How Doctor-Focused Apps Enhance User Retention Through Scientific Research Services

1. Compilation of Doctor-Focused Apps

With the rapid development and widespread adoption of mobile internet and mobile devices, medical apps have sprung up in recent years. Although numerous, few have achieved premium quality or truly benefited patients.
For instance: Chunyu Yisheng, Xingren Yisheng, Kuaisu Wen Yisheng, Baidu Yisheng, Sina Aiwen Yisheng, Ping An Hao Yisheng, 39 Wen Yisheng, Tang Yisheng, Ke’ai Yisheng, Wo De Yisheng, Tiexin Yisheng, Yisheng Shu, Weiyi, Dingxiang Yisheng, Qiannuo Yisheng, Shengshou Yisheng, Xinli Yisheng, Weimin Wen Yisheng, Jianyi Yisheng, and Yimi Yisheng, among others. Whether you have heard of them or not, they exist. 2014 was undoubtedly the inaugural year of mobile healthcare. With the involvement of BAT (Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent), mobile healthcare apps became a hot topic. I hope these apps are not perceived by some as mere “fantasies about hospitals” or “masturbatory capital.” A good mobile healthcare app must be sufficiently “sexy,” creating an impression that is eye-catching, enticing immediate engagement, and fostering sustained interaction. The following discussion focuses on how to make these apps more “sexy,” with enhancing physician user stickiness being the top priority.

2. What Are the Pain Points for Doctors?

What is a physician? It is a collective term for professionals who possess medical and pharmaceutical knowledge and are engaged in disease prevention and treatment. What does a physician’s work entail? It can be broadly divided into two parts: clinical practice and scientific research. As is well known, the pressure of clinical diagnosis and treatment is immense; indeed, few professions are as arduous and exhausting as medicine. Physicians typically have no holidays, essentially working in a “7x24, day-and-night” mode. This is particularly true in China’s current healthcare environment, where many physicians endure significant hardship. Some apps have made efforts to alleviate physicians’ clinical workload through features such as scheduling, patient follow-up, and anonymous calling. However, what stresses physicians even more is scientific research. If clinical work is likened to “physical” labor, then research tasks constitute “mental” labor. The vast majority of physicians have not received formal training in research capabilities. Therefore, how to guide physicians to conduct research more effectively represents the greatest “pain point.”

2.1 Why Is Scientific Research Essential for Physicians?

Why Is Research Indispensable for Physicians? What Is the Relationship Between Clinical Practice and Scientific Research?This question may appear simple on the surface, but it is, in fact, rather complex. It is commonly believed that physicians are responsible for diagnosing and treating patients, while scientific research is the domain of dedicated researchers. Under this prevailing viewpoint, there has been strong advocacy asserting that clinical practice and research are unrelated. Many physicians themselves argue that their demanding clinical schedules leave no time for scientific inquiry, contending that research is solely the responsibility of full-time researchers. The resignation of the renowned female emergency physician from Peking Union Medical College Hospital sparked significant controversy. One of the primary reasons for her departure was reportedly the pressure associated with research obligations. However, it is not a wise decision for a physician to avoid research and scholarly publication, regardless of the justification provided. The academic reputation of world-renowned medical institutions rests not only on the exceptional clinical skills of their physicians but also on their major discoveries and achievements in medical research, which have made substantial contributions to the advancement of modern medicine. Academician Qiu Fazu, a pioneering figure in Chinese surgery, once stated: "If a surgeon can only perform operations, he remains merely a technician; only by combining surgical skill with research capability can one become a true surgeon-scientist."

It is widely believed that medicine is an empirical science, and a physician’s clinical competence relies entirely on experience; the longer one practices, the richer the experience and the higher the technical proficiency. From the perspective of medical history, the advancement of medicine has always been driven by the accumulation of practical experience by generations of practitioners, a pattern observed in both Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Western medicine. In the early stages of Western medicine, surgeons and barbers belonged to the same guild, and surgical skills were honed through practice. However, with scientific progress, medicine has become increasingly reliant on science. Advances in biology and basic medical sciences have provided support for clinical medicine, gradually unveiling the mysteries of the human body. This has endowed physicians with a scientific basis for diagnosing and treating diseases, significantly improving diagnostic accuracy. For instance, diagnostic procedures such as laboratory tests and imaging examinations are advancements brought about by scientific development. Furthermore, progress in pharmacology has provided more effective therapeutic tools, enabling medicine to better achieve its goal of treating diseases.

Although Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has evolved over thousands of years and made significant contributions to the health of the Chinese people from ancient times to the present, it has struggled to keep pace with the advancement of modern medicine. Consequently, TCM has gradually receded into a supplementary role focused on fitness, wellness, and regulatory care. This shift is primarily because, despite having its own theoretical framework, TCM’s explanations for diseases are largely based on subjective conjecture rather than scientific evidence, lacking persuasiveness. However, TCM practitioners are actively exploring the scientific principles underlying TCM treatments. Today, TCM diagnoses increasingly rely on laboratory tests and imaging techniques, striving to align TCM perspectives with the scientific explanations of Western medicine. The state is also vigorously promoting the modernization of TCM and Chinese herbal medicine, aiming to introduce scientific principles into this traditional medical system to facilitate its development and prominence. At this point, the relationship between physicians and scientific research should be somewhat clearer.

