ArticleJMIR mHealth and uHealth2020
User Perceptions of Virtual Hospital Apps in China: Systematic Search.
Article in JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed.
- Adaptation and validation of the Chinese version of the Service Quality Questionnaire for Internet hospital services in China.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Privacy Policy Compliance of Mobile Sports and Health Apps in China: Scale Development, Data Analysis, and Prospects for Regulatory Reform.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2026Article
- Enterprise-led internet healthcare provision in China: insights from a leading platform.Frontiers in digital health · 2025Article
- Medical Information Protection in Internet Hospital Apps in China: Scale Development and Content Analysis.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2024Article
- Current status of and future perspectives on care for cancer survivors in China.Global health & medicine · 2023Review
- Application and challenges of a metaverse in medicine.Frontiers in robotics and AI · 2023Review
- The Sociodemographic Digital Divide in Mobile Health App Use Among Clients at Outpatient Departments in Inner Mongolia, China: Cross-sectional Survey Study.JMIR human factors · 2022Article
- The impacts on population health by China's regional health data centers and the potential mechanism of influence.Digital healthArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundVirtual hospital apps are mobile apps that offer functionalities of online consultation, medical guidance, health community forums, referrals, outpatient appointments or virtual hospital-to-home care services. With an increasing number of online medical and health care consulting services, virtual hospital apps have made health care more accessible and fairer for all, especially in China. However, they have occurred without control or regulation. User evaluation can provide directions to help apps optimize identification, lower risks, and guarantee service quality.
objectiveWe aimed to conduct a systematic search for virtual hospital apps in China. To get a global view, virtual hospital apps were assessed and characterized by means of quantitative analysis. To get a local view, we conducted a content feedback analysis to explore user requirements, expectations, and preferences.
methodsA search was conducted of the most popular Apple and Android app stores in China. We characterized and verified virtual hospital apps and grouped apps according to quantification analysis. We then crawled apps and paid attention to corresponding reviews to incorporate users' involvement, and then performed aspect-based content labeling and analysis using an inductive approach.
resultsA total of 239 apps were identified in the virtual hospital app markets in China, and 2686 informative corresponding reviews were analyzed. The evidence showed that usefulness and ease of use were vital facts for engagement. Users were likely to trust a consulting service with a high number of downloads. Furthermore, users expected frequently used apps with more optimization to improve virtual service. We characterized apps according to 4 key features: (1) app functionalities, including online doctor consultation, in-app purchases, tailored education, and community forums; (2) security and privacy, including user data management and user privacy; (3) health management, including health tracking, reminders, and notifications; and (4) technical aspects, including user interface and equipment connection.
conclusionsVirtual hospitals relying on the mobile internet are growing rapidly. A large number of virtual hospital apps are available and accessible to a growing number of people. Evidence from this systematic search can help various types of virtual hospital models enhance virtual health care experiences, go beyond offline hospitals, and continuously meet the needs of individual end users.
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