AI in Healthcare: Innovations and Collaborations
Philips Partners with Indonesian Ministry of Health for Digital Health
The Indonesian Ministry of Health and Royal Philips have signed a memorandum of understanding to transform the country's health system. Their focus includes improving resilience and equitable access to quality care through digital health technologies.
The collaboration aims to integrate digital tools across healthcare services to improve quality, system integration, and operational efficiency nationwide. Building clinical capacity and skills, especially in radiology, cardiovascular care, and interventional procedures, is also a priority. Plans include establishing a training centre and service hub, with details to be defined in upcoming technical agreements.
Indonesian MOH secretary-general Kunta Wibawa Dasa Nugraha highlighted this as a vital investment for a resilient and competitive healthcare system. Philips Indonesia president Astri R. Dharmawan emphasized training professionals and widening digital technology adoption to improve healthcare access.
South Korea Advances AI to Combat Dementia and Hospital Infections
South Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare, alongside the Korea Health Industry Development Institute, is launching seven new projects under the Korean Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). Two projects will develop AI models to assess cognitive decline and ageing risks, targeting dementia prevention.
Other initiatives include AI development for hospital-acquired infection control and using quantum computing to discover new drug candidates. Earlier projects announced in May include AI-powered surgical assistant robots. The government has allocated 1.2 trillion won (around $830 million) through 2032 for these efforts.
Hong Kong Researchers Use AI to Predict Tooth Decay in Children
Researchers at the University of Hong Kong have created an AI system named Spatial-MiC that predicts the risk of dental cavities in children by analyzing microbial patterns. The system was developed using data from over 2,500 tooth plaque samples collected from 89 children aged 3 to 5.
Published in Cell Host & Microbe, the AI demonstrated 98% accuracy in detecting existing cavities and 93% accuracy in predicting cavities two months before clinical signs appeared. This advance could lead to precision dentistry, enabling targeted preventive care for high-risk teeth.
Shi Huang, lead researcher and assistant professor at HKU’s Faculty of Dentistry, noted that this technology shifts dental care from treating inevitable cavities to predicting and preventing them at the microbial level.
CUHK Medical Centre Expands AI Use through Local Partnership
The Chinese University of Hong Kong Medical Centre (CUHKMC) has signed an agreement with the startup SmartCare to deploy AI solutions aimed at enhancing clinical workflows, improving patient care, and boosting operational efficiency.
SmartCare will provide its AI-powered consultation platform, while CUHKMC will offer access to its AI lab for development and integration. CUHKMC CEO Dr Fung Hong expressed the goal of delivering more personalized and efficient healthcare through AI integration.
SK Biopharmaceuticals Leverages Generative AI for Drug Development
SK Biopharmaceuticals has partnered with California-based PhynX Lab to apply generative AI in automating early-stage novel drug development tasks. They will use the genAI platform Cheiron, the first pharmacy-specific generative AI platform introduced in South Korea.
Cheiron automates literature searches, data analysis, and document creation by utilizing large databases such as the US Food and Drug Administration, the Medical Subject Headings system of the US National Library of Medicine, and South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
SK Biopharmaceuticals CEO Lee Dong-hoon emphasized that AI has become essential in drug development and that this collaboration will advance AI application throughout the process.
- For healthcare professionals interested in AI training and development, explore relevant courses at Complete AI Training.
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