Film Goes Cloud-Based: Smart Healthcare Transformation Better Serves the People
“Too many tests, expensive tests, and redundant tests”—for years, these healthcare bottlenecks have troubled countless patients and their families. Historically, hospital imaging data existed as isolated “information silos.” When patients were referred or sought care outside their local area, they often had to carry physical medical medical film and frequently underwent redundant tests because other hospitals did not recognize their imaging records. These additional costs, lengthy waits, and back-and-forth trips may seem like minor procedural inconveniences, but they have become critical bottlenecks affecting the overall healthcare experience.
As an innovative solution leveraging cloud computing and digital imaging technology, cloud-based medical film converts traditional physical medical medical film into encrypted digital imaging services. This enables real-time access across multiple devices, facilitates remote consultations, and supports long-term archiving. Driven by China's “Internet Plus Healthcare” policy, this technology is evolving from a “convenience option” in hospitals to a “basic configuration” of medical services.
Data indicates that the global cloud medical film market reached $911 million in sales in 2024, projected to grow to $1.561 billion by 2031 with a compound annual growth rate of 8.0%. The latest figures from the National Healthcare Security Administration show that as of November 12, 24 provinces including Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Anhui have completed the deployment of medical insurance cloud imaging software. The number of medical insurance cloud index data entries aggregated to the national agency has reached 140 million.
Policy Empowerment:
Transitioning from “Optional” to ‘Mandatory’
The widespread adoption of cloud-based medical imaging began with systematic, top-down policy initiatives. “Repeated examinations waste medical resources and increase patients' financial burdens. Mutual recognition of test results requires bridging the ‘last mile’ of imaging data sharing,” stated Jin Xiaotao, President of the China Health Information and Health Big Data Association, in an interview with China City News. This perspective highlights the core policy imperative.
Since 2024, a series of policies have been introduced, accelerating the adoption of cloud medical medical film. In November 2024, seven ministries including the National Health Commission and National Development and Reform Commission jointly issued the “Guiding Opinions on Further Promoting Mutual Recognition of Medical Examination and Testing Results.” This document outlines a clear roadmap: achieving mutual recognition of all examination items within medical consortiums by the end of 2025, and realizing cross-regional, cross-institutional sharing and mutual recognition of common examination results by 2030. Concurrently, the National Healthcare Security Administration released the “Guidelines for Pricing Radiological Examination Services (Trial Implementation),” leveraging pricing mechanisms to drive industry transformation. This includes incorporating digital image processing, uploading, and cloud storage into radiological examination pricing structures. It explicitly states that medical institutions unable to provide cloud storage for examination images must reduce fees accordingly.
“The recent flurry of policy releases has transformed cloud medical medical film from an ‘optional feature’ to a ‘mandatory requirement’ for hospitals, compelling medical institutions to accelerate their digital transformation,” stated Jia Xueming, founder of Beijing Chuangyitang Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic, in an interview with China City News.
Behind this policy push lies the successful implementation already underway in local regions, accumulating valuable experience for nationwide rollout. As early as 2018, Zhejiang introduced China's first digital imaging service fee standards and expert consensus, standardizing cloud medical film service processes and security requirements. In December 2024, the National Healthcare Security Administration designated Jiangsu as the nation's first pilot province to promote interconnectivity between provincial and national platforms. Currently, over 2,000 medical institutions in Jiangsu have connected to the provincial imaging cloud platform. In August 2025, Guizhou adopted a “government-led + state-owned enterprise operation” model to launch affordable cloud medical film services priced at 4.95 yuan per person, covering all public hospitals across the province. This significantly reduced costs compared to traditional medical film services averaging 8 yuan per image, alleviating tens of millions of yuan in annual medical expenses for patients province-wide.
The industry's rapid development also relies on corporate technological support. In 2015, Ningbo Quanwang Cloud Medical Technology Co., Ltd. launched China's first cloud medical film system, transforming traditional medical film services into DICOM-standard digital imaging services. Encrypted and stored in the cloud, patients can access images across institutions via QR codes, supporting professional operations like magnification, measurement, and 3D reconstruction—fully meeting clinical diagnostic needs.
“Over the past decade, we have overcome more than 50 core technological challenges, served 180 million patient cases, stored over 80 million radiological images, saved nearly 200 million medical film sheets, and reduced patient costs by over 1 billion yuan,” “ Pan Renjin, Chairman of Quanwang Cloud Medical, shared with China City News. However, he also emphasized that the industry's sustainable development cannot rely on a single company ”going it alone." Current challenges include inconsistent standards, difficulties in grassroots adaptation, and uneven service distribution. Addressing these issues requires concerted efforts from governments, enterprises, and medical institutions.