China to enhance role of Internet Plus in medical care

The State Council, China's cabinet, on Thursday expanded the role of Internet Plus in medical care.

Hospitals on second and third levels, the bigger hospitals in China, should provide online services for appointments, checking examination results and others, according to a statement released after an executive meeting of the State Council presided over by Premier Li Keqiang.

Medical institutions should be allowed to consult online for return visits for some conditions, the statement read.

Telemedicine should cover all medical unions and county-level hospitals across the country, and connect the better medical resources in east China with the demands of the central and western areas.

The country should also further explore the sharing of the prescriptions and medicine sales by medical institutions, according to the statement.

Moreover, the statement asked for more fairness in education, including setting up more smaller schools in more remote and less populated villages, and setting up boarding schools in towns for left-behind children.

"Internet Plus" education and targeted voluntary teaching should also be used in rural schools, the statement read.