With a computer and camera, patients living in remote areas can now have access to top-level doctors without traveling long distances.

With guidance from three relevant documents released by the National Health Commission in 2018, the system has been implemented in Grade 3A hospitals nationwide. Its service covers hospitals in each county and is expanding to villages in those poverty-stricken areas.

Through the telemedicine platform, experts in top-level hospitals can treat patients with common and chronic diseases online, avoiding the need for people to rush back and forth to big hospitals.

It also offers a valuable opportunity for local doctors to enhance their professional ability. Seeing doctors from their homes can save patients money and time, and can provide a higher ratio of medical insurance reimbursement.

From a broader perspective, experts can design a diagnosis and treatment plan according to local conditions such as health facilities. This transformation marks remarkable progress in establishing a hierarchy with regards to access to healthcare.

The combination of medical services and the Internet is still a new pattern in the industry. The quality of services will need to be emphasized during the development.

(This is an edited excerpt of an article originally published in People's Daily on April 26)