One-stop service a boost for drug stores

A pharmacy has been set up in Jiading District thanks to a one-stop online service reform test by the district market watchdog.

It took Yifeng Pharmacy, the retail medicine chain, less than 10 workdays to gain the three certificates it needed to open a pharmacy.

“It’s so quick! Originally we had to apply for the three certificates separately, but now we can apply for them at the same time, which shortens the waiting time,” Cheng Yuan, a senior Yifeng executive, said when receiving the licenses that cover pharmaceuticals, medical devices and food.

“Now we can open the shop two weeks earlier, which saves our costs by 30,000-50,000 yuan (US$4,293-7,155),” Cheng said.

The Yifeng Pharmacy plans to open more than 100 stores across Shanghai this year, which means the new service can help it save millions if it is adopted throughout the city.

Zhang Yating, an official with Jiading’s market supervision administration, said that though procedures had been simplified, there had been no lowering of standards.

The watchdog has set up WeChat groups to deal with problems in applications.

To deal with businesses such as real estate right or employment application in the center, applicants only need to show health codes instead of taking piles of documents with them.