When the epidemic hits the fast-forward key for the Internet medical industry ...

The outbreak of novel coronavirus has a profound impact on every industry, including Internet medicine.

If the epidemic situation wasa pause key, it has tested the risk response ability of each enterprise; when many industries are stagnant, mired in layoffs or even bankrupt due to the epidemic, the Internet medical industry has a successful counterattack due to its unique advantages and charm.

If the epidemic situation wasa fast-forward key, it has examined the business model of each enterprise; when some industries begin to realize the importance of mobile internet and digitalization process, the Internet medical industry is shining brilliantly because of its innovation and supplement to traditional medical services.

● At present, the Internet medicine has become a powerful supplement to traditional medical services.

On February 3 and February 7, 2020, the Notice on Strengthening Information Support for the Prevention and Control of Pneumonia Epidemic Caused by 2019-nCoV (GWBGHH [2020] No.100) and the Notice on Doing a Good Job in Internet Diagnosis and Treatment Consultation Service in Epidemic Prevention and Control (GWBGHH [2020] No.112) were successively issued.

The notice clearly requires vigorously developing Internet diagnosis and treatment services, providing online follow-up and drug distribution services for patients with common diseases and chronic diseases, and further improving the service functions of "Internet+ medical health", including but not limited to online health assessment, health guidance, health education, online consultation, and follow-up for chronic diseases.

Meanwhile, the qualified medical institutions are called to make full use of the Internet hospital platform of the unit, Internet medical service platform, etc., to carry out free online consultation, home medical observation guidance and health assessment services for novel coronavirus, so as to guide patients to seek orderly and see a doctor accurately.

In view of the requirements of "isolation at home" and "avoiding contact" of the epidemic situation, Internet medicine has its own halo attributes of "science and technology against epidemic disease" and "non-contact epidemic prevention", so it has become a powerful supplement to traditional medical services. Under the continuous promotion of a series of policies, Internet medicine and Internet hospitals have become the second battlefields serving the vast number of patients and supporting the fight against epidemic disease during the special period.

● Under the outbreak of the epidemic situation, it is expected that more and more provinces and cities will implement the integration of Internet diagnosis and treatment services into the scope of medical insurance payment.

On March 2, 2020, the National Health Insurance Bureau and the National Health Commission jointly issued "Guidelines on Promoting the Development of" internet +"Health Care Services during the Prevention and Control of the Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia Epidemic", the eligible "internet +" health care service fees shall be included in the scope of health care payment, the designated medical institutions are encouraged to provide "no-see" drug purchase services, and implement the health care reimbursement policy for long-term prescriptions such as chronic diseases, etc.

Internet medical care has been dominated by self-payment for a long time. Prior to this, relevant policies have explicitly proposed to include eligible Internet medical services into the scope of medical insurance payment on August 30, 2019. However, due to different policies in different regions, only a few provinces and cities have included the inquiry fees for Internet diagnosis and treatment services into the scope of medical insurance payment.

Before introducing this new policy, due to considering the medical treatment and drug purchase of the insured during the epidemic, many provinces and cities including Wuhan, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Shanghai have included the diagnosis and treatment services of online follow-up for patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension into the scope of medical insurance payment.

However, the policy document at the national level is proposed again that more and more provinces and cities will implement the inclusion of Internet diagnosis and treatment services into the scope of medical insurance payment. With the popularization of online medical treatment+ medicine +medical insurance service closed loop in the whole country, it is bound to promote the further development of the Internet medical industry.

● From medical institutions to terminal users, the popularity of Internet medical care continues to increase.

Some consulting organization in major health field has pointed out that due to China's medical service system and medical insurance payment rules, the real beneficiaries of Internet medical care are offline medical institutions after the payer is included. Therefore, the enthusiasm of entity medical institutions for the construction of Internet hospitals and the development of Internet diagnosis and treatment services will be greatly enhanced.

In fact, as early as April 28, 2018, the "Opinions of the General Office of the State Council on Promoting the Development of" Internet+ Medical Care "(GBF [2018] No.26) set clear time requirements for the general provision of online appointment diagnosis and treatment, waiting reminders and other medical services in level-II or above hospitals. In the relevant guiding policies of provinces and cities (such as Guangdong, Shandong, Chongqing), it is specifically stated that "by 2020, level-II or above medical institutions will generally carry out Internet diagnosis and treatment services".

During the epidemic prevention and control, in view of the strong supplement of Internet medical to the traditional medical service short board, together with the policy guidance role of medical insurance payment, as the current main provider of domestic medical services and the implementation body of policy implementation, there will be more public hospitals participating in Internet medical services.

From the terminal users, the penetration rate of Internet medical users has greatly increased during the epidemic period, and this trend can be seen from the operating data of head enterprises.

Data from the rete arterfosum shows that since Ali Health launched its free clinic service at Alipay on January 24, as of February 10, its online consultation volume has exceeded 1.04 million. However, JD Health's "Preventing and Blocking Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia" free online consultation platform has more than 3.5 million users in less than 40 days.

As more and more end users are involved in Internet medical service scenarios such as online consultation and online drug purchase, safe, efficient and convenient medical treatment experience is bound to greatly increase the recognition of terminal users for the Internet medical industry.

From the continuous release of favorable policy signals to the recognition of more and more medical institutions and terminals, there is reason to believe that Internet medical treatment after the epidemic is meeting a more beautiful self.