Offline Usage Survey of DXY.cn, Haodf.com, and Chunyu Doctor Among Seven Hospitals in Beijing

In 2014, the internet healthcare sector experienced a surge in popularity, with a plethora of mobile applications emerging. To gain insights into physicians’ awareness and usage of these apps, we conducted on-site interviews with 56 doctors from four departments across seven hospitals in Beijing. The interviews primarily focused on three platforms: DXY, the largest physician community; Haodf, a PC-based doctor-patient communication platform; and Chunyu Yisheng (Spring Rain Doctor), a mobile-based doctor-patient communication platform. During the interviews, we also inquired about another doctor-patient communication app that had recently gained significant marketing traction; however, none of the interviewed physicians were aware of it. Given the limited sample size, we have chosen not to disclose the name of this app.

Overall survey results indicate that, even after the boom in 2014, the interviewedThere is a positive correlation between physicians’ awareness of internet healthcare products and the length of time these products have been on the market., new products entering the market face two challenges if they want to achieve high awareness:The Brand Moat Built on Time Investment in Existing Products; How New Products Can Rapidly Capture User Mindshare。

The survey also indicates that physicians have a strong demand for medical literature, whereas the demand for resources related to doctor-patient communication is relatively low.

We believe that this small-scale survey conducted at a top-tier hospital in Beijing basically reflects the fundamental characteristics of the entire physician community: they have a certain level of awareness of internet healthcare products, but the future depicted in many reports is still in its infancy.

Investigation Details

Time：2015.1.26-2.10

Investigating Hospitals: Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing Hospital, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing Anding Hospital, Peking University Third Hospital

Department: Neurology, Cardiology, Psychiatry/Psychology, Gastroenterology (Note: For the initial survey, given the small sample size and the need for random distribution, a comprehensive department-wide survey is not advisable)

Questionnaire Format: Written examination, multiple-choice questions + partially open-ended questions

Sample Size: 56 physicians, aged 30–60 years

Survey Results Statistics

1. Age Distribution of Surveyed Physicians



Among the physicians participating in this survey, those under 40 years of age constituted the largest group, accounting for 42%, while physicians aged 40–50 accounted for 37%.

2. Physician Awareness Rates of the Three Products



Among these three companies, DXY has the highest physician awareness rate at 54%, which is attributable to its decade-plus of operations and its primary focus on physicians’ learning and professional development. This finding is corroborated by numerous survey questions below. Haodf ranks second in awareness, a result we attribute to its strategy of collaborating with specialists from major hospitals. Spring Rain Doctor has weak brand recognition among the aforementioned seven tertiary Grade A hospitals, with an awareness rate of only 11%.

The following presents the awareness of various products among physicians across different age groups:



Dingxiang Yuan boasts the highest brand recognition among young physicians (under 40 years of age). A significant proportion of the newly promoted associate chief physicians in our sample fall within this age group. The majority of them also follow Haodaifu, which has achieved a 60% awareness rate. Haodaifu’s early establishment of a dedicated ground promotion team for physician outreach has further enhanced its visibility within the medical community. In contrast, Chunyu Yisheng’s awareness rate among this demographic stands at only 27%.



Among individuals aged 40–50, DXY and Haodifu have equal brand awareness, while Spring Rain Doctor still appears relatively young in this segment.



Among physicians aged 50 and above, who constitute the largest and most renowned group of experts in China, more than half are expected to remain active on the clinical frontline for at least the next decade. Within this cohort, Haodaifu enjoys a commanding lead with a 78% awareness rate, while Chunyu Yisheng is virtually unknown among the sampled physicians.

3. Channels through which physicians learn about various products



The primary channels through which physicians became aware of various apps were colleague recommendations (32%) and media coverage (29%), while recommendations from relevant companies accounted for only 18%. This suggests that product awareness among physicians may be driven by peer communication and mutual referrals, attributable to the relatively closed nature of the medical community and its limited interaction with other social groups. It may also be influenced by mass marketing campaigns for mobile apps.

4. Physicians’ Expectations for Such Products



This survey is likely of great interest to many, as it helps uncover desired insights through data. “Remote Education” and “Medical Information Services” are the functional modules that physicians most hope to find in similar products. The survey also revealed an interesting phenomenon: many physicians do not distinguish between “Haodaifu” and “Haoyisheng” (with the demand for “Remote Education” pointing specifically to “Haoyisheng”). This brand name confusion is an issue that Haodaifu should prioritize in its future corporate brand management. In contrast, only 12% of physicians expressed a need for “Patient Management,” a sector that has attracted significant enthusiasm from entrepreneurs.

5. Reasons for Choosing Each Platform



Statistical data indicate that physicians place significant emphasis on their own professional development. This may also be attributed to the history and brand recognition of “Dingxiang Yuan” (DXY). The broader context is that many physicians surveyed were attending or resident physicians over a decade ago, when channels for specialized learning were limited, leading to a natural stickiness with DXY. Meanwhile, peer-to-peer communication among physicians represents another critical need. How to effectively integrate physician social networking features into various products and activate users is a nuanced aspect that rigorously tests operational capabilities.

6. Daily Duration of App Usage by Physicians



Among physicians who have downloaded medical apps/platforms, as many as 86% use them for less than 15 minutes per day, while none use them for more than one hour. Further inquiry revealed the following reasons: busy schedules, unfamiliarity with smart devices, lack of motivation (whether due to incentives or awareness), and absence of systematic product promotion. Specific reasons are shown in the figure below.



Reasons for Physicians’ Reluctance to Use the App: 46% cited a small user base, 21% reported being unaware of it, and 18% found the content impractical.

Author: Zhou Lin, a member of the VCBeat Entrepreneur Circle, Co-founder of Beijing Mingyi Weimin Health Management Consulting Co., Ltd. His WeChat Official Account is “Yi Liao Xin Li” (Medical Chat Psychology), and his personal WeChat ID is XLZ109309476. This article was published on VCBeat with authorization from Zhou Lin.