WeDoctor's First Medical Insurance Prescription Marks Nationwide Rollout of Integrated O2O Primary Care Model
VCBeat has learned that Ms. Zhang, a resident of Xiaoshan, returned to the WeDoctor General Practice Center (Xiaoshan) for a follow-up examination on August 11 due to concerns about abnormal findings in her health checkup a few days earlier. After completing consultations and examinations with her family doctor, Ms. Zhang used her medical insurance card to pay for laboratory tests, medications, and other fees. The outpatient charge slip, bearing computer number 201700130000001, became China’s first medical insurance prescription issued under the new “Internet + Family Medicine” model pioneered by WeDoctor General Practice nationwide.
On August 11, WeDoctor General Practice announced the above news via its official WeChat account, marking that the online-to-offline (O2O) general practice center service model pioneered by WeDoctor, a leading internet healthcare platform in China, has received medical insurance support. On the same day, reporters learned from the Beijing Administration for Industry and Commerce that WeDoctor General Practice’s Xicheng Center in Beijing had obtained license approval on August 8 and completed site selection at Xidan.
Just 90 working days after its opening, the first WeDoctor General Practice Center in Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou, completed all medical insurance approval procedures and prioritized the activation of Xiaoshan medical insurance coverage. Full integration with Hangzhou’s municipal medical insurance system is expected within two weeks. It is reported that site selection and construction will be carried out successively in cities such as Jinan, Nanjing, Chengdu, and Shenzhen. Previously, WeDoctor General Practice signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Luneng Group, with the first collaborative project to be launched in Jinan.
WeDoctor General Practice Centers are a chain of medical institutions established by WeDoctor, integrating online internet platforms with offline physical entities, through which WeDoctor has built a controllable, closed-loop healthcare service system. Led by Professor He Chao, former president of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital affiliated with Zhejiang University, WeDoctor General Practice was developed in accordance with the highest global healthcare standards—JCI accreditation and the 4S standards for general practice. Leveraging information technology platforms and mobile health technologies, it provides individuals, families, and enterprises with one-stop health maintenance and medical services encompassing prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation.
More than four months after its opening, WeDoctor General Practice has established four core competencies: a membership service system transitioning from passive medical care to proactive health, ultimate resolution capabilities, technology-led innovation, and premium service experience. It has completed the construction of a health management system that covers the entire life cycle—from children to adults and the elderly—providing services such as disease diagnosis and treatment, health promotion, chronic disease management, and follow-up care. A series of products centered on “proactive health,” including the Children’s Health Plan, Family Premium Health Plan, Enterprise 1+X Physical Examination, and Child Growth and Development Assessment, have been launched successively. These services support payment via commercial insurance, cash, institutional group examinations, and basic medical insurance.
The utility of the Internet is fully demonstrated in this model. Leveraging WeDoctor as a massive “connector,” WeDoctor General Practice has established medical service platforms both domestically and internationally, providing members with efficient health record management, disease consultation, video consultations, electronic prescriptions, and medication delivery services. Currently, it serves over 4 million members, delivering offline health services to thousands of members and residents, while online services have reached tens of thousands of instances. To date, 22 international and domestic consultations and referrals have been completed.
Statistics show that, comparable to the ratio of Kaiser Permanente in the United States, over 70% of WeDoctor General Practice members use the WeDoctor App and personal WeChat accounts to contact their family doctors and discuss medical conditions, while 20% use telephone calls. The well-developed online services enable members to complete service interactions entirely online, significantly reducing the proportion of offline visits and greatly improving service efficiency compared to traditional models.
“Building the ‘Starbucks of China’s Healthcare Industry.’” He Chao revealed that WeDoctor General Practice will continue to advance its plan to establish 100 chain general practice centers nationwide within the next three years through an open model. He Chao introduced that, to achieve round-the-clock accessibility and enhance user experience, WeDoctor General Practice is leveraging technological tools such as WeDoctor Cloud, remote monitoring and smart peripheral devices, knowledge-based Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS), and internet platforms to further upgrade its existing service system. In the future, general practice services will introduce a new paradigm of proactive health concepts and experiences to China’s healthcare industry.