In an era where the awareness that “scientific research is a fundamental skill for clinicians” and that “research drives clinical practice” is becoming increasingly widespread, clinical research has been accorded paramount importance. The research environment and scientific outputs often serve as the most critical benchmarks for distinguishing the quality and competitiveness of hospitals, and they are also key indicators in evaluating physicians’ professional competence.

Specifically, a hospital’s disciplinary specialties and social standing, as well as a physician’s clinical skills and professional expertise, are often characterized by their research capabilities and academic achievements. For this reason, clinical experts have shown increasingly greater enthusiasm for scientific research in recent years. It is precisely for this reason that physicians are required to undertake certain research responsibilities as part of the criteria for professional title evaluation. Therefore, the notion held by some physicians that they can abandon research entirely and practice as “pure” clinicians is unrealistic. As such, physicians should no longer seek excuses to justify their lack of engagement in research or failure to publish academic papers.

2.2 What Scientific Research Do Physicians Conduct?

In theory, scientific research should enhance clinical practice. However, under China’s current personnel and management systems, we have fallen into a misconception regarding research. Many institutions now prioritize research above all else, judging merit solely by research output, making it the primary, if not the only, criterion for evaluating physicians’ competence. Most doctors today engage in research purely to meet requirements for professional title promotion or to seek fame and recognition. This cannot be blamed on the doctors themselves, as such is the prevailing rule of the game within Chinese institutions.

In a vast country like China, research responsibilities vary among physicians at different professional levels.

Affiliated Hospitals of Renowned Universities: Physicians at this level are the main force of advanced productive forces. In particular, those with graduate supervisor qualifications mostly hold doctoral degrees, have received formal research training, and possess strong scientific research capabilities. Since most of their basic research is primarily based on animal experiments, they demonstrate excellent proficiency in academic writing. Therefore, these physicians are not our target audience.

Generally, in university-affiliated hospitals or provincial-level hospitals (including Provincial People’s Hospitals and Provincial Cancer Hospitals): half of the physicians have received formal research training, with equal emphasis on clinical practice and scientific research. Their primary focus is on fulfilling research mandates set by their affiliated universities or hospitals. Publications are predominantly in SCI-indexed journals, with a minority required to publish in Chinese core journals.

Municipal-level hospitals and below: This category comprises a vast number of institutions. Only a small minority of their staff have received postgraduate training. Research activities are primarily driven by the need for professional title promotion. Due to the lack of a research-oriented environment, even physicians with postgraduate degrees are unable to conduct independent research. Their publications are mainly in Chinese core journals, and these physicians constitute the primary user base for physician-focused mobile applications.

To become a great physician who serves all humanity, we must engage in deep reflection. While it may be easier to forgo scientific research, and carefree to neglect writing papers or summarizing clinical experiences, such an approach limits the benefits we can offer our patients. It is important to recognize that every article and every summary of experience requires substantial time spent on literature review, reading others’ work, critical thinking, and careful selection. This process is one of continuous improvement and self-perfection.

3 How to Provide Quality Service to Physicians?

Are Physicians the Client or the Vendor in the Internet Healthcare Arena? My Answer Is Both. In this ecosystem, physicians initially existed as the client; however, as the industry expanded, their intrinsic needs were stimulated, prompting them to assume certain vendor roles. This dual position aligns with the theory of consistency. Given the high costs associated with offline promotion teams chasing physicians for platform registration, poor user stickiness would further escalate the cost of acquiring active users.

It is essential to provide scientific research paper services to the tens of thousands of active physician users. First, enhancing app stickiness is unquestionable, and services can be divided into free consultations and paid in-depth services. Furthermore, from a financial perspective, the domestic market for medical research papers was valued at over RMB 1 billion in 2014, whereas DXY’s gross revenue in 2014 was reportedly only RMB 10 million.

Since physicians are required to engage in scientific research, a one-stop service can be provided to them. Personalized and thoughtful reminders will be offered based on each physician’s profile (including years of experience, educational background, professional title, etc.). The services include grant application support, manuscript evaluation and editing (in both Chinese and English), and assistance with publication. This approach aims to deliver an exceptional user experience for physicians.

Doctor-focused apps require substantial investment and are part of the process of building a major brand. Based on my years of experience, the primary concerns physicians have regarding such services are safety and integrity, which are precisely the strengths of established brands.

[Dr. Zhou Kechen, member of the VCBeat Entrepreneur Circle; 8 years of medical education, 6 years of clinical practice, and 6 years in medical research services]

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not represent the position of VCBeat.