Editor's note: The 2021 Boao Forum for Asia is being held from April 18 to 21 in Boao, Hainan Province. Over 150 elite entrepreneurs from various business circles around the world will join government officials and scholars to discuss Asian economic cooperation and other issues. CGTN's Boss Talk series brings you special reports of industry representatives' views on technology, healthcare, manufacturing and recycling business outlook in a post-COVID-19 era.

With COVID-19 limiting physical contact, the pandemic has ushered in a "golden stage" for the digital healthcare industry and medical service providers.

The online healthcare market size in China in 2020 was estimated to reach nearly 100 billion yuan ($15.34 billion), compared with 49 billion yuan in 2018. It is expected to reach 200 billion yuan in 2026, according to consulting company Frost＆Sullivan.

By December 2020, online health service users in China totaled 215 million, accounting for 21.7 percent of the internet-using population, according to the report issued by the China Internet Network Information Center. The report also said that by the end of October 2020, China had over 900 online hospitals, more than 5,500 major hospitals in China offered online services.

Pharmaceutical companies also took the opportunity to provide online services and new treatment options for their patients during this special period, and some prioritized digital service strategy to better compete in the market for the post-pandemic era.

Multinational pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has also focused on digital-related treatment during the pandemic, including working with digital companies to collect data and information and help doctors make better decisions, developing digital therapeutics with partners and establishing healthcare internet hospitals.

Leon Wang, executive vice president, international and China president of AstraZeneca, told CGTN that China's online medical services are more developed than other countries. 

"It's quite advanced. We have a lot of platforms such as JD.com and Ali Health. Consumers can purchase consulting services of the doctors and also drugs online," Wang said.

Wang said the company is looking for some kind of online healthcare service with more active participation of doctors and nurses, making sure doctors can access patients online, rather than physically in the hospital.

The following excerpts from the interview have been edited for clarity and brevity.

CGTN: How has COVID-19 affect people's consumption of medical services?

Wang: During COVID-19, a lot of patients cannot visit hospitals, and sometimes their chronic disease cannot be properly managed and their prescription cannot be reviewed. A lot of patients have to rely on the online platforms and pharmacy to get advice and get prescription to continue their therapy.

Some patients with very serious diseases, even heart attacks, cancer, they need treatment urgently. Chemotherapy, infusion of cancer medication… all these things need to happen outside of hospitals, or happen in the hospital in a more organized way. And also a lot of patients shouldn't go to hospital for minor problems, so they can really get service online.

CGTN: How do you view the development of online medical services in China?

Wang: It's quite advanced. We have a lot of platforms like JD.com and Ali Health. Consumers have opportunities to purchase consulting services of the doctors and also drugs online.

In China, we are looking for some kind of online healthcare service with more active participation of doctors and nurses, making sure doctors can access these patients online, rather than physically in the hospital. Doctors and nurses should know these patients for the first time, for disease validation, but also they need to follow these patients in the chronic disease situation. It's much better if they know these patients daily, not only offline but also online.

CGTN: How is AstraZeneca participating in China's digital health care industry?

Wang: We are working with a lot of device diagnostic companies and digital companies, making sure those software and hardware are connected with sensor to collect data and information to help doctors make decisions.

We are also developing digital therapeutics. "Digital therapeutics" is not just drug. It's a combination of drug, devices, diagnostics, exercises, nutrition, and psychological advice and all kinds of intervention to help patients achieve the best outcome

AstraZeneca is organizing and supporting the healthcare internet hospital, together with our partner. We recently kicked off internet hospital and online pharmacy to help millions of doctors and hundred millions of patients around them.

CGTN: What uncertainties and challenges the pharmaceutical companies are facing during the pandemic period? How can these issues be resolved in the future?

Wang: We need to work together with government and partner companies to help those patients get services and repeat their therapy online.

Pharmaceutical companies cannot work alone. We really need to work with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) like WHO to make sure the equality and accessibility of vaccination. We also need to work with government and industry partners to make sure vaccine can be accessed by as many patients as possible. We need support from government to make sure our supply chain is complete, also get enough preventive equipment to make sure our employees are safe.

(Video edited by Zhang Dian)