When 56-year-old Ms. Gu discovered a 3.5 cm mass in her right kidney during a routine physical examination, which was preliminarily suspected to be a malignant tumor, her and her family’s lives were instantly shrouded in gloom. Seeking medical treatment in major hubs such as Beijing or Shanghai meant, for this patient from Si County, Suzhou City, Anhui Province, an unfamiliar environment, long waiting times, and unpredictable emotional and financial costs. Just as her anxious family was at a loss, the local Si County Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, as a member of the Shanghai Ruijin Smart Medical Consortium, became a beacon of hope.

On December 30, 2025, through an appointment arranged by the Medical Affairs Department of Si County Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Ms. Gu successfully connected to an online outpatient consultation with Dr. Wang Xianjin, Director of Urology at Shanghai Ruijin Hospital, from her local hospital. Across the screen, a cross-regional “face-to-face” consultation took place.

After a detailed inquiry into her medical history and a review of imaging data, Dr. Wang strongly suspected a malignant tumor in the right kidney. Based on the characteristics of the lesion, he recommended a minimally invasive, kidney-sparing surgery to minimize trauma and maximize preservation of renal function.

Given that Ms. Gu also had pre-existing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases requiring long-term medication with aspirin and reserpine, the surgical risk and complexity were increased. Dr. Wang conducted thorough preoperative communication and evaluation with the patient and local physicians via the internet platform and developed a detailed perioperative medication management plan. It was ultimately decided that the patient could travel directly to Shanghai and be admitted on January 5, 2026, avoiding the usual challenges faced by out-of-town patients such as registration queues and bed waiting times.

Upon arrival at Ruijin Hospital, Ms. Gu entered an efficient clinical pathway. After admission, all necessary preoperative examinations were completed, and the medical team developed a personalized surgical plan for her.

On January 8, 2026, Dr. Wang Xianjin and his team (Dr. Jin Xingwei and Dr. Ruan Xiaohao) successfully performed a right renal tumor enucleation using an internationally advanced single-port surgical robots with snake-like instruments. The tumor was completely removed while maximizing preservation of right kidney function. Single-port surgical robot is performed through only one or two small incisions. Compared with traditional multi-port laparoscopic or open surgery, it offers significant advantages, including reduced trauma, less bleeding, higher precision, and less postoperative pain, laying a strong foundation for rapid recovery.

Guided by the principles of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery and supported by refined postoperative management, Ms. Gu recovered smoothly and was discharged on January 13, 2026. For a urology patient, the entire process—from online consultation, direct admission from another city, successful surgery, to discharge—took only two weeks. This greatly shortens the traditional timeline, which often requires weeks or even months for registration, examinations, and surgical scheduling.

Upon discharge, Ms. Gu and her family expressed their gratitude by presenting a banner to Dr. Wang Xianjin’s team. She said: “I never imagined that I could complete surgery so quickly at one of the best hospitals in Shanghai without any connections or repeated queues, and recover so well. Smart medicine has truly given hope to patients from other regions.”

Through the Shanghai Ruijin Smart Medical Consortium project, patients in primary hospitals can not only access high-quality specialist resources from top-tier hospitals and receive precise remote medical guidance, but also overcome geographical barriers, achieving seamless integration of examination, hospitalization, and surgical processes. On this basis, advanced technologies such as single-port robotic surgery further drive surgical treatment toward being more minimally invasive, more precise, and enabling faster recovery. Ultimately, patients benefit from both technological advancement and innovation in healthcare delivery models.

Dr. Shen Yuhui, Chief Physician of Orthopedics at Ruijin Hospital and Executive Dean of Shanghai Guangci Taiping Insurance Internet Hospital, stated that in the future, the hospital will continue to deepen smart healthcare development, expand application scenarios, and enable more patients to access more convenient, efficient, and high-quality medical services, truly fulfilling a patient-centered service philosophy.