OBJECTIVES

: A very large population size, coupled with an imbalance of healthcare resource allocation, has created a major issue for access to healthcare in China. The aim of this study is to improve patient access to healthcare services based on a detailed understanding of patient and physician attitudes towards telemedicine.

METHODS

: A large scale primary research project was conducted in China to understand the digital life of physicians and patients. 10,325 physicians from 32 specialties, and 1,412 patients covering 16 disease areas were surveyed throughout 2017. Additionally, a real-world telemedicine data set of more than 40,000 online breast cancer physician consultations between 2016-2017 was provided by Chunyu Doctor, one of the largest telemedicine platform in China.

RESULTS

: Survey results indicated that 77% of physicians had a very positive view of the “internet hospital” (a concept of combining tele-medicine with community hospitals) and 75% of physicians believe that the internet hospital has a positive future. The real-world breast cancer online consultation data further illustrated that both physician’s technical titles, and the prestige of their associated hospitals, plays a statistically significant role in determining patient’s choice for physician online consultation regarding serious diseases (R-squared=0.59, p-value=0.0004).

CONCLUSIONS

: This study highlights the impact of internet technology on healthcare delivery. Physicians are overwhelmingly positive regarding the development of telemedicine. The breast cancer consultation records clearly revealed patient’s preferences when seeking medical advice from healthcare professionals regarding a serious disease. A better understanding of physician and patient digital behavior will help with the optimization of telemedicine and improve patient access to healthcare resources.