The NHIA held APEC Conference on Digital Healthcare Innovation on September 21-22
Using smartphones, health information technology, and wearable devices have allowed remote, mobile, and personalized digital health care to become a global development trend, which is especially prominent within the context of the aging population and the pandemic.
Using smartphones, health information technology, and wearable devices have allowed remote, mobile, and personalized digital health care to become a global development trend, which is especially prominent within the context of the aging population and the pandemic. Since 2013, the NHIA has introduced various cloud-based services and digital technologies including NHI MediCloud and My Health Bank. Then, in recent years, the NHI database and NHI AI medical imaging have been opened for applications, leading to more digital healthcare services and tools based on NHI database emerged. Coinciding with the recent COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan’s use of health information and smart medical systems has become the best example of success in the fight against the pandemic, a success that is worth sharing with the world.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is one of the most important multi-lateral official forums for economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. In order to strengthen interaction and exchange of various economies, the NHIA applied to APEC for a project and received subsidies amounting to US$75,000 to hold the APEC Conference on Digital Healthcare Innovation—COVID-19 Response by Health Information Utilization on September 21 to 22, 2022. The purpose of the Conference was to exchange the experiences of various economies in developing digital healthcare. In addition, it was an opportunity for Taiwan to share its strengths with other economies and thus expand opportunities for further cooperation.
Taiwan’s NHI database, as compared with other countries, is more complete, as it possesses the medical information of all Taiwan’s citizens. Under the premise of information security, big data is conditionally released for digital health. Given the fact that innovative applications in health technology, health policy and business opportunities have become a hot topic, Taiwan’s experience in using health information to fight the pandemic should be shared with the rest of the world.
Dr. Po-Chang Lee, Director General of the NHIA, said, “Various health data have been rapidly transmitted and integrated by the use of digital technology, thus heralding in a new era of smart health care. The NHIA looks forward to engaging in international cooperation, exploring the ways big data could be best used to improve the health and well-being of the people. In the meantime, there are also new business opportunities which coincide with APEC’s purpose of promoting regional economic cooperation.”
The conference centers on the concept of digital-driven innovation, and four topics were under discussion: “Digital transformation of healthcare and related innovations,” “New health policies and challenges in the post-pandemic era,” “Telehealth and the future for hospitals,” and “Bring artificial intelligence in action in healthcare.”
Director General Lee said,”From the selection of topics to design of the venue, the conference distinctively embodies the many aspects of smart health care, the cross-disciplinary approach emphasized by APEC, and the public-private partnership that combines official and private resources. This is an event full of the APEC characteristics, while the NHIA also has opportunities to engage in international cooperation.”
The conference aimed at two objectives. One of the objectives was to exchange the experiences and prospects of developing digital health care of various countries. The second was to use the opportunity of the conference to share Taiwan’s success in digital health care with the rest of the world, and thereby strengthen opportunities for future cooperation with economies on health care issues. Magnifying Taiwan’s two strengths of digital capabilities and health care is a major niche for Taiwan’s international cooperation. The conference will be also a favorable basis on which Taiwan can gain more visibility and opportunities for regional cooperation when Taiwan attends APEC annual meeting later in November.
Date: 2022-09-30
Source: National Health Insurance Administration,Ministry of Health and Welfare