VB Weekly Report 0803: Four Major Partnerships Reshape China's Digital Health Landscape

Event

Last week, the hottest topic in China was the successful bid for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Within the internet healthcare community, last week was characterized by a constant stream of news and significant momentum. (⊙o⊙)… We are on the path to victory. Let us now take a detailed look back at last week’s developments.

Alibaba Health Partners with Pacific Insurance.

Last week, Alibaba Health announced the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement with CPIC-Allianz Health Insurance Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China Pacific Insurance Company. This partnership will explore internet-based health insurance products, aiming to develop new models for commercial health insurance services.

According to a relevant official at Alibaba Health, the company may launch health-focused financial products similar to Yu’e Bao and Yulebao in the future, enabling young users to enjoy returns higher than bank demand deposit rates while obtaining health insurance coverage.

Meanwhile, Alibaba Group, the conglomerate’s flagship company, signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Shaanxi Province last week. The two parties will carry out specific project collaborations in five areas: digital internet, e-commerce, online applications, intelligent logistics backbone networks, and Credit Shaanxi.

In addition, three other “teams” have successfully partnered.

IBM's Watson and CVS, the largest drug retailer in the United States.

CVS will leverage IBM’s Watson supercomputer predictive analytics technology to better monitor changes in its customers’ health status.. That is, CVS aims to leverage Watson’s data analytics and predictive capabilities to deliver enhanced personalized, integrated care services, such as the early identification of patients at risk for adverse health outcomes.

CVS stated that it will leverage Watson’s predictive analytics platform to serve its customers across its retail pharmacies, small clinic chains, and its Caremark pharmacy benefit management business.

Next,Mayo Clinic Network has found its first Asian member—Singapore’s Raffles Medical Group.

Raffles Medical Group, established in 1976, is Singapore’s largest private healthcare group, operating 80 clinics and medical centers across Singapore, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. It also manages certain airport clinics in Singapore and Hong Kong, serving over two million patient visits annually. Since its inception in 2011, the Mayo Clinic Care Network has grown to include 30 members spanning 20 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. The addition of Raffles now brings the network one step closer to Asia.

Another pair is Health Road and Sanofi.

TheyJointly Developed Chronic Disease Management App Enters Commercial Trial at Henan Dancheng County People's HospitalAccording to VCBeat, on May 13 this year, Health Road and Sanofi China signed a strategic cooperation agreement, reaching an in-depth partnership in the construction and operation of a chronic disease health management platform. The chronic disease management APP launched in Dancheng is the first application product jointly introduced by integrating the resource advantages of both parties.

In addition to the continuous entry of patient condition data, accurate assessment of complication risks, and early warning and response measures, this app will also provide extensive medical educational resources and professional diagnosis and treatment guidelines.

Back on its home turf in China, Spring Rain Doctor has once again dominated the headlines.

Chunyu Doctor has always been known for its unconventional approach.

For example, offline clinics, incubation services, and so on.Current TV Apps, it has transformed healthcare from a simple tap at your fingertips to remote control at your fingertips.

According to VCBeat, the smart TV app has added four new functional modules: Video, Mall, Devices, and Family. In terms of functionality, a 24/7 paid telephone consultation service has been introduced, enabling doctors and patients to engage in point-to-point, first-come-first-served consultations; video calling features may also be added in the future. Regarding interaction, the product no longer relies on voice control but is instead operated via a remote control. Within the Mall section, users can scan QR codes with their mobile phones to purchase health-related food products, pharmaceuticals, home appliances, and medical devices. Additionally, elderly users can link their accounts with their children’s WeChat accounts, allowing their children to monitor their status and receive relevant alerts at any time.

Furthermore, this smart TV app has partnered with Xiaomi TV, launching exclusively on the Xiaomi App Store and securing a featured placement.

Let’s now turn to new products.

One is a cloud hospital with an officially opened physical entity, and the other is a platform about to go online.

Last week,China's First Cloud Hospital, "Ningbo Cloud Hospital," Begins Physical Operations, marking the full integration of the “Ningbo Cloud Hospital” O2O collaborative platform. The “Ningbo Cloud Hospital” platform had only officially commenced operations in mid-March of this year.

Another upcoming platform, “Guoyu Pharmaceutical Online.”

According to VCBeat, it will be China’s first wholesale procurement platform for the supply chain of general health products and is scheduled to officially launch in Shenzhen at the end of next month. As the country’s first pharmaceutical B2B platform, it has received registration applications from more than 1,200 enterprises since its trial operation began on June 30 this year. The registered entities are primarily pharmaceutical manufacturers, pharmaceutical wholesalers, pharmacies, and medical institutions, with pharmaceutical manufacturers constituting the majority.

Furthermore, Shanghai is set to build a major healthcare platform.

