Tech & Sci
22:44, 18-Apr-2018
China approves online hospitals, emphasizes data security
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China has finally put online hospitals on paper with an emphasis on data security, the State Council announced Monday.
The country approved the plan to expand the use of Internet technologies to boost the medical sector last Saturday, aiming to save hospital trips for patients.
According to Jiao Yahui, a National Health Commission official, the upcoming policy will allow not only traditional hospitals to launch virtual platforms for online consultations, but also existing online medical services to continue to do so once they are affiliated with offline entities.
The policy, however, will only serve patients with certain chronic or common diseases who need return visits, meaning following up with the doctors they have seen in person.
"Supervision of the online and off-line services is combined. We must strictly guard the bottom line of safety," said Jiao during Monday’s regular government policy press conference.
To do so, Yu Xuejun, another commission official, said the country will ensure strict implementation of the Network Security Law, improve the safety management and control mechanism, and strengthen the security protection of emerging technologies, especially focusing on the actual needs of the health and hygiene industry.
Online medical consulting services have become popular in China in recent years as a cheaper, easier and quicker way to solve minor health problems. Websites such as haodf.com and chunyuyisheng.com connect people with concerns with doctors and professionals across the nation.