usher in the true inaugural year of internet-based diagnosis and treatment. This new landscape presents both opportunities and challenges. Leveraging policy support and collaborating with partners across sectors to comprehensively improve the quality, efficiency, and patient satisfaction of medical services is a goal that all industry stakeholders should strive to achieve.
Health 160 achieved its full-year revenue growth target of 100% in 2018, and the strategic framework for its medical and health e-commerce platform has taken initial shape. In 2019, we will focus on two key themes: “cross-dimensional integration” and “business intelligence.”
We are a consumer-focused internet enterprise in the broader health and wellness sector, dedicated to leveraging internet technologies to help users find the most suitable healthcare products and services. Making health simpler has always been our mission, and putting users first is a core value we consistently uphold.
“Customer First” means that we will provide users with high-quality products and services, and we will never engage in any actions that harm user interests for the sake of pursuing corporate profits.
“Customers First” also means that we are a compassionate and warm platform. The healthcare and wellness industry addresses fundamental human needs; therefore, we must be a kind and caring team, because kindness is more important than intelligence.
Serenity Leads to Far-Reaching Success: In 2019, We Continue to Forge Ahead Fearlessly Through Wind and Rain!
Symbiosis–Empowerment–Evolution: In 2018, we not only witnessed the transformation of third-party sterile supply centers from their original purely corporate nature under industrial and commercial regulation into a spotlight moment for healthcare institutions, but also embraced the historic opportunity driven by the deep integration of advanced manufacturing and modern services, which propelled supply-side reform in the healthcare sector.
Amidst the sweeping tide of transformation in healthcare innovation, Julikang has not only strived to be an industry leader but also a long-distance runner. By drawing strength from within and fostering symbiotic connections externally, we comprehensively empower the ecosystem supply chain of the operating room.
2019 is destined to be a year in which everyone experiences, adapts to, and learns the value of “slowness.” While “speed” may enable rapid expansion, only “slowness” can foster true strength. After nine years of entrepreneurship, Julikang deeply understands that “slow is fast.” The future is already here; focusing on the present is the key to shaping that future. Julikang is committed to joining forces with VCBeat, integrating our strengths, fostering synergy, empowering individuals, and driving evolutionary growth!
I believe that every initiative, product, and service we deliver is making healthcare more accessible and embracing change in an era of constant transformation. In 2018, we consolidated our product portfolio into Rubik ALL in One, establishing three comprehensive solutions—Smart Hospital, Smart Pharmaceutical, and Smart Medical Education—which have earned recognition from industry-leading clients.
To our partners who have journeyed with us in the fields of mobile health and internet healthcare, thank you for your collaboration. We also extend our gratitude to VCBeat for its steadfast support of healthcare entrepreneurs. Since 2019, the healthcare industry has undergone profound structural changes. We look forward to VCBeat standing at the forefront, documenting this historic moment.
The year 2018, which has just passed, was a particularly meaningful year for Haodafu:
This year, the number of patients served by Haodaifu exceeded 50 million, and the number of public hospital physicians providing services on the platform surpassed 200,000. An increasing number of doctors and patients have placed their trust in us;
That year, Haodaifu launched remote outpatient services, gaining recognition from leaders at all levels, including the Premier, and truly making the internet a key tool for “tiered diagnosis and treatment.”
This year, Haodafu underwent a fundamental restructuring to fully support the expert (physician) team model, laying a foundational basis for increasing the supply of high-quality medical services.
That year, Haodaifu, as one of the initiators, established the Yinchuan Internet + Medical Health Association, promoting industry development through dimensions such as self-regulation, communication, and policy advocacy...
In the long run, quality is the best guarantee for maintaining customer loyalty, and medical quality is even more the foundation for the survival of internet healthcare enterprises.
In 2019, the landscape of the entire pharmaceutical industry will undergo significant changes. Haodaifu will continue to strengthen its core competencies, solidify service quality, and further provide trustworthy services for doctors and patients.
Thanks to VCBeat for documenting the growth of internet healthcare!
