Tencent to merge Doctorwork with Trusted Doctors to build its online and offline medical network in China

Tencent Doctorwork, a medical unit of China internet giant Tencent Holdings, is merging with Shanghai-based network start-up Trusted Doctors, to create a bigger private health care network that offers an ecosystem of both online and offline services in a country where gaining access to medical care can be difficult.

The newly formed venture, Tencent Trusted Doctors, will have 33 clinics in eight cities in China and become the biggest private medical care network, according to an internal letter sent by Trusted Doctor CEO Martin Shen to employees and confirmed by the company.

Tencent Trusted Doctors will be led by Tencent Doctorwork founder Wang Renrui as CEO, and Trusted Doctor’s Shen will be president of the new group, although both units will continue to operate under their existing names for the time being, according to a statement from Trusted Doctors on Thursday.

Trusted Doctors, launched in 2014, is a professional platform for over 430,000 registered doctors in China and had planned to expand its network to 31 clinics and 10 surgery centres by the end of 2018. Tencent Doctorwork, a joint venture established by Tencent, GAW capital, Medlinker, and Sequoia Capital China in 2016, is one of many Tencent-backed medical services ventures, with online management systems and 23 bricks-and-mortar clinics across the country.

Tencent did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

China’s primary care system is often underused due to an uneven distribution of resources and lack of quality general practitioners, leaving hospitals to bear the brunt of treating patients. China also suffers a shortage of doctors relative to many countries – the OECD average is 3.19 doctors for every 1,000 people, whereas China only has 2.22 doctors per 1,000.