BEIJING -- Chinese health authorities have pledged to advance the development of online diagnosis and treatment as well as internet-based hospitals.

Hospitals are required to introduce online diagnosis and treatment services for revisiting patients with common and chronic diseases and cooperate with third parties to provide drug delivery services, said the circular issued by the general affairs office of the National Health Commission.

The online services are expected to help ease the pressure of medical institutions offline and contribute to the epidemic prevention and control, said the circular.

The circular also stressed the importance of oversight over online medical service and called for construction of provincial-level platforms to monitor such services, and improved systems and measures to protect privacy of patients seeking medical services online.