Digital transformation is reshaping industries worldwide, and China’s healthcare sector is one of the most striking examples of this shift. In Healthcare Reform in China: From Violence to Digital Healthcare, economist Carine Milcent explores the structural reforms, technological innovations and socio-economic forces shaping China’s healthcare evolution.
This book offers a comprehensive, accessible and insightful perspective on the rise of e-health in China, making it an ideal read for anyone interested in digital marketing, health tech and business innovation.
In this review, we will break down the book’s key ideas, strengths, limitations, and relevance for those specializing in digital business and marketing.
Carine Milcent is Professor of Health and Econometrics at the Paris School of Economics and French Center for Contemporary China in Hong Kong. She is editor of China Perspectives and has published widely in journals and books featured at the CNRS.
Understanding the context: summary of the book
Milcent begins by describing the state of China’s healthcare system prior to major reforms. Historically, the system suffered from severe imbalances: overcrowded public hospitals, uneven distribution of medical resources, and a lack of trust between doctors and patients. One of the most extreme consequences was the rise of “yinao” (hospital violence) reflecting deep frustrations among patients.
The author then examines China’s major healthcare reforms over the past two decades. These include the expansion of new funding strategies for hospitals, and incentives to improve service quality. These policies created the foundation for the digital transformation that followed. Milcent highlights how China embraced digital tools to improve efficiency and accessibility:
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- Electronic medical records (EMRs) standardized patient data
- Hospital Information Systems (HIS) enhanced coordination
- Telemedicine emerged to connect rural patients with top-tier doctors
- Health apps and “internet hospitals” allowed millions to book appointments, access consultations or store medical data via mobile platforms
She also explores the roles of Chinese tech giants such as Tencent, Alibaba and JD Health, whose platforms now occupy a central place in China’s e-health ecosystem.
However, Milcent also emphasizes challenges: digital inequalities, governance of sensitive health data, regional disparities and the risk of commercializing healthcare without adequate regulation. She argues that digital solutions must support, not replace, structural reforms.
Critical Analysis: what are the book’s strengths and limitations?
Milcent succeeds in explaining in a clear, approachable manner, the complex economic and policy mechanisms for non-experts. The book is structured, fluid and rich in examples making it more accessible to anyone.
The blend of economics, public policy, sociology and digital innovation provides a multi-disciplinary overall understanding of China’s healthcare transformation.
Although the book addresses broader reforms, it captures China’s fast-moving adoption of technologies like telemedicine, mobile platforms and data-driven systems in a relevant focused section.
Overall, the analysis of the ecosystem highlights such as stakeholders, government, hospital, tech giants and patient is highly relevant and useful for any professional or student interested in digital business models and strategies.
However, readers looking for more in-depth detailed technological analysis such as AI, IoT and blockchain, may find the book limited and laking in case studies. Indeed the tone remains rather academic.
In 2025, the book remains relevant but some examples and figures are now outdated as the digital health landscape evolution has been accelerated during and after the COVID-19 crisis.
Why this book matters for digital marketing & business enthusiasts?
For anyone curious about China’s health system and digital transformation, this book provides highly valuable insights into a booming sector.
• China is home to some of the world’s largest e-health platforms. The book helps readers understand how these platforms attract and retain users, what is their monetization strategies and their multi-sided usability (patients, hospitals, doctors).
• Health data is amongst the most sensitive personal information. Understanding how it is regulated, stored and used is crucial to work or live in China where data governs and privacy ethics differ from western regulations.
• China’s healthcare apps have transformed how people interact with medical services. Patient digital engagement relies on UX design, community management, digital trust building and service personalization.
• The rapid adoption of digital health solutions makes China a model and case study in global health innovations for countries seeking to modernize their own systems.
Healthcare Reform in China: From Violence to Digital Healthcare is an essential read for anyone interested in the intersection between healthcare, public policy and digital transformation. While not a technical manual, it provides a solid foundation for understanding the forces driving China’s fast-growing e-health ecosystem.
Overall, the book offers valuable perspectives on business models, digital governance, and patient engagement strategies.