BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Thanks to the efforts made by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) in promoting the application of information technology (IT) in medical system, online healthcare services now are assisting the fight against novel coronavirus in China.
Based on 5G and other information technology, many Internet healthcare service providers have cooperated with doctors and experts all over the country to provide services such as online consultation, online diagnosis, and psychological assistance, making it possible for people to "see a doctor" at home and helping prevent and control the epidemic in an intelligent way.
For example, JD Digits, the digital technology arm of Chinese tech giant JD.com, recently launched a type of intelligent robot, which can provide users with online consultation and inform the public about epidemic prevention and control.
After learning coronavirus-related knowledge, the artificial intelligence-based robot can make basic analysis and judgement on users' questions, supporting doctors' diagnosis and treatment. So far, the robot has been applied in the WeChat public account or applications of nearly 20 organizations, and used by many smart communities.
The health branches of Alibaba Group, Baidu and other Chinese Internet companies have also unveiled intelligent services to answer questions on the epidemic.
Online consultation is the first step in digital health, said Li Dewen, deputy director of the information center under China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), adding that efficient human-computer interaction can reduce the pressure of hospitals, help people make reasonable medical arrangements, and reduce cross-infection risks.
Moreover, with connection to intelligent technology and Internet platforms, medical institutions and doctors are able to provide online diagnosis service, which is a key link to realize the informatization of medical system and digital health in China.
Data from MIIT showed that 191 public medical institutions and nearly 100 Internet hospitals across the country have made online diagnosis available for people. Haodaifu, Chunyuyisheng and Ping An Healthcare and Technology Co., Ltd. have gathered over 10,000 medical professionals in the fields of respiratory system, infection, internal medicine to provide free consultation and diagnosis for patients. They have also set up hotlines, offering psychological aid for doctors and nurses on the front lines of the anti-virus fight.
MIIT also revealed that it will work with related departments to promote the application of IT in healthcare service sector, while making efforts to increase the use of 5G to boost the informatization of medical systems, the intelligence of medical equipment and the convenience online medical platforms. (Edited by Su Dan)
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