KangKang Blood Pressure Partners with Ali Health to Build a Hypertension Cloud Service Ecosystem

On October 16, 2016, Zeng Mingfa was invited to attend the Apsara Conference, where he shared his vision for a health ecosystem powered by cloud services for hypertension management.

Three years ago, Kangkang Blood Pressure was launched, focusing on devices for hypertension management. According to Zeng Mingfa, “We initially started with portable ambulatory blood pressure monitors—smart hardware—and then expanded into the newly established internet hospital for chronic disease management, the Hypertension Steward service, and an innovative internet finance model in collaboration with insurance companies.”

As a pioneer in the domestic management of hypertension as a chronic disease, Kangkang Blood Pressure has consistently remained at the forefront. It is currently a national-level high-tech enterprise strategically invested by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the Biopharmaceutical Fund of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the well-known listed company Yiling Pharmaceutical. The team possesses professional expertise and backgrounds in internet technology, healthcare, software and hardware development, and big data.

It can be said that hypertension is the leading chronic disease in China. To date, there are 300 million hypertensive patients in China, meaning that one in every four adults suffers from hypertension. Among deaths attributed to hypertension, one in every four fatalities is caused by hypertension-related diseases; annually, more than 2.5 million people die from conditions induced by hypertension.

So, what are the complications of hypertension? First, cardiac complications, such as left ventricular hypertrophy, angina pectoris and myocardial infarction, and heart failure; second, stroke, such as hemorrhagic stroke, ischemic stroke, and hypertensive encephalopathy; third, large and small arteries, such as arteriosclerosis and aortic dissection; fourth, hypertensive renal damage, such as slowly progressive arteriolar nephrosclerosis, malignant arteriolar nephrosclerosis, and chronic renal failure; fifth, ocular fundus changes, such as retinal arteriosclerosis and other funduscopic abnormalities.

Furthermore, the state has prioritized the standardized management of hypertension. Kangkang Blood Pressure aims to address the needs of individuals with hypertension. To effectively achieve this goal, it is essential to first adopt the patient’s perspective and determine what services users truly require.

According to Zeng Mingfa's research, hypertension primarily concerns the following aspects:

First, whether blood pressure is measured accurately. Patients with hypertension may wonder: Is my high blood pressure truly hypertension? Was it measured incorrectly? If it is indeed hypertension, can I avoid taking medication?

Second, how to choose medications for hypertension. For instance, questions such as whether the medication I am taking is appropriate, whether the dosage is too high or too low, whether it is expensive or affordable, and whether this hypertensive condition could lead to fatal or disabling outcomes frequently reported in the media.

Therefore, to address user needs, Zeng Mingfa believes that the first step is to establish a set of monitoring tools. Consequently, when he initially launched his startup, he chose to begin with ambulatory blood pressure monitors, aiming to resolve patients’ uncertainties regarding measurement. Inaccurate measurements can cause significant harm to both physicians and patients. However, determining the accuracy of blood pressure measurement should not rely solely on comparing single readings with traditional mercury sphygmomanometers; rather, it requires accurate assessment through 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.

In fact, human blood pressure follows a “dipper” pattern throughout the day, characterized by “two peaks and one trough,” with levels notably dropping during sleep. Such variations in blood pressure are not captured by traditional hospital-based measurements. Relying on one or two brief readings taken over just three minutes in a hospital setting—where conditions are often incidental and unrepresentative—can easily lead to misdiagnosis of hypertension.

How does Kangkang Blood Pressure ensure measurement accuracy? In the context of big data, accuracy is achieved through the analysis of continuous hypertension data. From the outset, the Kangkang Blood Pressure team has focused on ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and assessment endorsed by physicians. In particular, blood pressure variability during nighttime and early morning hours is difficult to capture without ABPM, yet it holds significant value for medical analysis. Furthermore, Kangkang Blood Pressure has jointly established an Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring and Big Data Processing Center with the Chinese Hypertension League. Experts from leading institutions such as Fuwai Hospital, Anzhen Hospital, and West China Hospital conduct big data analysis on hypertension to ensure the authority and accuracy of our ambulatory blood pressure reports. Secondly, regarding health education at the primary care level, raising health awareness among individual patients is crucial for both patient outcomes and overall prevention and control efforts. To this end, Kangkang Blood Pressure has developed a new media matrix under its "Hypertension Steward" brand, which now boasts over one million users, maintaining a leading position within the industry.

