China Healthcare ICT: Reinventing China’s National Healthcare System through Electronic Medical Records, Telecom Networks and Advanced IT Services

Abstract

In January 2009 China announced a RMB 850 billion ($124 billion) stimulus package over three years to fundamentally reshape the nation's healthcare sector. A key element of the plan is to modernize healthcare services with digital hospitalization, electronic medical records, and next-generation information networks. The goal is to dramatically improve healthcare service quality and, importantly, to enable virtual healthcare services that can overcome service disparities between rich areas and poor. But the lack of technical standardization complicates take-up and adoption of unified e-healthcare solutions. The stakes are high for the government and for international technology companies seeking position in this large and fast-moving market.