Epic Imaging: A 24/7 U.S.-Based Remote Radiology Platform Bridging Diagnostic Gaps in China
When a person receives an initial diagnosis of a tumor, the next logical step is undoubtedly to seek further confirmation from multiple hospitals. However, after undergoing imaging examinations at one hospital, patients typically receive only printed films and are not provided with a CD containing the complete set of digital images. Furthermore, the quality of medical imaging interpretation varies significantly across institutions. This means that patients must register for appointments and undergo repeat imaging scans at each hospital where they seek a second opinion. For an ordinary individual, the process of consulting specialists at major hospitals in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou is extremely burdensome; merely waiting in line for imaging scans can be exhausting enough to cause significant mental and physical strain.
More daunting than the difficulty of seeking medical care is the fact that in many hospitals across second- and third-tier cities, the misdiagnosis rate for complex and refractory diseases reaches as high as 30% annually, while 70% of clinical diagnoses rely on medical imaging. Improving the accuracy of medical imaging diagnosis is precisely what Beijing Aipeike Medical Imaging Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Aipeike”) is dedicated to achieving.
Where do customers come from?
Wu Xinhua, CEO of IPEK, told VCBeat that the company is currently adjusting its strategy. While it previously focused more on the B-side (hospital) market, it now places equal emphasis on both the B-side and the C-side (patients).
The specific operational approach involves collaboration with health insurance providers and medical examination centers. “Having U.S. imaging specialists interpret scans can be regarded as a value-added service offered by insurance companies and check-up centers, which users may choose to utilize at their discretion.”
It is reported that iPEC has launched its “E+ Plan,” initiating strategic collaborations with insurance companies, health checkup providers, commercial banks, and airlines. Prior to partnering with iPEC, domestic high-end health examination institutions lacked diagnostic services such as CT, MRI, and PET-CT scans; this partnership effectively addresses this gap. Insurance companies offering products such as critical illness insurance and premium commercial medical insurance can leverage their integration with iPEC to specifically meet additional diagnostic needs of certain customers. This collaboration not only enhances service quality and expands business scope but also reduces insurance claim costs.
Wu Xinhua believes that as public awareness of health improves, more people are willing to undergo early preventive screening for major diseases. Regular health check-ups and purchasing critical illness insurance have become mainstream approaches to proactive prevention. “In particular, some affluent individuals are inclined to trust the advisory opinions provided by American experts.”
“In fact, the diagnostic consultation opinions we currently provide to patients are equivalent to medical imaging diagnostic reports in the United States. However, since U.S. physicians do not have the right to practice medicine in China, this report is legally considered only a diagnostic consultation report in China,” said Wu Xinhua. Moving forward, iPatient will seek to collaborate with more high-end health screening institutions and insurance companies that are interested in partnership.
Furthermore, iPatientCare is also attempting to engage directly with end consumers via WeChat, its website, and an app currently under development. Its target audience includes patients with severe conditions such as cancer and cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases; those who suspect misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis; patients seeking confirmed diagnoses prior to major treatments or surgeries; individuals with complex or rare diseases; and patients who have received inconsistent diagnoses from multiple hospitals. The app serves two primary purposes: first, to facilitate direct ordering and real-time tracking of remote reporting services; second, to enable users to consult medical imaging experts both domestically and internationally in real time.
“Aipek’s top priority is to raise its brand awareness and let more people know about the company’s premium remote image interpretation and diagnostic services provided by top-tier experts,” said Wu Xinhua.
Aipeike Services vs. Traditional Models
The app serves as a key vehicle for iPatientCare’s market expansion. In promoting the app, iPatientCare also adopts a collaborative approach, partnering with sales representatives from pharmaceutical companies who specialize in oncology drug promotion, as well as those selling medical device-related products.
This represents another important customer acquisition channel for iPatientCare—referrals from physicians. “Both clinicians and radiologists refer a certain number of patients to us, as doctors often seek expert consultations when encountering complex or rare cases.”
Meanwhile, APEC has not abandoned its collaborative model with healthcare institutions. Recently, APEC entered into a strategic partnership with Nanchong Central Hospital. In January this year, APEC also partnered with Winning Health Digital Medical Systems Co., Ltd., a company that provides various solutions to hospitals, thereby establishing connections with the hospitals served by Winning Health.
However, Wu Xinhua also pointed out that second opinions for complex and critical cases represent only the tip of the iceberg in market demand. A larger customer base comes from the 30% of patients misdiagnosed annually in hospitals across second- and third-tier cities. Yet, tapping into this market demand faces various challenges, such as hospitals’ reluctance to disclose patients’ original DICOM imaging data, physicians’ unintentional misdiagnoses, and legal and policy restrictions.
Where Do U.S. Experts Come From?
It is worth noting that iPatientCare currently has more than 60 full-time U.S. radiology experts providing 24/7 online services. These imaging specialists are employed by EPIC Teleradiology, an international telemedicine provider based in the United States. iPatientCare is its exclusive partner in China, and the two parties have signed a 10-year cooperation agreement.
In fact, U.S.-based EPIC had long planned to enter the Chinese market, but due to policy risks and other factors, it adopted an indirect approach. According to Wu Xinhua, the current plan is for U.S. EPIC to become a Series B investor in Aipeike once the latter reaches a certain scale.
Fee Schedule
Currently, iPEC charges individual patients in China on a per-item and per-visit basis, such as RMB 2,500 per CT scan and RMB 3,000 per MRI. For hospitals, iPEC offers two pricing models: retail and membership. The retail model involves a fixed fee for each single service, while the membership model charges an annual fee ranging from RMB 120,000 to RMB 360,000, depending on the level of services provided to the hospital.
Comparison of the Current Status of Medical Imaging in China and the United States
The United States has a rigorous training system for radiologists. It takes 15 to 16 years to cultivate highly qualified and excellent radiologists, starting from four years of undergraduate study, followed by earning a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree, and then completing a series of training programs including internship, radiology residency, and fellowship.
How to Use the Aipeike Remote Image Review Service?
First, patients or physicians with specific needs consult on the condition and submit a service request. Subsequently, various medical images in DICOM format (including CT, CTA, MRI, MRA, PET-CT, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, ECG, echocardiography, mammography, X-ray, etc.) and patient data are uploaded to Aipeike’s cloud platform. Then, Aipeike’s trained professional quality control and translation staff translate the patient’s medical records into English. These translated records, along with the DICOM images, are uploaded to the US-based EPIC telemedicine platform, where US experts review the images and issue diagnostic reports. The reports are then transmitted back to Aipeike’s telemedicine platform in China, where they undergo professional translation by a domestic medical team. Finally, clients can directly access the electronic reports from the cloud.
These 60+ full-time U.S. radiology specialists provide efficient, uninterrupted diagnostic services to Chinese users 365 days a year, 24/7. Patients receive detailed English diagnostic consultations and Chinese-translated reports within just 48 hours.
IPEC U.S. Expert Imaging Consultation Process
Funding Status
Aipek is preparing for its Series A financing round, having previously secured RMB 5 million in seed funding.
ApekCEOWu Xinhua
Formerly a resident physician at Huilongguan Hospital; served at Xi’an Janssen for over ten years; President of a large private hospital in Shanghai; General Manager of the Pediatrics Division at a pharmaceutical company. Holds an EMBA from CEIBS.
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