Theepidemicwillspurprogressinregulation,digitaltoolsandconsumeroptions.ByKevinChangHowtheCoronavirusWillTransformHealthcareinChinaKevinChangistheleaderofBain’sGreaterChinaHealthcarepracticeandamemberofthePrivateEquitypractice.HeisbasedinHongKong.Copyright©2020Bain&Company,Inc.Allrightsreserved.1HowtheCoronavirusWillTransformHealthcareinChinaAtaGlanceInresponsetotheburdensCOVID-19hasplacedonthehealthcaresystem,theChinesegovernmentwilllikelyacceleratereforms,mirroringthereactiontoSARSin2003.Toavoidcontaminationandcrowdsathospitals,moreconsumersareembracinginnovativeanddigitalB2Chealthcaredeliverymodels—andweexpectthesebehaviorchangestostick.FacedwithmajorshiftsinChina’shealthcaresystem,companiescantakesixstepstonavigatethedisruption.Forthepasttwomonths,thecampaigntocontrol,diagnoseandtreatthenovelcoronavirushasbeenataxingstruggle.StretchingChina’shealthcaresystemfurtherthanthe2003SARSepidemic,thefast-movinganddeadlyCOVID-19hasresultedinovercrowdedhospitalswheremedicalpersonnelhaveworkedtirelesslytoprovidecare.Beyondthedirecteffectsofthevirus,theepidemichastakenatollonnormalhealthcareactivities.Asotherpatientsavoidhighlycontagioushospitalfacilities,andresourcesaredivertedtofighttheepidemic,regularmedicalserviceshavecrawledtoastandstill.TheChineseMedicalAssociationhasdelayedallacademicmeetingsscheduledbeforeApril.Andhealthcarecompanieswhosemajorbusi-nessesarenotdirectlyrelatedtotheepidemiccouldtakeahitinthefirstquarter.Whenthecoronavirusoutbreakwanes,whatwillChina’shealthcareindustrylooklike?WhilelessonsfromSARScanprovideguidanceonhowgovernmententities,companiesandconsumersarelikelytoreact,theimplicationsofthecoronavirusarefarbroader.Inahealthcaresystemalreadyintransition,weexpecttoseeanaccelerationinreform,digitalizationandpatientempowerment.ReforminghealthcareafterthecoronavirusAftertheSARSepidemic,theChinesegovernmentquicklylaunchedanoverhaulofthehealthcaresystemtoimproveaccesstosuchthingsasservicesandhigh-qualitysupplies.Itinvestedinsystemsfordiseasesurveil...