This platform possesses five key attributes: First, it serves as a public platform for the government to fulfill its fundamental responsibilities. Second, it functions as a practice platform for general practitioners provided by the government. Third, it acts as an integrated platform for introducing market resources, with community health centers serving as the primary entities for resource integration within their respective regions. Fourth, it is a service platform through which residents access basic public health services. Fifth, it facilitates the integration of medical care and elderly care. While these five platform roles may appear unremarkable at first glance, they hold profound significance upon closer examination.

It is conceivable that within this open platform, various internet technologies and service organizational models could be integrated to provide services to residents. For instance, if family doctors lack adequate service tools, internet-based chronic disease management tools could be incorporated. Additionally, health management organizations could integrate community health services with commercial health insurance and even basic medical insurance; Jing’an District has already begun introducing Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs).

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Healthcare Reform

Key Breakthrough Areas in Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare During the 13th Five-Year Plan:According to VCBeat, the compilation of the "13th Five-Year Plan for the Pharmaceutical Industry" has entered its final stage. Based on the established framework, medical informatization, biopharmaceuticals, and high-performance medical devices have been identified as key areas for breakthrough development. Analysis indicates that driven by an aging population, consumption upgrades, and the intensive rollout of supportive policies, China’s healthcare industry is poised for explosive growth, making the current period an opportune time for strategic investment at lower valuations.

The National Health and Family Planning Commission Releases Unified Operational Guidelines for Cost Accounting in County Hospitals:The National Health and Family Planning Commission and the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine jointly issued the “Notice on Issuing the Operational Methods for Cost Accounting in County-Level Public Hospitals,” requiring county-level public hospitals to establish and improve cost accounting and management systems, incorporate the promotion of cost accounting into the key performance indicators of the comprehensive reform of county-level public hospitals, and ensure the effective implementation of cost accounting in these hospitals.

Data

The global type 2 diabetes market reached $39 billion in 2021:GBI Research predicts that the global market for type 2 diabetes will grow from $23.5 billion in 2014 to $39 billion in 2021, representing a 66% increase. This growth is primarily driven by rising prevalence rates and the continuous approval and launch of novel therapies. Furthermore, future market growth is expected to come from European markets—including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom—as well as Canada, Japan, and the United States.

Global Online Retail Sales Reached $3.5 Trillion in 2019, with the Rural Market as the Growth Engine:Market research firm eMarketer projects that global online sales will reach $3.5 trillion over the next five years, with rural markets serving as the primary growth driver for e-commerce. This year, global online retail sales are expected to account for 7.3% of total retail sales, rising to 12.4% by 2019. The rapid expansion of the e-commerce market in the Asia-Pacific region is poised to drive a 25% year-on-year increase in the global e-commerce market size in 2015.

Global smart sensor sales are projected to reach $6.9 billion in 2018:According to estimates by market research firm Transparency Market Research, sales of smart sensors with integrated processors are expected to grow at an annual rate of 10%, reaching $6.9 billion by 2018.

Global mobile data traffic is expected to reach 52 million terabytes (TB) in 2015, a year-on-year increase of 59%:Market research and analysis firm Gartner pointed out that global mobile data traffic will reach 52 million terabytes (TB) in 2015, a year-on-year increase of 59% compared to 2014. This rapid growth is expected to continue until the end of 2018, when data traffic levels will reach 173 million terabytes. Gartner analysts recommend that communication service providers (CSPs) reconsider their data caps to meet consumer demand and gain market share.

Technology

Virtual Reality Technology May Also Treat Mental Illness

Dr. Lucia Valmaggia of the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London is utilizing virtual reality (VR) devices to aid in the treatment of conditions such as schizophrenia, psychosis, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. By wearing VR headsets, patients are exposed to controlled scenarios that may induce stress or trigger specific symptoms—such as environments that provoke anxiety or paranoia, including public transportation or confined, crowded spaces.

By analyzing patients’ accounts of their reactions in virtual environments, psychologists assess these responses and formulate corresponding treatment plans. As the experiment progresses, psychologists gain a deeper understanding of patients’ specific needs. Patients are exposed to known trigger scenarios, enabling them to better comprehend their anxiety and learn effective strategies for managing it.

How should I put it? This is actually a very meaningful invention, but rather than providing timely assistance in times of need, it tends to add insult to injury...

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UK Doctors Develop 'Geko' Electrical Device to Help Clear Blocked Leg Arteries and Heal Stubborn Wounds; Trials UnderwayBritish doctors have developed an electrical device called Geko to help clear blocked arteries in the legs and promote the healing of refractory wounds. The device is currently undergoing clinical trials. It works by delivering painless electrical stimulation that mimics the effects of exercise, inducing mild contractions in the leg muscles without requiring patients to engage in strenuous physical activity. Early results indicate that some patients have experienced reduced pain.

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