In Zeng Mingfa’s view, merely carrying out these tasks is insufficient, as it fails to address the core of healthcare. If the approach is limited to using measurement tools, how can services be extended after the measurements are completed?

In fact, most patients with hypertension require long-term follow-up visits after blood pressure measurement, during which physicians assess their condition and prescribe medications. This represents a continuous, essential service for hypertensive patients.

Therefore, with the support of the Guiyang Municipal Government, Kangkang Blood Pressure has established an Internet Hospital for Chronic Diseases, dedicated exclusively to providing second-opinion consultations for chronic conditions via online platforms. By leveraging the clinical data from initial diagnoses as a foundation, our online physicians can make relatively accurate assessments, thereby minimizing the risk of misdiagnosis. Furthermore, by issuing electronic prescriptions, we help alleviate the recurring burden on elderly patients and others who frequently visit hospitals, thus reducing congestion and long queues at tertiary Grade-A hospitals. This approach facilitates patient triage and guidance. A key feature of this Internet Hospital is its comprehensive management model, which covers the entire care continuum—from consultation and prescription to daily disease management following medication initiation.

According to Zeng Mingfa, Kangkang is among the first internet hospitals to pioneer a specialty-focused model, operating on the principle that only through specialization can excellence be achieved, whereas other internet hospitals offer general practice services.

Why Build an Internet Hospital for Chronic Diseases? By leveraging the connectivity of the internet, an internet hospital can do more than just provide remote consultations; most importantly, it can capitalize on the inherent attributes of the internet to deliver high-frequency, long-term, and continuous user services. Chronic disease management shares this characteristic, allowing it to benefit from the so-called "long-tail effect" often discussed in the internet industry. This is why Zeng Mingfa remains committed to developing an internet hospital focused on chronic diseases.

In addition, a distinctive feature of the Kangkang Chronic Disease Internet Hospital is its integration of smart home devices that enable continuous monitoring of blood pressure fluctuations. This provides physicians with objective data for clinical decision-making, allowing them to assess medication efficacy and determine whether dosage adjustments are necessary. Such an approach facilitates true big data-driven management for patients with chronic diseases, a capability that was difficult to achieve prior to the advent of internet hospitals.

Healthcare and insurance are sectors frequently chosen by medical entrepreneurs. Kangkang Blood Pressure is no exception. In the view of Zeng Mingfa, financial insurance is an essential service. Since hypertensive patients require daily medication and face the risk of severe complications that could lead to death, disability, or poverty, they need certain safeguards. To address this, Kangkang Blood Pressure has partnered with Taikang Insurance to launch a hypertension-specific insurance product for patients with high blood pressure.

Kangkang Blood Pressure has integrated all services for hypertension management—including patient education, intelligent monitoring, big data analytics, prescription medication, and financial protection—and standardized these offerings. It has become the first hypertension service platform integrated into Alibaba Health (kang.tmall.com). In the future, users across Alibaba’s ecosystem, including Mobile Taobao, Alibaba Health, Alipay, and Yidiegu, will be able to access cloud-based hypertension services. Notably, Alibaba’s “Double 11” shopping festival this year prominently features three key services, one of which is our hypertension service; the other two are reportedly diabetes care and postpartum confinement services.

In the future, we hope to see greater participation in the chronic disease management of hypertension. First, given the large patient population, broader involvement is essential. Second, the services extend beyond mere measurement and treatment to encompass lifestyle modifications, dietary and daily routines, exercise, and other multidimensional aspects. As an open platform, it facilitates integration not only by Alibaba Health but also by many well-known brands such as Huawei, Xingshulin, Yiling Pharmaceutical, Taikang Insurance, and Kangfu Zhijia. Therefore, we look forward to more hypertension management service providers joining us in optimizing the current chronic disease management of hypertension.