Suishenma app expands services to cover expats

Shanghai's official one-stop public services code system, Suishenma, is expanding beyond its initial pandemic-era application into new sectors including schools and hospitals.

The digital tool, which connects users to a network of services including hospitals, banks, and government bureaus, has been used 952 million times since 2023 for everything from Metro access to medical insurance and government services.

The Shanghai Big Data Center, developer of the system and the local authority for city digitization, aims to further enrich the app's functionality by launching its annual Suishenma Contest on Wednesday.

The competition, held since 2023, invites developers to create new features that enhance urban services and governance digitally, spanning transport, education and healthcare.

A recent upgrade involving Shanghai East Hospital streamlines medical services for expats and individuals without local social security cards.

By displaying their codes with identity information, non-residents can register quickly and easily, reducing waiting times and communication hurdles at front desks.

"This new service is highly beneficial for expats in Shanghai," said Zhu Jiancheng, an IT officer at the hospital, emphasizing its convenience for international visitors and employees in the nearby Lujiazui area of the Pudong New Area.

Several thousand expat patients attend the hospital every year, Zhu told Shanghai Daily.

In education, Shanghai Minhang Middle School's East Branch has adopted the Suishenma code within its management system. A standout feature of this implementation is the use of blockchain technology to securely and easily add honor and award information to student records.

The Suishenma Contest, running until November, features 11 distinct "tracks" designed to encourage applicants to integrate advanced technologies like AI and blockchain into practical urban scenarios. With a prize pool of approximately 500,000 yuan (US$69,400), the competition encourages participation from students and freelancers, offering around 100 internship opportunities to foster new talent in digital urban development.