The Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) is celebrating the successful participation of South Korean companies at the recent HIMSS & Health 2.0 European Digital Conference.

Eight health tech companies were featured at the South Korean Country Pavilion, a virtual space which allowed firms to showcase their solutions and connect with conference attendees via digital booths.

Technology on display included innovations in medical device manufacturing, remote medical treatment systems and medical software.

The South Korean government has focused on digital health as a key growth sector in recent years, with particular emphasis placed on areas such as healthcare related Big Data, Health IT and artificial intelligence (AI).    

A statement on behalf of the KHIDI, said: “The exhibition confirmed the hope and possibilities of the digital healthcare industry, despite the global crisis and economic recession caused by COVID-19.

“Through the event, we were able to contact companies and buyers who showed much interest in the Korean Pavilion, and we plan to continue discussions about cooperation now the exhibition is over.”

Digital health firm QTT, which provides an AI-based app for oral health, was one of the companies showcased at HIMSS & Health 2.0.

The company’s chief operating officer (COO), Jayyou Choi, spoke about the importance of digital transformation and the value of technology in improving patient outcomes.

“Digital transformation is expected to solve many of the problems facing hospitals, but most importantly digital transformation in the medical field means differentiating between mild and severe patients through primary screening. After all, the key is to be able to accommodate patients in the urgent need of treatment first,” he said.

Another company featured at the event was medical device manufacturers F&D Partners, which provide solutions for skin health, including the Mediscope skin cancer diagnosis assistant and the Lemia facial skin measurement analysis system.

Chief executive officer (CEO), Frank Zhang, told HIMSS TV: “South Korea is one of the countries with the most developed digital infrastructures and it has applied it well throughout society.

“The Korean health insurance system, which has been operating for a long time, makes it possible to provide medical service at a very low price and for that reason patients in South Korea can be examined very quickly free of charge. In addition, because all results are digitalised and shared online, South Korea is managing the Corona pandemic effectively.”

HIMSS & Health 2.0 European Digital Conference took place on September 7-11, 2020.