“Remember the source when drinking water; repay kindness with utmost gratitude.”Huimei Technology has received strong support from partners across the board since its inception, helping us sharpen our competitive edge and achieve outstanding results.
2018 was a pivotal inaugural year for hospital informatization development and healthcare technology enterprises. The successive rollout of national policy documents, such as “Internet Plus” and “Document No. 20,” presented both opportunities and challenges. Fortunately, we remained steadfastly focused on the quality of clinical diagnosis and treatment, strengthened our product moats, and solidified the foundation of our services before the emergence of this major industry trend.
Over the past three years, we have engaged deeply with frontline clinical settings to listen to the feedback and requirements of our partners, mobilizing company-wide resources to actively implement improvements and continuously optimize our products and services. The Dr. Mayson Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) has evolved from “Version 1.0,” which focused on providing diagnostic and treatment recommendations, to “Version 2.0,” which better aligns with the multi-level needs of clinical practice, scientific research, and medical record quality. This upgraded system encompasses diagnostic and therapeutic decision support, disease risk prediction, medical record quality control, and management of the substantive quality of medical records. We are committed to advancing AI-based CDSS as an intelligent tool for healthcare quality management.
Currently, Dr. Mayson has deployed clinical intelligence and standardization solutions for nearly 50 large general hospitals, helping nearly 20 of them pass domestic and international electronic medical record (EMR) rating assessments.
Looking back, our growth has been inseparable from your attention, support, trust, and participation. Your understanding and trust are the inexhaustible source of our progress. Every instance of your participation and every suggestion you offer endows us with boundless confidence and strength on our journey forward. Looking ahead, we face a long and arduous road; only by taking each step with diligence and determination can we move forward.
In recent years, Chengdu Tianfu Software Park has centered on “building platforms and fostering connections,” strengthened resource integration, and evolved from a park service provider into a resource integrator and industry catalyst.
In the future, we will focus on cutting-edge technologies, the integration of the new economy with traditional industries, and the national “Belt and Road” Initiative, so as to build an industrial ecosystem and drive industrial innovation.
The healthcare and wellness industry is also one of the key sectors that Tianfu Software Park has long focused on. To date, we have successfully nurtured a large number of well-known enterprises, including Medlinker, Codoon, Bounce Tech, and 23Mofang.
We sincerely appreciate VCBeat’s continued strong support for Tianfu Software Park and its enterprises. In 2019, we look forward to collaborating closely with VCBeat to jointly promote the robust growth of the healthcare and wellness industry.
Only when the four key elements of innovation are met can industry-wide innovation begin to scale. Document No. 26, issued in 2018, along with a series of subsequent supportive policies, clearly conveyed one message: 2018 was truly the inaugural year of “Internet + Healthcare.”
The innovation-driven healthcare industry, vast and exceedingly complex, presents both a rare historical opportunity and a formidable challenge. Fortunately, this journey is just beginning, and Weimai is already on its way.
In 2019, riding the tailwinds of the internet healthcare industry, we stayed true to our original mission and devoted ourselves wholeheartedly. When the direction is right, speed is secondary; forging ahead without needing to restart is the fastest path forward! We also wish VCBeat continued success in 2019!
Will a new wave of vertically focused media outlets with nationwide influence still emerge in the new media era?
At the very least, VCBeat is one of them.
Our initial encounter with VCBeat was purely coincidental. As the local health administrative authority, we aim to leverage this healthcare reform in Yuhuan to dismantle the remnants of the fragmented independent medical service system and overcome the barriers of managed care. Internally, we seek to establish an integrated healthcare delivery system; externally, we intend to attract investment across all segments of the health industry chain, thereby building a Health Community.
Guided by our assessment of industry trends, we have focused on innovative sectors within the healthcare industry, which aligns precisely with VCBeat’s strategic focus. Through a series of exclusive interviews, the Yuhuan Municipal Government and VCBeat collaborated to produce a thematic report and host a press conference, thereby establishing an industrial model for this sector. We have driven the evolution of this model from the macro to the meso and micro levels, from surface-level observations to in-depth industry analysis, and from a mere focus on data to an emphasis on the people behind the data. Gradually, this shared vision has brought us closer together with VCBeat.
