Pharmaceutical News
Premier: Effective use of medical data to spur smart health care development
2019.08.30

Following a briefing on Aug. 22 with the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) on exploring possible applications of National Health Insurance (NHI) data, Premier Su Tseng-chang said that Taiwan’s stellar capabilities in the medical big data and medical information technology (IT) industries is in-line with the global trend of digital medicine. The Cabinet has instructed the MOHW to work with the Ministry of Science and Technology to oversee collaborations between the public and private sectors that effectively leverage Taiwan’s medical data to propel the development of smart health care industries and improve public well-being, while ensuring legal compliance and privacy.

 

Premier Su said that over many years the NHI system has accumulated a large database of de-identified medical records that now provides Taiwan with a significant advantage for the development of cloud technologies, data analytics and medical artificial intelligence (AI). In recent years, the National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) has adopted IT applications into its health care management and built a cloud-based medical data query system that allows physicians to access patients’ medical records, including examinations and imaging at different care providers, which has improved the convenience and the quality of health care. The improved data access also helps to prevent wastage of Taiwan’s medical resources, bringing benefits to the public, the medical community, and the government.

 

Premier Su said that beginning this year, the NHIA has opened access to medical imaging data for AI applications. Building on the foundation of the NHI's big data and cloud-based medical technologies, these applications will secure a leading position for Taiwan in biotechnology and health care, promote AI-based precision medicine, and improve the quality of health care services, the premier said, while commending the initiative’s early results first reported in a briefing with the Cabinet in July.

 

The MOHW said that since the NHIA began its AI and big data services pilot program in June 4, datasets containing de-identified CT, MRI scans as well as other imaging data have been released for analysis by joint public and private sector teams. Currently, eight of such teams have been given approval to carry out analysis work. It is hoped that once such AI diagnostic applications go online, physicians’ workloads will be decreased and lead to higher precision and quality of care.

 

[2019-08-22 / Executive Yuan]