WSJ: COVID-19 boosts China's telemedicine industry

The coronavirus outbreak has given China's telemedicine industry a boost, The Wall Street Journal reported.

According to the report, some of the country's largest telemedicine platforms, including Ping An Good Doctor, Alibaba Health and JD Health, rolled out free coronavirus-related services as the pandemic hit China, while the government has taken steps to support the industry by introducing guidance encouraging reimbursement for online consultations and expanding the menu of services internet healthcare providers can offer.

The effort has introduced millions of people to online medicine and could serve as a model for the growth of telemedicine around the globe, says the report.

China already has the world's most advanced digital healthcare system, and "most health systems the world over are looking to China as the primary source for future virtual-care delivery innovation," Vikram Kapur, a Bain & Co. consultant specializing in healthcare in the Asia Pacific region, was quoted as saying.