On January 4, 2025, The 2nd Clinical Breakthrough Dialogue (CBD) & First Greater Bay Area Varicose Veins CHIVA Academic Salon successfully took place at Union Square in Shenzhen’s Futian CBD. The event, jointly organized by the Shenzhen Futian Professional Association of Social Medical Institutions and Dr. Smile Vein Center Shenzhen, focused on advancing venous disease treatment in line with international standards. In 2023, the group opened its first overseas CHIVA center in Africa, followed by the launch of Dr. Smile Medical Group USA in 2024, marking the full-scale initiation of its global strategy.
Shenzhen’s Role as a Medical Hub in the Greater Bay Area
This salon was the first major medical academic event held at Union Square, highlighting Shenzhen’s growing role as a center for medical innovation and healthcare services within the Greater Bay Area. The academic focus and open exchange format attracted top medical professionals, solidifying Shenzhen’s position as a key player in regional healthcare development.
As one of the event organizers, Dr. Smile Vein Center Shenzhen is China’s first medical team to participate in the global CHIVA Certification Program and also holds the responsibility of leading the national-level venous disease professional committee. The group has transformed traditional varicose vein treatment, which used to require several days of hospitalization, into a minimally invasive outpatient procedure lasting around an hour. Over the past decade, it has successfully treated more than 20,000 varicose vein patients, setting a benchmark for medical innovation and service quality improvement.
Additionally, the upcoming launch of the Manhattan CHIVA Center aims to promote the global application of CHIVA technology and provide international patients with high-standard venous disease treatment services. This move not only underscores the global competitiveness of Chinese medical technology but also opens new avenues for international collaborations in venous disease treatment.
Collaboration Across the Greater Bay Area: Sharing Knowledge and Resources
During the event, venous disease specialists from Hong Kong, Macau, and mainland China gathered to engage in in-depth discussions with international experts through keynote speeches, technical demonstrations, and case-sharing sessions. A particular highlight was the demonstration of CHIVA’s hemodynamic assessment technology, which garnered significant attention for its potential to further advance minimally invasive procedures and establish standardized treatment protocols for venous disease.
A Hong Kong medical team representative noted that with the development of the Greater Bay Area’s “one-hour commuting circle,” an increasing number of patients are willing to seek cross-border medical treatment, particularly innovative minimally invasive procedures. Such collaborations not only provide patients with superior treatment options but also foster closer academic and technical ties among doctors across the region.
Dr. Smile Medical Group representatives stated that with the establishment of the U.S. CHIVA Center, they plan to extend the successful experiences of China and the Greater Bay Area to more international markets. This will facilitate bidirectional medical technology exchange and allow more overseas patients to benefit from the advantages of CHIVA technology.
From Hong Kong’s perspective, this salon was not just a showcase of medical advancements but also a testament to the deepening medical collaboration within the Greater Bay Area. While Hong Kong’s medical institutions excel in high-end treatments and international service standards, Shenzhen’s policy support and strategic location make it an ideal hub and collaborative partner for medical advancements.
“Patients no longer need to wear compression stockings, and treatment times are significantly reduced,” remarked a Hong Kong-based doctor intrigued by CHIVA technology. He believes this innovative model could be adopted in Hong Kong to enhance patient experience and optimize resource allocation. Additionally, the launch of Dr. Smile’s U.S. CHIVA Center has piqued interest among Hong Kong’s medical community, offering new opportunities for international collaborations.
Driving High-Quality Regional Healthcare Development
The Shenzhen Futian Professional Association of Social Medical Institutions emphasized that this salon represents an integration of academic, technical, and regional collaboration efforts. It is also a key initiative in promoting high-quality regional healthcare development. The association aims to establish this platform as a regular event, creating a signature medical academic exchange forum for the Greater Bay Area.
Industry experts point out that the Greater Bay Area’s medical cooperation model uniquely blends localization and internationalization. Through Shenzhen’s role as a gateway to global medical resources, the Greater Bay Area is collectively advancing the internationalization of China’s healthcare services.