New York-listed BlueCity, the developer of Chinese LGBTQ+ dating app Blued, has obtained a license to launch an internet hospital in China focusing on men's healthcare.

WHAT THEY DO

He Health, the company's healthcare platform for men, started promoting men's health and HIV prevention awareness in 2019. Since then, it expanded its services to the field of men's daily wellness.

WHY IT MATTERS

In terms of health access, the company notes in a statement that Chinese men usually encounter issues like insufficient privacy protection, limited drug purchasing channels, and limited awareness about sexual health.

He Health said that it intends to resolve these issues by integrating "internet hospitals, offline chain pharmacies and drug batches, as well as health management platforms, focusing on HIV testing and prevention, sexual health, chronic disease management, and healthcare".

With the license, He Health mentioned that it can also bring in "renowned doctors from relevant fields on to the platform to interact with clients rather than relying on a whole host of third parties".

THE LARGER TREND

According to a medical research journal, the internet hospital is an internet medical platform combining online and offline access for medical institutions to provide a variety of telehealth services directly to patients. China's first internet hospital opened in Guangdong province in 2014. Five years later, the number of registered internet hospitals across the country rose to 130. 

In August 2019, Ping An Good Doctor, a healthcare ecosystem platform, launched its Private Doctor service under an internet hospital model. It established partnerships with 29 hospitals to offer services, including round-the-clock online consultation; offline clinical arrangement; health management; and chronic disease management. A month later, it collaborated with the government of Guangxi to expand its platform to the region.

According to a report by business consulting firm Frost and Sullivan, the men's health and healthcare market in China may reach $15.2 billion in value by 2025, while its markets for online health consultations as well as online prescription and pharmacy will to grow to $80.3 billion.

ON THE RECORD

"We're delighted to open up what will be China's first Internet hospital focused on men's health, tapping into a budding sector that we view as a key driver in the brand's next phase of growth," said BlueCity founder and CEO Baoli Ma.