Internet hospitals in China are being rapidly developed as an innovative approach to providing health services. They greatly improve the efficiency of seeing a doctor, as people can make an appointment without leaving home. The COVID-19 epidemic has triggered the development of e-hospitals that promote outpatient service delivery to the public via digital technologies. 

According to the 2021 China E-Hospital Development Report jointly released by the National Telemedicine and Connected Health Center and Cn-healthcare.com, China had more than 1,000 Internet hospitals by the end of 2020, most of which are built and operated by public hospitals. However, the report also pointed out that nearly 90 percent of these e-hospitals failed to operate effectively. 

Judging by the reality at home and abroad, the change in medical treatment and treatment behavior involves many factors such as professionalism, ethics, and cultural habits.

Medical care is a special industry directly related to the life and health of the public, which inevitably requires all-round supervision. Additionally, both the doctor's e-service ability and the patient's lifestyles require coaching.

This is an edited excerpt of an article originally published in Guangming Daily on June 15  

(Print Edition Title: E-Hospital Supervision)