Korean telemedicine industry struggles due to weak demand

[Image source: Gettyimagesbank]

South Korean telemedicine industry is on the brink of collapse as two top platforms are set to shut down at the end of this month.

According to industry sources on Thursday, leading non-face-to-face medical platforms, Doctor Now Inc. and My Doctor operated by Merakiplace Inc., will cease services by the end of this month when the pilot period for telemedicine services ends.

Doctor Now has been in operation for nearly three years and Merakiplace nearly two years.

“Various regulations have tied our hands, making it impossible to provide services to users,” explained an industry insider.

Starting from the beginning of September, patients will no longer be able to have remote medical consultations, video appointments, or other medical services through the two platforms.

However, customer service windows will remain open to alleviate inconvenience for existing users.

The shutdown had already been warned when the pilot projects began in June. In response to input from medical experts and industries, the government added regulations such as disallowing first-time patients from using the service and prohibiting medication delivery, leading to a decline in user engagement with the services.

According to data from the Korea Telemedicine Industry Council, the average number of medical appointment requests in August decreased by 30 percent compared to May, and the appointment cancellation rate reached 60 percent.