WeDoctor to Launch Its First Full-Service Clinic in Hangzhou This December, Aiming to Become the 'Starbucks of Healthcare'

WeDoctor, which had long operated in a “virtual” space, is finally making significant strides into the offline sector. VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) learned from WeDoctor’s recruitment announcements for its General Practice Centers that the company’s first such center will open in Hangzhou this December, with plans to establish 100 chained general practice centers within five years, aiming to become the “Starbucks” of China’s healthcare industry.

Previously, Liao Jieyuan, Founder and CEO of WeDoctor, mentioned the initial plans for WeDoctor’s General Practice Centers in a media interview: In 2016, WeDoctor began establishing general practice medical centers, with facilities ranging from 800 to 2,000 square meters. Each center is staffed by dozens of physicians, with an average investment of RMB 15 million to RMB 20 million.

It is reported that WeDoctor General Practice Center is a physical medical institution independently established by WeDoctor, under the leadership of Professor He Chao, a professor of surgical oncology at Zhejiang University School of Medicine and former president of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital affiliated with Zhejiang University School of Medicine.

The General Practice Center is a vital component of WeDoctor’s integrated operations, encompassing online consultations, remote multidisciplinary consultations, and offline medical services. It primarily delivers online diagnosis and treatment, remote expert consultations, and in-person medical care. The center houses multiple departments, including General Practice, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Dentistry, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Dermatology, Psychology, Clinical Laboratory, and Medical Imaging. It is committed to providing comprehensive, continuous, and family-oriented healthcare services and health maintenance.

Currently, WeDoctor General Practice Center has launched recruitment for full-time medical and nursing staff. In the job posting, the center describes its vision as “becoming a leader in China’s internet healthcare and family medicine, dedicated to promoting the health of families and communities,” highlighting its strategic focus on family health.

In addition, WeDoctor’s General Practice Centers offer personalized services by establishing exclusive personal health profiles through customized health assessments. Leveraging information platforms and mobile medical technologies, they provide comprehensive and continuous basic healthcare services, including disease diagnosis and treatment, health interventions, chronic disease follow-up, and rehabilitation management.

The General Practice Center represents a significant step in WeDoctor’s exploration of tiered diagnosis and treatment: after the initial consultation by a general practitioner, a determination is made as to whether referral to a specialized hospital is necessary, which constitutes a critical component of the triage process.

In addition to building its own offline clinics, WeDoctor is also actively collaborating with third-party institutions to gradually roll out various “WeDoctor”-branded specialty clinics across China. VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) is currently communicating with WeDoctor’s official team for further information and will follow up with a report.