Korea to develop AI-driven regional smart emergency platforms 

The South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) has announced seven more projects under the Korean Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) initiative.

These include two AI-based emergency systems – one is a regional emergency system for patient classification and transfer and the other is a multi-institutional, real-time critical patient transfer management system. 

An integrated digital care solution to increase staff efficiency is also planned. 

There are also projects for early rare cancer screening among teenagers and people between the ages of 20-30; a system for rapid discovery and verification of new drug targets for non-immune solid cancers; medical technologies for space medicine; and a novel technology that simulates immunity based on microphysiological systems. 

The MOHW is now seeking partner institutes to work on these projects, which are targeted to begin in November. Each project has been allocated between 13 billion and 23 billion won ($9 million-$16.5 million) over the next five years. A total of 1.2 trillion won ($830 million) was earmarked for these projects until 2032. 

The Korean ARPA-H programme is a lineup of ambitious projects aiming to solve pressing national public healthcare and health challenges. Three initial projects – the development of vaccine storage technology, a decentralised vaccine production system, and multi-modal therapeutics targeting sarcopenia, were announced in July. 

New features live on Korea's My Health Record app

The MOHW has also recently announced updates to the My Health Record application.

The mobile app for the national health information system, My HealthWay, now allows users to view the health records of their children aged 14 and below and check information on drug allergies. It has also incorporated a new medication reminder feature. 

Recently, 144 hospitals and health facilities have been connected to My Healthway, allowing My Health Record app users to access their health information from these institutions. This brings the total number of institutions connected to the national system to approximately 1,004.

Thai hospital collaborates with Samsung Medison

Private healthcare group Bangkok Dusit Medical Services in Thailand has partnered with Seoul-based medical equipment maker Samsung Medison.

Under their memorandum of understanding, the two companies will collaborate on such areas as medical imaging and AI.

Earlier this year, Samsung Medison bought Sonio, a French ultrasound AI startup, adding to its portfolio of ultrasound diagnostics services and solutions.  

Hong Kong sets up digital health alliance

The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), a government-backed international IT hub, has reached out to local companies in various digital and IT spaces to form an alliance in digital health. 

Their alliance, according to a media release, "aims to collectively drive the growth of [an] international digital health ecosystem." 

The initial 12 partners in this alliance are expected to form their R&D bases at the Hong Kong Science Park. It includes one of China's biggest medical institutions – General Technology Healthcare and Medical Big Data Technology (Beijing) Group Co. – and rising technology startups such as elderly care-focused Infinity Wellness.

"This strategic initiative will elevate the standard of global innovation in digital health, and accelerate the translation of scientific research into market-ready solutions," said HKSTP CEO Albert Wong.