Vice President Lai Ching-te attended the “25th Anniversary of National Health Insurance: AI Applications in Healthcare Data Seminar” this morning (27th), encouraging the National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) and related ministries to continue collaborating with the industry and medical sector to enhance the quality of healthcare and disease treatment in Taiwan, and to jointly promote the development of smart healthcare and precision medicine in the country.

In his speech, the Vice President noted that, in the past, Taiwan often faced the unfortunate reality of people falling into poverty due to illness or becoming ill due to poverty. In response to this, Dharma Master Cheng Yen established Tzu Chi Hospital, Mr.Wang Yung-ching founded Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, and Mr. Shi Wen-long established Chi Mei Medical Center. Their efforts not only alleviated hardships for many families but also deeply moved the nation. However, it was not until the launch of the National Health Insurance program on March 1, 1995, and the collective efforts of the medical community, that these serious social issues were truly resolved.

The Vice President stated that over the past 25 years since its inception, the National Health Insurance system has faced numerous challenges. Yet, through the collective efforts of all involved, Taiwan has not only safeguarded public health but also ensured equal access to medical care. With a satisfaction rate of 90%, it remains one of the most well-supported public policies in the history of Taiwan’s governments, underscoring its significant contribution to society.

The Vice President went on to say that in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) and the medical community took on new roles. Healthcare workers became frontline defenders of public health, the Central Epidemic Command Center served as the command headquarters, and the NHIA functioned as the medical logistics hub. Throughout the pandemic response, the NHIA utilized National Health Insurance data to track individuals’ travel and contact histories while also assisting the government in distributing name-based rationed masks, successfully fulfilling its crucial role in safeguarding public health.  

Regarding the NHIA’s responsibilities in the next phase, the Vice President encouraged the NHIA to collaborate with relevant ministries, industries, and the medical sector to effectively leverage the 65 billion medical claim records and 2.3 billion medical imaging records accumulated over the past 25 years of National Health Insurance. This data should be used to drive the development of smart healthcare and precision medicine.

The Vice President provided an example of the NHIA’s collaboration with Quanta Computer to develop the “AI Medical Cloud Computing Integration Platform,” which supplies a high-quality database essential for AI applications. This initiative has laid a crucial foundation for the future development of smart healthcare.

Additionally, the NHIA has partnered with the National Development Council’s “Asia Silicon Valley Field Trial Program” to organize 2.3 billion medical imaging records. In June of last year, the data was made available for industry-academic collaboration applications, and today’s event includes related exhibitions showcasing the impressive results.

Furthermore, the NHIA has worked with the big data team at National Cheng Kung University Hospital to develop an AI-based diagnostic model using chest X-ray images. This approach was employed to aid in the prevention and control of COVID-19 and earned an Excellence Award in a hackathon competition, a recognition well worth commendation.

The Vice President believes that the era of Industry 4.0 and global intelligence has arrived, presenting a great opportunity for Taiwan, given its strong ICT industry and highly skilled medical professionals. In response to the demands of this era, promoting smart healthcare and precision medicine is an inevitable course of action.

With this in mind, he encouraged the NHIA and relevant ministries to continue easing regulatory restrictions, opening up experimental fields and data, and proactively seeking input from various stakeholders. He emphasized the importance of collaboration between the medical and industrial sectors to support the biomedical and ICT industries in advancing precision and smart healthcare. These efforts will enhance the quality of healthcare and disease treatment in Taiwan, drive industrial development, and ultimately strengthen the nation.

The Vice President emphasized that today’s seminar is not only about disease treatment and improving medical quality but is also closely related to health promotion, healthcare, disease management, industrial development, and even the nation’s long-term vision. On behalf of President Tsai, he expressed gratitude for everyone’s efforts and extended his best wishes for a successful seminar with fruitful outcomes, hoping it would serve as a driving force for the next phase of smart healthcare advancement.

Following his speech, the Vice President toured the exhibition area, reviewing research and listening to briefings from teams at National Cheng Kung University Hospital, National Taiwan University Hospital, and Quanta Computer. These teams demonstrated how they utilize technology and NHIA data for diagnosis, analysis, and research.

The event was attended by NHIA Director-General Po-Chang Lee, National Development Council Deputy Minister Shien-Quey Kao, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Dar-Bin Shieh, Quanta Computer Chairman Barry Lam, and other distinguished guests.