Telemedicine link goes online in China

Telemedicine link goes online in China

A telemedicine connection between Beijing Hospital and the Shenzhen Medi-Care Center went live last month, according to China's Xinhua news agency. The link is believed to be the first such connection in the country that allows long-distance medical consultations, according to the agency.

The link was opened July 22 at a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by high-ranking officials from China's health and telecommunications ministries. The connection features state-of-the-art equipment that supports audio and video communication between experts from the Beijing and Shenzen facilities, Xinhua said. The link was christened with a telemedicine consultation related to the case of an elderly man who has suffered from abdominal pains for 40 years.