A Date with China: Smart healthcare improves patient experience in China's Xiamen SEZ

Located in Xiamen Special Economic Zone, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University is the largest Class A general hospital in east China’s Fujian Province. Over the years, it has been committed to offering efficient medical services taking advantage of information technology and intelligent healthcare devices.

On July 18, a group of foreign media correspondents and social media influencers of the "A Date with China" 2022 international media tour came to the hospital to experience the application of digital and information technologies in the medical field.

Zhang Fuxing, vice president of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, introduces the smart healthcare system to the "A Date with China" 2022 international media tour group in Xiamen, east China's Fujian, July 18, 2022. (Photo provided by A Date with China)

Zhang Fuxing, vice president of the hospital, said that the hospital began exploring “Internet plus services” across the province as early as 2016.

The internet hospital platform is able to combine AI technology and wearable devices to offer remote fetal heart-rate monitoring services and establish an emergency treatment mechanism, which effectively improves maternal safety.

Photo taken on July 18, 2022 shows the data board of the internet hospital platform in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, east China's Fujian. (Siyu Gu/Guangming Picture)

Since the implementation of the remote fetal heart-rate monitoring services, 45,933 reports have been correctly interpreted as of June 30, of which 7,436 cases were found abnormal, providing timely information for pre-empting potential risks, said Zhang.

Meanwhile, the highly integrated platform greatly contributed great convenience to patients. Zhang noted that the internet hospital have highly integrated online and offline services.

Photo taken on July 18, 2022 shows Zhang Fuxing introducing the smart hospital app in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University in Xiamen, east China's Fujian. (Siyu Gu/Guangming Picture)

"Patients use the same app and WeChat official account to see a doctor online and offline, and can enjoy one-stop services through one-click appointment, so that they can finish the entire medical treatment process within one day," he said.

The smart healthcare services impressed the foreign visitors during the media tour. A few of them shared their opinions on the practical results brought by Xiamen's digital construction to people's lives.

Photo taken on July 18, 2022 shows the "A Date with China" 2022 international media tour group visiting the Day Surgery Center Ward in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University in Xiamen, east China's Fujian. (Photo provided by A Date with China)

"It used to take a lot of time and energy to see a doctor, but smart medicine has solved all my troubles as a patient, and make it much easier to see a doctor with all procedures solved on one platform, it's very powerful," said Sabina Makarova, a Russian video blogger.

Rafael Saavedra from Venezuela, known for his Youtube channel “Rafa Goes Around,” noted that the smart healthcare services mean a significant evolution in healthcare system in general. "I am glad to see the big investments made to improve the quality of life for people in cities like Xiamen," he said.

Rafael Saavedra, from YouTube channel "Rafa Goes Around" (Photo provided by A Date with China)

"Even though technologies are rapidly advancing, we are moving at the same speed and integrating them into our daily lives, and that's exactly what we saw at the First affiliated Xiamen University hospital. I wish in the near future we can see more and more technologies like that implemented not just all around China but all around the world," he added.