Internet is key to improved health services

Health authorities in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region will intensify efforts to promote the integration of the internet and healthcare to improve services across the vast area.

According to the regional health commission, an important task is to establish a network for remote healthcare services that will cover all cities, counties, townships and villages, so residents can receive help such as online diagnosis and consultations with experts in large hospitals.

Such a network, which would connect tertiary hospitals with smaller hospitals and clinics, would promote a more balanced distribution of medical resources across different areas of Xinjiang, which covers a large area. That would enable residents to enjoy quality healthcare services without traveling long distances, the commission said.

The latest internet technology will also help improve family doctor services, so residents will find it easier to sign contracts with practitioners and make appointments and payments. They will also have online access to consultations and test results.

The internet will play a key role in streamlining the medical care process, so patients will be able to complete most of the procedures via smartphones, rather than waiting in long hospital lines. It is also expected to improve service efficiency in hospitals and clinics, thus saving time for the patients.

The region is also exploring new healthcare applications of internet technology to improve services, along with a pilot program that allows nurses to provide door-to-door services.

A special online platform will be established so qualified nurses who have at least five years' experience will be able to provide services, such as disease management and rehabilitation, at the homes of certain patients. The patients will alert the nurses via the platform, and the biggest beneficiaries will be those who have recently been discharged from hospital and seniors who find it difficult to move.

It is expected that by the end of next year, internet technologies will have been adopted in every link of the healthcare system and promoted across Xinjiang to benefit the entire population, the regional health commission said.