China's much-hyped healthcare reform drive stuck in first gear

 09-Aug-15, Reuters 

Li Tiantian, a Chinese doctor turned tech entrepreneur, is a leading light of the country's much-trumpeted healthcare reform drive. His medical networking platform DXY.com links two million doctors across China and has attracted funding from tech giants like Tencent.

Image: Reuters

DXY is exactly what Beijing has said it's looking to support after it pinpointed remote healthcare, Internet and technology as drivers to solve its healthcare woes in a 5-year roadmap in March.

The reality is rather different: DXY is curbing plans to work with public hospitals to help connect doctors and patients online because of a lack of support by Beijing and obstacles working with China's huge, fragmented public healthcare sector.

"We've heard a lot of good stories from the top - Internet +, driving force, policy changing - but see nothing happen at the bottom," Li told Reuters. "It's not about market, capital or even tech - these things are already developed very well... rather it's the regulations, laws and systems of support."

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