WeDoctor, an online healthcare service provider from Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, is listed among the 30 most valuable venture-backed companies in the world at a valuation of $5.5 billion, according to the US-based financial research firm PitchBook.

Led by two ride-hailing giants, Uber and its Chinese counterpart DiDi Chuxing, the list is dominated by US technology companies such as SpaceX, but also some Chinese ones including Toutiao and DJI-Innovations.

The Hangzhou-based WeDoctor, the only healthcare company on the list, offers convenient access to a package of public health services by linking patients with doctors from large public hospitals via an online platform, including online appointment booking and diagnosis, medical consultation and tailored health management.

Moreover, offline clinics, aiming to optimize medical resources and meet the health demands of patients, are also being established in major cities in China, including Hangzhou, Shanghai and Nanjing.

Founded in 2001 by Jerry Liao Jieyuan, the multifunctional intelligent platform has linked over 2,700 hospitals and 15,000 pharmacies across the country with 110 million registered users and a network of 220,000 doctors.

According to Liao, WeDoctor will also ramp up efforts in cultivating general practitioners (GP) and building GP centers in China to improve the country's medical care service at grassroots clinics.