Zhangjiagang First People's Hospital officially launched its online hospital in May, making it the first internet hospital in Zhangjiagang, Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province, local media reported on June 11.

Patients are required to follow the hospital's official WeChat account (zjgdyrmyy), and doctors can provide patients with online medical diagnoses, treatments, health consultations, drugs, and other medical services.

"Patients can post their case reports online, and doctors can then offer a prescription to patients," according to one doctor of the hospital.

He added that the online platform will later be upgraded and offer more services to patients, including the ability to distribute medicine and offer medical insurance.

The internet hospital currently has three departments: tumor rehabilitation, sleep medicine, and internal secretion.

Throughout the COVID-19 epidemic, internet-based medical services - such as online medical consultations and telemedicine - have played an important role. Cloud hospitals offering online consultations, diagnosis, and treatment will continue to be promoted in Zhangjiagang in an effort to establish a more complete system and offer high-quality services to patients.

Since the launch of the internet hospital, it has served nearly 1,000 patients, increasing the speed and efficiency of medical treatment and preventing crowds from forming in hospitals.