Shanghai hospitals will be able to offer online medical services starting on Sept 1, allowing doctors to follow up with their patients through the Internet, according to a new regulation released by the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission on Tuesday.

The commission said that the move is part of efforts by Shanghai hospitals to integrate the use of the Internet into their medical practices.

According to the regulation, only medical institutions can offer such services. In addition, patients must first receive an initial diagnosis and treatment at a hospital before being able to use such online services.

Patients are permitted to use their online diagnosis to purchase medication at pharmacies. They can also opt for home delivery services through the online system. However, doctors are not allowed to prescribe high-risk narcotic and psychotropic drugs through these online services.

These services are also not available to those who require treatment for Category-1 infectious diseases, serious diseases and others that require offline professional medical examinations.

Zhan Jinyao contributed to this story.