We appreciate VCBeat’s support for Yuhuan’s healthcare reform efforts in 2018, and look forward to ushering in a new era of collaboration with VCBeat in 2019.
The “Internet + Healthcare” policy issued by the state in 2018 is of milestone significance—the innovative DNA of “Internet+” plays a major role in addressing the uneven distribution of high-quality medical resources in China and promoting the decentralization of such resources to primary care levels under the tiered diagnosis and treatment system.
In the new year, Daxiang Doctor and VCBeat will join hands to uphold the pledge of “making healthcare accessible,” promote a new model that integrates online consultations with offline physical services, and remain committed to our original mission of benefiting the general public as we forge ahead.
Best wishes to VCBeat, to the healthcare industry we are jointly engaged in, and to our great era and our motherland! Let us strive together!
Every time we see entrepreneurs acknowledge the content produced by VCBeat, we are deeply thrilled. This is because each topic we cover not only captures the attention of industry professionals but also generates high levels of engagement.
Taking internet healthcare as an example, from the launch of Yinchuan’s Internet Hospital Supervision Platform in February 2018, to the introduction of new regulatory policies, and then to the widespread adoption and establishment of internet hospitals by directors of major Grade-A tertiary hospitals, we have provided detailed coverage at every stage. We analyze the changes brought about by this transformation to China’s healthcare industry from multiple perspectives, including those of entrepreneurs, the government, and hospitals.
Below is a review of the article:
1."Internet Healthcare: The True Dream"
Over the past two months, key national leaders and institutions have increasingly focused on internet-based healthcare and online hospitals. From Shanghai to Yinchuan, from first-tier cities to remote areas, and ranging from personal inspections by leaders to the issuance of official documents by regulatory bodies, internet-based healthcare has reached a true turning point within the span of a year.
In September,The internet healthcare industry has ushered in a historic moment. The National Health Commission has issued three new regulations on internet healthcare, signaling the arrival of a golden era for practitioners.
We also released this news at the earliest opportunity:
Subsequently, we also strategized on relevant articles. Due to the implementation of this policy,Not only does it legitimize internet healthcare companies, but it also provides reference material for their development pathways.
3.On the day following the policy announcement, we first released content for the enterprise side.[Key Takeaways: New Regulations on Internet-Based Diagnosis and Treatment Take Effect—Exploring Future Trends in the Internet Healthcare Industry Through the Nine Business Strategies of Leading Companies]
We conducted in-depth interviews with the CEOs of multiple internet healthcare companies to provide a comprehensive interpretation of the new regulations, and we compared and analyzed the business models of leading enterprises. We extend our special gratitude to these companies for their support and assistance to VCBeat; it is your participation that has made our article more substantive.
A Note of Thanks from the Reporter: Special thanks to all of you, as most of our interviews and fact-checking took place in the evenings. Thank you to each leader, and to every colleague and friend who helped us complete this article. It is your support and assistance that enabled us to deliver our stories to readers at every critical moment.
On the hospital side, we have planned an article as follows:
Hope to LearnHow Will Medical Institutions at All Levels Across China Launch “Internet + Healthcare” Services?
Since then, medical institutions across China have launched a wave of internet hospital construction:
Maternal and child health, a vertical sector with considerable depth and breadth, remains a popular focus. This is driven by the substantial demand for healthcare services among women and children, as well as the renewed expansion of the internet healthcare market in this field following the relaxation of the two-child policy.
In this booming sector, traditional maternal and child health hospitals are keeping pace with startups. The Guangdong Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital has emerged as a pioneer by establishing China’s first provincial-level internet hospital platform dedicated to women’s and children’s health. This platform also serves as the Women’s and Children’s Health Service Base of the WeDoctor Greater Bay Area Collaboration Platform.
Reporter's Notes:Dean Huang is a very amiable administrator. From the start of the event through the interview and even during meals in the hospital cafeteria, he showed great care for his guests, frequently inquiring after their well-being. He carried no air of authority, instead appearing as approachable and kind as a familiar elder.