Shanxi province is calling for more innovative medical services with a variety of internet-based technologies employed in its hospitals, as part of its effort to satisfy people's diversified medical needs.

On Oct 9, Cao Xiaoyu, a dentist at the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, received a follow-up visit from a patient through the hospital's online platform.

"Since the opening of the internet hospital service, it has become an important aspect of our medical practice. Especially for follow-up patients, they can interact with doctors through the hospital's online information platform, saving the trouble of traveling. Our medical practice is always there for the patients," Cao said.

Since 2018, the National Health Commission has released guidance documents, encouraging medical institutions to properly mobilize and utilize medical resources to promote intelligent services such as appointment-based consultations and telemedicine, innovate service models, and enhance medical service capabilities and efficiency. In response to the initiatives, the First Hospital of SMU launched its internet hospital service in August 2020.

Over the past few years, the internet hospital service has leveraged web technology, integrating medical services such as online follow-up visits, prescription refills, appointments for medical tests, express delivery of medicines and experts' remote diagnoses into the online platform.

"Thanks to the internet hospital platform, I can have follow-up visits online, get prescriptions filled online, and have the medicines sent to my home with the express delivery service, which greatly facilitates my medication," said a Taiyuan resident surnamed Li, who is a patient with hypertension.

High-tech medical technology has also been employed in the Shanxi Provincial Cancer Hospital.

In February, the hospital was equipped with a set of the state-of-the-art fourth-generation Da Vinci surgical robotic systems, which marked the entrance of the cancer-treatment hospital into a new era of minimally invasive surgery with artificial intelligence.

Recently, the hospital has completed three robot-assisted surgeries for rectal cancer, which pioneered this type of cancer treatment with the robotic system in Shanxi.

Another hospital in Shanxi that combines internet technology with medical services is the Changzhi People's Hospital in the city of Changzhi.

To provide patients with dedicated medical services, Changzhi People's Hospital offers home care services, for which patients only need to make an appointment through the hospital's WeChat account. Such services have been well received by local residents.

A resident surnamed Li, 68, who is paralyzed from the waist down, said: "It is convenient to make an appointment online. As we are getting older, it's not convenient for us to visit hospitals, but this hospital provides a home nursing service, which helps us solve a big problem."

Currently, the Changzhi internet hospital platform offers in-home nursing services including infusion, catheter placement, ostomy care, wound dressing and maternal and child care services, which are available for elderly patients, individuals with disabilities and patients during the recovery period after being discharged.

Qin Yang contributed to this story.

liangkaiyan@chinadaily.com.cn