Shenzhen Kaisite Medical Technology Co., Ltd

The National Health Commission held a press conference in Beijing on the 14th. Jiao Yahui, deputy director of the Medical Administration Department of the National Health Commission, Huang Yong, executive vice president of Sichuan University’s West China Hospital, and Cai Xiujun, president of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital affiliated to the School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, attended the press conference and answered reporters’ questions. The meeting was chaired by Song Shuli, spokesperson for the National Health Commission and deputy director of the Publicity Department.

At the meeting, Song Shuli stated that, in order to implement the relevant requirements of the “General Office of the State Council on Promoting the Development of ‘Internet + Medical Health'” and further standardize medical treatment practices on the internet, play an active role in remote medical services, improve the efficiency of medical services, ensure medical quality and safety, the National Health Commission and the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine formulated three documents: “Administrative Measures for Internet Diagnosis and Treatment (Trial)”, “Administrative Measures for Internet Hospitals (Trial)”, and “Management Standards for Remote Medical Services (Trial)”.

Jiao Yahui stated that the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council attach great importance to the work of “Internet + medical health”. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that we must promote “Internet + education” and “Internet + medical care”, so that the people need to travel less while data can travel more, continuously improving the equality, inclusiveness, and convenience of public services. Premier Li Keqiang emphasized that we must accelerate the construction of medical alliances and develop “Internet + medical care” so that the masses can enjoy high-quality medical services at their doorstep. The “Opinion of the General Office of the State Council on Promoting the Development of ‘Internet + Medical Health'” proposes to encourage medical institutions to apply Internet and other information technologies to expand the space and content of medical services, allow medical institutions to develop Internet hospitals, and puts forward clear requirements for the development of telemedicine.

In order to implement the major decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, and in accordance with the requirements of relevant documents from the General Office of the State Council, the National Health Commission, based on summarizing local experiences and fully listening to opinions and suggestions from all parties, has formulated the “Interim Measures for the Administration of Internet Diagnosis and Treatment”, “Interim Measures for the Administration of Internet Hospitals”, and “Interim Standards for the Administration of Telemedicine Services”. The main思路is:

The first is to classify “Internet + medical services” into three categories based on the personnel used and the way of service. The first category is telemedicine, where medical institutions use medical staff registered in their institutions to carry out remote consultations and remote diagnosis through the Internet and other information technologies. The second category is Internet diagnosis and treatment services, where medical institutions use medical staff registered in their institutions to directly provide follow-up visits for some common diseases and chronic diseases, as well as family doctor contract services for patients through Internet technology. The third category is Internet hospitals, including those that are the second name of physical medical institutions, and those that rely on physical medical institutions but are independently established. Internet hospitals can use doctors registered in their own institutions and other medical institutions to carry out Internet diagnosis and treatment activities. Internet hospitals can also provide follow-up visits for some common diseases and chronic diseases, as well as family doctor contract services for patients. In addition, when a patient visits a physical medical institution, the attending doctor can invite other doctors for consultation through an Internet hospital, and the consulting doctor can directly issue a diagnostic opinion and write a prescription. Among them, the second and third categories both belong to medical institutions providing services to patients through the Internet.

The second is to clarify the access procedures for Internet hospitals and Internet-based medical services. As a type of medical institution, an Internet hospital may apply for establishment in accordance with the procedures for setting up medical institutions, or it can be applied as a second name for a physical medical institution by the physical institution which will also handle the practice registration accordingly; Medical institutions that have already obtained the “Medical Institution Practice License” and are preparing to establish an Internet hospital shall be registered for practice by the issuing authority in accordance with the relevant provisions of the “Regulations on Medical Institutions” and the “Detailed Rules for Implementation of the Regulations on Medical Institutions.”

The third is to clarify the legal liability relationship of internet hospitals. An internet hospital that has obtained a Medical Institution Practicing License is the subject of legal liability. All parties involved in the internet hospital cooperation shall bear corresponding legal liabilities according to the cooperation agreement.

Next, the National Health Commission will work with local authorities to promote the implementation of three documents, including the Trial Management Measures for Internet Diagnosis and Treatment, strengthen the access and supervision of new forms of internet medical services, create a policy environment conducive to the healthy development of internet medical services, and safeguard the health rights and interests of the people.

Subsequently, Huang Yong and Cai Xiujun respectively introduced their hospitals’ experiences in the Internet+ healthcare field. Jiao Yahui, Huang Yong, and Cai Xiujun answered questions of concern to reporters.