Patients in China now need to receive a diagnosis in person from a doctor at a hospital before they can access online consultation services, according to new regulations aimed at improving supervision of the nascent internet healthcare industry.

根据旨在加强对新兴互联网医疗行业的监管的新规定，国内患者如今需本人在医院获得诊断后才能接受在线诊疗服务。

The rules also require online service providers to have cooperation agreements with brick-and-mortar hospitals and say that health professionals must read a patient's medical records before they consult or prescribe medicine over the internet.

该新规还要求互联网诊疗服务提供方与实体医院签订有合作协议，医务人员在线诊疗或开药前必须阅读患者病历。

The National Health Commission said medical consultants need at least three years of clinical experience to provide web services, and only prescriptions for common illnesses and chronic diseases are allowed to be issued online.

国家卫生健康委员会表示，医师提供互联网诊疗服务需具有3年以上临床经验，只可为常见病、慢性病在线开具处方。

Cai Xiujun, director of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, said online health services also help streamline diagnosis and can help alleviate doctor patient disputes.

浙江省杭州市邵逸夫医院的院长蔡秀军表示，在线健康服务也有助于简化诊断，并有助于缓解医患纠纷。

The online medical consulting market has grown rapidly in China, with more than 1,000 companies formed between 2011 and 2016, according to a report by financial news outlet Yicai, citing figures from Wang Hang, founder of online medical services platform haodf.

com.

金融媒体 第一财经　的报道援引互联网医疗服务平台好大夫创始人王航提供的数据称，我国互联网医疗咨询市场增长迅速，2011年-2016年有超过1000家互联网医疗企业成立。

The report added that at least 200 billion yuan had been invested in the market in the past four years.

该报道还称，过去4年中，互联网医疗领域获得了至少2000亿元的投资。

【互联网医疗行业迎来重磅新政查看网站：[db:时间]】