Another hospital launches Internet medicine platform

Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital has announced the launch of its Internet-based platform, which will offer online medical consultation, prescription services and a health database.

So far, departments like cardiology, digestive disease, respiratory disease and endocrinology are available on the platform and more departments will be added soon, the hospital said.

The platform only provides services to patients who have visited the hospital for chronic or common illnesses within the past two months. People who haven’t visited the hospital before are suggested to go in person first.

Medications can be delivered to patients via the platform and the prices are the same as in the hospital’s pharmacy.

Internet-based services can be reserved with real-name registration through the hospital’s public WeChat account (sh-9hospital).

Wu Hao, president of the hospital, said the online platform can help elderly and chronic disease patients avoid infection risk from visiting the hospital under the current novel coronavirus epidemic.